Aspiritech

"When your natural mode for taking in and digesting the world, being in the world, and expressing yourself in the world are unlike the industrially-desired and capitalist-set norm around you, navigating life doesn’t necessarily come naturally and can feel downright limiting."

In her latest column, Aspiritech contributor Julia Wild writes on the challenges autistic individuals face, including the sometimes not-so-simple act of getting out of bed.

Read more: https://hubs.li/Q02NPKqf0

Aspiritech will attend the 2024 CEO Commission Employment Session and Hill Day in Washington, D.C., on September 17-18. It's an absolute honor to be part of this important effort focused on advancing disability-inclusive employment and financial security. We're looking forward to connecting with policy leaders and advocating for more meaningful change!

https://hubs.li/Q02NQ1R40

2024 CEO Commission Employment Summit and Hill Day The CEO Commission for Disability Employment was founded by Voya Financial, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), to advance disability-inclusive employment by inspiring and engaging business and government leaders to drive change through...

staff had a great time getting to know each other in person while playing Whirlyball, Laser Tag and more at WhirlyBall in north suburban Vernon Hills, IL. This day of team building was a great way to see each other in person while getting away from the daily routines of project work. Thanks to our donors who were able to make a day like this possible for our employees.

WhirlyBall

"The Walzes’ words and their embrace of their son may seem utterly unremarkable. But that’s the point. Loving your children, celebrating their gifts and embracing them fully ought to be unremarkable whether they’re neurodivergent or neurotypical. Neurodivergent people deserve parents who are dedicated to helping them thrive. They deserve family members who know that the way they love, interact and see the world, while different from their neurotypical counterparts, deserves the same respect."

Opinion | The Walzes have been nearly perfect in talking about their neurodivergent son, Gus The Walz family’s words and their embrace of their son may seem utterly unremarkable. But that’s the point.

On this Labor Day, we honor Aspiritech's team members and all of the hard work that they do every day. We are grateful that we can provide jobs for a community that typically struggles to find and maintain employment. Happy Labor Day to all of our American followers. Enjoy your day off! 🇺🇸

Now in its fifth year, the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit is an annual online conference that puts neurodivergent voices at the center of discussions with researchers, caretakers, advocates, and other members of a growing global community.

This year, the Summit will take on a hybrid format, happening in person at Li Ka Shing Center from September 22 to 24, while all content will also be available via live-streamed Zoom webinars for virtual attendees.

Learn more and register at https://hubs.li/Q02MVGZr0


Stanford Medicine

Aspiritech is sad to have learned about the passing of NeuroTribes author and autism community ally Steve Silberman. We are grateful for all of Steve's work on behalf of neurodiversity inclusion and are committed to following his legacy of advocacy toward a more inclusive future for all.

Back in 2016, Steve was the keynote speaker at a panel discussion and resource fair at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, where Aspiritech was a sponsor for the event. Here are a few photos from that event. Shown with Steve is Aspiritech co-founder Brenda Weitzberg and long-time Aspiritech board member Ron Brix.

"In a survey of more than 1,200 U.S. employees, 57% said training in sensitivity around social differences would be valuable, and 56% said they would be interested in training on managing neurodivergent employees. However, only 14% percent said training is offered at their workplace." https://hubs.li/Q02MVrrs0

Majority of US workers say they lack awareness of workplace neurodiversity Few employees receive training on working with or managing neurodivergent workers, a new report indicates.

In Case You Missed It: Episode 5 of Aspiritech's On the Verge podcast features conversations with Dave Thompson, Director of Strategic Programs for Potential Workforce, on supporting younger generations of neurodivergent people, bringing best practices for neuroinclusion to the workplace, the future of neurodiversity.

Listen now: https://hubs.li/Q02KfCzC0

"It’s not about change. It’s about respect, consent, and sometimes trust. It’s also about not being so self-absorbed as to presume that anyone wants to automatically comply with something about which full disclosures and consent were never given." https://hubs.ly/Q02Jz0Fb0

Respectful Change: A Fundamental Misunderstanding About Autism – Aspiritech “Not liking change” is an ambiguous statement in and of itself because, in truth, a lot of people don’t necessarily like or immediately adapt well to change — especially changes in routine — whether they are neurodivergent or not.

Aspiritech had so much fun at Ravinia seeing the Indigo Girls and Melissa Ethridge perform LIVE! We enjoyed a great picnic, good company and even some dancing! Thank you Ravinia Festival for your ticket donation to Aspiritech. 💗🎟️🎤

Pssst! Building quality assurance testing into your software updates saves your users from having to assemble ad hoc teams of emergency IT staff when something goes wrong. 😉 https://hubs.li/Q02KfBHF0

How a university IT team handled the CrowdStrike chaos, machine by machine And blue screen by blue screen.

