Specialisterne: leveraging the unique skills of Autistics at competitive market terms

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Another of Project Onward’s artists is Motesem “Moe” Mansur. As well as being an artist with Autism, Mansur is an advocate and a writer as well…

…In the library at Woodgate School, located in south suburban Matteson, fourth and fifth graders listened to Moe read from his book, Teddy Turbine: A Quarterback with Autism.
“It’s about a sixth grader that nobody understood because he had autism, and everybody rejected him until he decided to try out for his school football team, and everything changed. He had talents in football, and he used them and he proved a whole school wrong about autism,” the author said.
Moe said he could relate to the main character, Teddy.
“I was picked on many times when I was growing up, and it was very tough for me – very, very tough. And I figured, you know what, I’m going to make a difference for someone else,” Moe said.
This is Moe’s third book. His other two books also feature characters with autism.
“It affects me a lot because there are certain behaviors I do, like pace the floor, and I can’t talk to people direct sometimes. I have trouble concentrating. I can’t carry conversations very well. Sometimes I’m friendly and outgoing, but most of the time I am isolated,” he said.
Moe is also a gifted artist.
…Woodgate Principal Nina Gregory Kind says Moe is a good role model for students with and without disabilities.
“I feel that anytime children are given the opportunity to see someone that supposedly has a disability, they see that they are not so different from them. There’s no reason to look at a person and try to judge or be afraid. And it makes that person very human, and they can go home and talk about it,” Kind said…

Some of Mansur’s artwork can be viewed via the following link:
Project Onward | Artists

(source: Author’s books teach kids about autism | abc7chicago.com)