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

[Visionary7903]

Yesterday’s post was on Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center, a nonprofit based in Birmingham, Alabama.

Birmingham is also the home of the A.Skate Foundation, mentioned in a number of previous posts, for example this one and this one. The River Region Rollergirls (RRR) is an Alabama-based nonprofit that has raised around money for A. Skate by hosting ‘Iron Roll’ benefits. The River Region Rollergirls are one of the 6 derby leagues in Alabama…

…“Fiend Club,” Lyra Stephens’ roller derby persona, is a dark, fierce competitor, circling the rink fighting for the Deadutantes in bouts all over the South. She’s the captain of the team, which is part of the only derby league in Montgomery, Ala., the River Region Rollergirls.

Derby is her passion and her stress-buster. It’s fun. It’s serious, physical business. She’s willing to get hurt.
But when she’s simply Lyra, she’s also the mom of 5-year-old Sewell, who at age 2 was diagnosed with autism. Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first three years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills. It’s now estimated that one in 110 children will develop autism.
After she enrolled Sewell in a therapeutic skateboarding clinic hosted by the A.Skate Foundation, a Birmingham, Ala.-based organization for kids with autism, Stephens realized her derby team – as committed to giving back to the public as it is to winning bouts – could help.
She organized a benefit scrimmage for A.Skate that will bring three other derby teams from the region to Montgomery to help the cause.

…At a recent roller derby practice, Stephens acquired a 6-inch-long, deep abrasion on her right shin, the result of a fellow skater’s wheel grazing her leg. She’s OK, she insists. On the knee above is a road map of bruises.
As Sewell plays with blocks on the floor of their bedroom, he glances up to his mom.
“Does that still hurt?” Sewell asks, pointing at the scar.
“Yes, it still hurts,” she tells him gently.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah, I’m OK,” she said, pulling him close and smiling, then giving him a kiss.

Here is a link to a video of the ‘RRRoll out for Autism’ featuring skaters from four roller derby leagues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2xHzGFnvgE

(sources: https://www.facebook.com/RiverRegionRollergirls/info; http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/medical/health/medical/autism/story/2011/07/skating-mom-helps-son-with-autism-soar/49243568/1)