{"id":189151,"date":"2025-04-22T16:25:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T20:25:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/?p=189151"},"modified":"2025-04-23T12:43:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T16:43:34","slug":"a-note-from-the-chairmen-of-best-buddies-and-special-olympics-the-gifts-of-people-with-autism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/2025\/04\/25\/the-gift-of-people-with-autism","title":{"rendered":"A Note from the Chairmen of Best Buddies and Special Olympics: The Gifts of People with Autism"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=&#8221;189153&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; css=&#8221;&#8221;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;&#8221;]As we come to the end of Autism Awareness Month, we\u00a0want to\u00a0join with\u00a0self-advocates\u00a0and friends and family members around the world in celebrating the gifts of people with autism. We have been reminded again and again that people with autism can and will continue to be wonderful children, brothers and sisters, and members of families. They can and will continue to go to school, be great friends, join teams, and contribute to their communities. People with autism can and will continue to date, hold jobs, marry, and pay taxes.<\/p>\n<p>Slurs and statements\u00a0that demean, devalue, demonize\u00a0and identify\u00a0people with intellectual and developmental differences as hopeless are not only inaccurate but they are also deeply damaging to the hopes and dreams of millions of\u00a0people who struggle for dignity\u00a0every day. Over a decade ago Special Olympics athletes and Best Buddies asked both of our organizations to champion ending the use of the R-word\u2014 a label that has repeatedly caused severe damage. There have been some hurtful misconceptions floating around about people with autism and intellectual disabilities \u2013 assumptions that they\u2019ll never contribute, never connect, never create, never belong. Alex Burns is here to say: \u201cThat\u2019s simply not true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Out of respect for Alex and millions of others, we will continue to invite leaders of all ages to join us in affirming that people with Autism and other forms of intellectual disabilities have gifts.<\/p>\n<p>Our family has been active in the work of promoting the gifts and contributions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for more than half a century. We have learned so much\u00a0from the hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of people with intellectual disabilities \u2014 including many with autism \u2014 who have touched our lives&#8211;all our lives. They have shown us skills, grace and empathy. Toughness, determination and courage. Humor, smarts and wisdom.\u00a0They are friends. Great friends. And\u00a0there are\u00a0thousands\u00a0upon\u00a0thousands of athletes, of course. Marathon runners, soccer stars,\u00a0downhill\u00a0skiers,\u00a0and open-ocean swimmers. But\u00a0also,\u00a0actors, computer experts, graphic designers, artists, activists and old married couples.\u00a0We know their gifts are immeasurable,\u00a0and we will not stop promoting them in the United States and around the world.<\/p>\n<p>As we celebrate, we also know that\u00a0having a disability\u00a0is often not\u00a0easy. Many people\u00a0who\u00a0have severe\u00a0physical or intellectual disabilities\u00a0have limited\u00a0life options.\u00a0They are familiar with pain and\u00a0adversity, often struggling\u00a0every day with what many of us take for granted.\u00a0So,\u00a0we will continue to support the best research and care\u00a0that can help\u00a0all\u00a0people with intellectual differences remain\u00a0strong\u00a0and lead fulfilling lives.<\/p>\n<p>Even\u00a0in the midst of\u00a0difficulty,\u00a0there are\u00a0gifts too. If you want to be amazed and humbled by humanity in all its diversity,\u00a0join\u00a0Special Olympics\u00a0and\u00a0Best Buddies,\u00a0read our stories, there are many. We invite you to learn. It&#8217;s a lifelong process, but it&#8217;s never too late to start. Or just go to work or school or church. Look around and see\u00a0the dignity in everyone, and you may well discover the best in yourself too.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Anthony K. Shriver<br \/>\nChairman<br \/>\nBest Buddies International.<\/p>\n<p>Timmy P. Shriver<br \/>\nChairman<br \/>\nSpecial Olympics International[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As we come to the end of Autism Awareness Month, we want to join with self-advocates and friends and family members around the world in celebrating the gifts of people with autism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":189156,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,819,4485,228],"tags":[146,125,194,161,4717],"class_list":["post-189151","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-news-front-page","category-news-sidebar","category-press-releases","tag-anthony-kennedy-shriver","tag-autism","tag-autism-awareness-month","tag-special-olympics","tag-timmy-shriver"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>A Note from the Chairmen of Best Buddies and Special Olympics: The Gifts of People with Autism - Best Buddies International<\/title>\n<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
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