DL Opinion columns

Time to join the autism activists – by Deborah Levine 

 (column originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press)

I was hypnotized by the obituary of The Rev. Lamar Hardwick, pastor at Tri-Cities Church in Georgia. It wasn’t his degrees that caught my attention, although they were certainly impressive: Master of Divinity (Emory U. Candler School of Theology), Doctorate of Ministry (Liberty U. School of Divinity). It was his nickname, “The Autism Pastor”, that got me.  At age 36, he’d been diagnosed with autism and became an activist, helping autistic church members. He then wrote about how all churches could better prioritize people with disabilities. That’s when memories of my younger brother Johnny bubbled up inside me.

Johnny was brilliant, but his autism affected basic skills such as reading. And his people skills were non-existent. I loved and comforted him however I could. We’d sit together in the TV room watching science fiction shows. They were fascinating to me, but vital for him. He hoped to find another world where he’d be welcomed. This one was solitary and cruel! Fellow students from elementary school, high school, and college insulted him, harassed him and even attacked him. Horrifying! 

Instead of being little beasts, they should have learned how to deal with neurodiverse folks. The skills acquired are formidable and life-long. Recently, I coached a student at UTC who was both autistic and a genius. None of the professors wanted to deal with her, but it was like coming home for me.  It’s now part of my nature to read, and share, articles about autism. 

One of those articles was Artists with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, written by Diane Storman. I was fascinated by Diane’s explanation: “For many artists with autism, art is not just a creative outlet; it is a forum for conveying experiences and perspectives that are often not expressed in words.” 

I was also fascinated by hearing, out of the blue, from my cousin, Michael A. Levine.  He wanted me to connect him with the author. I’ve written about him in previous columns as the composer for the Kit Kat commercial and multiple films. I had no idea that he was diagnosed as autistic at age 50. He now describes himself as  “…a late-diagnosed autistic film composer and screenwriter in Los Angeles and a former governor of the Television Academy. I have recently gotten involved with the Television Academy Disability/Accessibility/Neurodiverse Affinity group.” 

This was all a surprise to me, and when Michael shared his connection with Johnny, tears ran down my face. “As kids, Johnny and I had a hard-to-define connection that I didn’t have with most other kids. In retrospect, I suspect at least some of it was the autistic viewpoint. I knew he was “different”, but I always felt he understood me and vice versa.”

Michael says that he’s been an “out” autie for years. He’s a member of Autism in Entertainment as well as BluStar Productions  which produced a documentary about an autistic theater company, which he scored. When BluStar Productions host film-making classes for autistic people this fall, Michael will be teaching the film scoring course. 

Michael’s passion for helping those with autism includes making the public aware of both the challenges and gifts of autism. The screenplay, Bo, that he recently wrote is about an autistic 17-year-old girl who trains an “untamable” horse for the sport of Eventing. “It’s getting some serious interest – I hope it gets made into a movie.” I had hope, too, when Autism Pride Day championed neurodiversity.

Do you know autistic folks? Whether they’ve been diagnosed as youngsters or as adults, be an activist on their behalf. Even a small act of respect and kindness will make a difference in their lives. Join us!  

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Editor’s Note: CLICK to see Restore our Humanity Videos about Deborah’s autistic brother Johnny: 

A story of autism by a grieving sister: Part 1

Autism Lessons – Part 2

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