"This work specifically has a very strong alignment between the strengths of some people on the autism spectrum and the skills required to do a good job." —Amir Neeman, Founder & CEO, ANC

When ANC tapped Aspiritech to help tackle a large-scale data annotation project for the TSA, our neurodivergent team rose to the challenge and helped improve national security. See how it all played out in the case study: https://hubs.li/Q02KG0dR0

From enhanced analytics and streamlined operations to threat mitigation and predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence offers businesses a wealth of opportunities for leveraging their data for success. https://hubs.ly/Q02L8BXh0

Many neurodivergent doctors believe their unique ways of thinking and outside-the-box creativity are skills and strengths that can benefit the field. And they say making medicine more inclusive — and better understanding how a neurodivergent physician's brain works — would allow them to thrive.

https://hubs.li/Q02H-qwz0

See the Medical World Through Neurodivergent Doctors' Eyes With high empathy and intense focus, neurodivergent physicians can excel in patient connection and care. Yet most are still waiting for the medical field to catch on.

Did you catch CEO Tara May's interview on Living the Dream with DJCurveball Jacksonsproduction? From a discussion on neurodiversity to the incredible importance of creating psychologically safe workplaces, Tara and Curveball packed a lot of great takeaways into the episode.

Listen now: https://hubs.li/Q02KfjnQ0

living the dream with curveball: Living the dream with disability advocate and CEO of Aspiritech Tara May Send us a Text Message.In this episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, host Curveball explores the inspiring world of neurodiversity with Tara May, the CEO of Aspiritech. Discover how this nonp...

Yay Tara May! We are so excited to have you represent ! 😃

🌟 Conference Speaker Spotlight: Tara May 🌟

Tara started as CEO of Aspiritech in April 2022. Prior to joining Aspiritech, Tara was EVP of Media & Chief Digital Officer at Winsight, as well as VP of Content and Product Strategy for Patch Media. She helped launch 900 hyperlocal sites for the AOL network, not to mention a digital reverse-published local news product for the Chicago Tribune.

Tara’s career is focused on using technology and product innovation to drive growth. She is a sought-after speaker on user experience and digital transformation. She’s overseen large and small teams, with a focus on career development and leading with kindness. She resides in Lake County with her husband and teen and tween children. She is personally committed to embracing neurodiversity in all aspects of work and life.

🟢 REGISTER TO ATTEND
The 2024 Neurowrx International Conference is happening in Amsterdam on October 16 through 18. Register to attend this celebration of neurodiversity employment online or in person now: https://www.neurowrx.org/2024-international-conference

Thank you to The City of Evanston and The Evanston Markets for having in their sponsor booth last weekend. We met lots of really wonderful people and tasted all kinds of great food!

Join us October 16-18 at the 2024 Neurowrx International Conference happening in Amsterdam and online!

Aspiritech is proud to be part of Neurowrx's global alliance of corporations, non-profits, and individuals working together to create, foster, and inspire employment opportunities for persons on the autism spectrum in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) industries.

We invite all like-minded organizations dedicated to the neurodiversity employment movement to attend. The international lineup of speakers and panelists will offer deep dives into topics such as challenges, opportunities, innovation, identity and intersectionality, building and transforming business, and the global neurodiversity culture.

Save the date and register now: https://hubs.li/Q02KfQwS0

The outage exposed how modern tech systems are built on precarious ground, with faulty code in a single update able to bring down operations around the world.

Aspiritech's dedicated team of quality assurance analysts is standing by to help stop faulty code from costing organizations billions of dollars. Let's work together to prevent catastrophes like this from happening again.

https://hubs.ly/Q02JzbkW0

CrowdStrike global outage to cost US Fortune 500 companies $5.4bn Banking and healthcare firms, major airlines expected to suffer most losses, according to insurer Parametrix

Non-autistic researchers can help by understanding where their autistic colleagues are coming from when they need to turn off their camera for a Zoom call, for example, or dim the lights in their office, to reduce the amount of sensory input they are experiencing.

https://hubs.li/Q02HZR1-0

Autistic academics seek inclusivity to combat burnout Many autistic researchers say that academia could be the perfect place for them — but a number of obstacles stand in the way.

We were overjoyed to learn that so many of our partner organizations made this year's Disability Equality Index list of Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion. From Abbvie to Zebra (and lots more in between), it's an honor to work with such change-driving innovators.

https://hubs.li/Q02KfwHT0

Best Places to Work - 2024 - Disability:IN The Disability Equality Index covers Culture & Leadership, Enterprise-Wide Access, Employment Practices, Community Engagement, Supplier Diversity and Responsible Procurement.

Come say Hi to this Saturday, Aug. 10 at the Evanston Farmer's Market! We will be there from 9am to 1pm. The Market is located at University and Oak Streets in Evanston. We will be located next to the City of Evanston's tent, near the Parking Garage. We hope to see you there!

