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Author: Ray Hemachandra

Ray Hemachandra is a management and messaging strategist and consultant for businesses and organizations. He works with leaders and teams on effective strategic vision, analysis, and planning; holistic brand identity and integrity; audience-centric perspective and communication; staff development and well-being; and authentic realization of inclusion and diversity in organizational policies and culture. Ray emphasizes values of community, connection, belonging, and respect in his work. He serves on numerous organizational and government boards and advisory groups, with much of this work centered on social justice, autism, disability, and mental health, and also serves on several nonprofit and government grant-review committees. He speaks at colleges, universities, and conferences, especially about autism and intellectual and developmental disability. Ray has been a magazine and book editor and publisher and has written for newspapers, magazines, and online platforms. Ray lives with his son, Nicholas Hemachandra, in Asheville, North Carolina.

A White House Visit and Event for Care Workers, Caregivers, and Advocates

A little description of our trip to Washington, D.C., for an event held by President Biden at the White House honoring professional care workers, family caregivers, and advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

care workers, caregivers, caregiving, developmental disability, DSPs, executive order, IDD, intellectual disability, juggler, juggling, juggling video, President Biden, White House

Autism and IDD: Caregiving, Advocacy, Community, and Love

We need to step up our support, recognition, and advocacy both for autistic and intellectually disabled people and for the caregivers—both support workers and caregivers—who love and care for them.

autism, autism acceptance, autism acceptance month, DSPs, IDD, intellectual disability, support workers

Poem: Those Who Remember

A new poem from Ray Hemachandra: “Those Who Remember”

National Poetry Month, poem, poems, poet, poetry, writer, writing

A Letter about IDD Advocacy in North Carolina

What we lack most centrally in intellectual and developmental disability work and advocacy in North Carolina is the fierce urgency of now, to use and insist upon the meaning of the famous and essential phrase by Dr. King.

autism, developmental disability, equity, IDD, intellectual disability, representation
October 2022: Ray Hemachandra and Nicholas Hemachandra at the parklet in Asheville, North Carolina, at the Center for Craft, created in conjunction with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

You’re My Son

My son Nicholas is autistic, and he has echolalia. But what he says in repeated speech can carry as much meaning—and sometimes even more feeling—as the “right” words.

adults with autism, autism, autism acceptance, Love, son

Community Inclusion and IDD: Prioritizing and Empowering Choice for the Disabled

Should policy-directed “best outcomes” from government officials and advocacy groups reduce, rather than enhance, choice for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)—and sometimes trap them in unsafe, hostile environments?

autism, developmental disability, disability, disability rights, disabled, featured, IDD, inclusion, integration, intellectual disability
Nicholas Hemachandra on a mountaintop wearing a shirt that says, "If you can be anything, be inclusive."

Autistic Isolation, Connection, and Joy: Never Miss Dessert

Autistic adults, like adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities more generally, are not often seen as agents of love, joy, connection, relationship, and meaning for others. That’s because they’re not often seen at all.

autism, autism acceptance, autism acceptance month, autism adulthood, autism awaremess, world autism day

Poem: My Father’s Hands, in memoriam

A new poem by Ray Hemachandra: “My Father’s Hands, in memoriam”

father, fatherhood, National Poetry Month, poem, poems, poet, poetry

Working for Just Community: Now, Then, Always

Going through an old box yesterday, I came upon a yellowed, frayed 9.5-by-12-inch certificate issued in 1950 to my grandmother, … More

black history month, communication, discrimination, racial discrimination, social justice, social justice work

The Value of Disabled Lives and Organs

Why might an autistic, intellectually disabled Black boy with Down syndrome be so much more valuable in death than in life? Because his parents made him an organ donor.

autism, autism acceptance, disability, disability rights, down syndrome, intellectual disability

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  • Autism and Disability Articles
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  • The Egg Chair
    The Egg Chair

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Silly-face pic to highlight a more serious messaging from my son Nicholas, who is autistic and intellectually disabled, in his shirt from The Arc of the United States @thearc_us : “Disability rights are human rights.”
@dobrateanc in downtown Asheville NC for a couple of hours today with my friend (and long-ago neighbor) Kimmy Hunter, with far-ranging conversation largely rooted in a robust, broad, and true vision for love and inclusion—for *everyone* and everywhere, in family, schools, workplaces, community, and society—as the foundation of the work we do and the lives we live. #love #inclusion #acceptance #vision #society #family #schools #community #change
Liz Flowers is a member of my son Nicholas’ community circle, which we call Team Nicholas. Today Ms Liz took Nicholas out and about in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina today, including here in front of Looking Glass Falls.
Satsuki Azalea busting out @thencarboretum
Lunch at @buxtonhallbbq on Memorial Day weekend with my son Nicholas: pulled pork, catfish, chocolate torte, banana pudding pie.
I hadn’t seen my former Lark Books colleague Dana Irwin in at least a decade, so I was excited to drive up to an art show and fundraiser in Weaverville, NC where I’d read she was showing work. Dana was an Art Director (for 23 years!) at Lark Books during years I was a Senior Editor (for 3 of my 6 Lark years)—it was immense creative fun working with her then! As you see, she is looking fantastic and, a longtime painter with watercolors, newly working with acrylic paints and exploring the impact on her artistic style. She’d already sold two of the four pieces she was showing before I arrived!
Vignettes from therapeutic-recreation baseball from Asheville Parks & Rec on Saturday, supported by the TC Roberson High School baseball team that next weekend is playing in the state (NC) baseball championship finals.
@thencarboretum Set 1
Layers of gorgeous azalea flowers at the NC Arboretum in Asheville today
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