Ellie Wilson

is diverse and when subjected to so much misinformation and rhetoric stands to be divided you know it creates division for us in a way that is deeply unhelpful and antithetical to the advocacy that we need in order to really achieve something because i'll tell you we know what to achieve this is not some huge head scratching mystery where we go like what are we going to do

There is wisdom amongst the community here, in large part led by autistic people and families, and also amongst those who have committed their careers to doing this.

There are absolutely solutions at our fingertips, and all we have to do is work together and get out of our own dang way in order to be able to achieve that.

And if I could make one more point, it would, especially to Clarence, would be to say, you know, the beauty of public health is about how we can interpret it across a number of really important public sectors.

You want to talk the importance of public education and how to think about autism in education.

Let's spend an episode doing that.

You want to talk about autism and healthcare?

Wow, let's talk about what it means for autistic people to access not just preventive but responsive healthcare that really supports them regardless of their needs.

You know, let's talk about public safety.

Let's talk about how autistic people are 7 to 12 times more likely to interact with emergency responders.

than their neurotypical counterparts, and therefore how important it is to know that EMS, fire, and police officers know how to support an autistic person across an array of different circumstances.

You know, let's talk about employment.

Every space that contributes to not just the life but the quality of life of any particular person

person is where this advocacy can and should live.

And that's the kind of range that an organization like the Autism Society of Minnesota continues to take responsibility to have.

It's why we show up in all of these different spaces.

We are a small but mighty organization that knows that we have some really important points to be made across every single one of those sectors.

And I look forward to continue to advocate, especially with new friends

like Health Chatter.

Yeah, it's my pleasure.