Check out this link for more info: https://hubs.li/Q02JMhvM0

Evanston Markets

Most of us are taught from an early age that being selfless is a good thing, and there are many proven benefits of altruism, to both our mental and physical well-being. However, sometimes the messaging we receive to be giving of ourselves, to push ourselves to the limit, be productive, and forgo our needs can be taken to an extreme in our everyday lives. If we’re not attuned to who we are and what we want, we can start to make sacrifices that don’t just hurt or limit us, but actually negatively impact those we care for.
Socrates gave two injunctions: Care for oneself and know oneself. He and other ancient ethicists understood that caring for ourselves is to exhibit an attitude not only toward ourselves, but also toward others and the world, to attend to our own thoughts and attitudes in self-reflection and meditation, and to engage in ascetic practices aimed at realizing an ideal state of being. Maintaining a certain regard for ourselves and engaging in self-compassion and self-care are actually fundamental to creating a good life for ourselves and the people who matter most to us.

The Unselfish Art of Prioritizing Yourself https://hubs.li/Q02JMfb80

The Unselfish Art of Prioritizing Yourself Maintaining a certain regard for ourselves, doing things we want to do, and engaging in self-care are fundamental to creating a good life for ourselves and the people we love.

🌟 Conference Speaker Spotlight: Robin Kacyn 🌟

Robin Kacyn comes from a background of theatre, food, and education, and applies knowledge from all of these disciplines in meetings with employees, accommodation suggestions, and consultation with the operations and leadership teams. She works closely with a largely neurodivergent staff to address concerns and assist in communicating across departments when necessary. In an increasingly virtual world, Robin strives to foster connection and community. As a 10+ year employee at Aspiritech, she is committed, first and foremost, to ensuring a safe, equitable, and empowering space that celebrates the employees' many successes and contributions.

We're thrilled to hear her first-hand insights on support challenges and opportunities at this year's conference!

🟢 REGISTER TO ATTEND
The 2024 Neurowrx International Conference is happening in Amsterdam on October 16 through 18. Register to attend this celebration of neurodiversity employment online or in person now: https://www.neurowrx.org/2024-international-conference

A recent Stepping Up & Out (SUO) excursion took us to the Oddities & Curiosities Expo Curiosities Expo in Chicago (Rosemont). Thank you to everyone who joined in on the fun! 🦇

Aspiritech's SUO program, ACE Fund, Employee Support Staff, and other offerings for our neurodivergent employees would not be possible without the generous support of our donors. If you can, please consider chipping in and donating to our nonprofit today: https://hubs.li/Q02JNwms0

The next time someone you care about on the spectrum appears to be digging their heels about an alteration in their routines or another change, don’t just drag them through it while they have steam coming out of their ears. Talk to them about it, calmly, and try to tune into them. Explain the reason for the change, why it is needed or suggested.

In her latest column, Aspiritech contributor Julia Wild explores misconceptions around autism and change, and offers guidance on approaching communication in a way that fosters understanding and respect. Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q02Jz0Bj0

For years, the tech industry has recognized that creativity and innovation, there are different parts to that. And we've seen some of the biggest innovators, maybe they were socially awkward but they had brilliant minds that were wired in a way that made them think differently, that made them look for solutions that typical minds weren't thinking about. So sometimes typical minds might be conditioned to think of, how do you get from point A to point B in a very linear way? But atypical minds might think of new and exciting ways that is not a linear approach. Tech has really seen the promise that neurodivergent and the talent that neurodivergent employees can bring to the table.

https://hubs.li/Q02HZKzZ0

Why Jobs for People with Autism Are Growing Beyond Tech - Tech News Briefing - WSJ Podcasts Tech companies have long had programs to recruit and retain employees whose brains process information in ways that aren’t typical. WSJ reporter Preetika Rana explains why banks, retailers and others are recognizing the special skills of those with autism and other types of neurodivergence. Then, ...

Quality assurance testing is not just a technical necessity, but a cornerstone of developing reliable, efficient, and secure veterinary management software.

https://hubs.li/Q02HZxLY0


Hippo Manager Veterinary Practice Management Software, Inc.

Ensuring Top-Tier Care: The Importance of Quality Assurance Testing in Veterinary Management Software – Aspiritech Quality assurance testing is not just a technical necessity, but a cornerstone of developing reliable, efficient, and secure veterinary management software.

“I am motivated to promote Aspiritech’s growth because they are uniquely capable of enabling rewarding career opportunities for neurodiverse adults. Additionally, as the brother of an individual with an autism-related disorder, their mission is very close to home for me.”

https://hubs.li/Q02H5wlq0

Board Member Spotlight: Brad Zelinger, Founder and CEO of Stride Autism Centers – Aspiritech Brad Zelinger is the Founder and CEO of Stride Autism Centers, a multi-state, center-based provider of evidence-based therapy for preschool children with autism.