Autism Unveiled Week 1
I’m creative and eccentric.
90% of people with my brand of Autism are unemployed.
The reason I have a lot of management on my résumé is although I was Undiagnosed I did know I had to get promoted to the top quickly so I wouldn’t get fired for being an odd duck. My strategy was to stay out of work place politics – arrive 15 min early – never call in sick – never refuse shifts and if the computer systems went down – I fixed them.
Parenting Autism and not Autism is why I started working from home. For a few years I was called to the school EVERY single day – daycares and head start turned us down. I became a painter. A photographer. A web designer. A writer.
Now that we are diagnosed and things settled down a bit on the autism realm – Im trying self employment with a cafe. It absolutely challenges my Autistic nature. It’s not a slam dunk and 50% of new businesses fail with the best start up conditions.
I’m trying to pick up a cafe that went bankrupt before me. I will do my best and that’s what I can do and if my best is not good enough I will do something else – but what I won’t do is nothing. I like to eat and my body is strong. I like to have money and I like to pay bills.
Not everyone with Autism can work but I can so I DO THAT. I am grateful to be in the 10% with jobs. I’m not judging the ones who can’t do it but I can do it so that is what I do. Do your best and if what your doing is your best then you are doing enough.
April Dawn Griffin, Nipawin, Saskatchewan. April’s website is www.aprilgriffin.com
April Griffin is part of the Autism Unveiled Project – 6 weeks of Autism commencing on April 2, 2015, World Autism Awareness Day. “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” Dr. Stephen Mark Shore.
Magnificent art! Magnificent young woman! She is what joie de vivre is all about!
I really appreciate April’s concluding remark: “Not everyone with Autism can work but I can so I DO THAT. I am grateful to be in the 10% with jobs. I’m not judging the ones who can’t do it but I can do it so that is what I do.”
One aspect of this project I love is how it shows that a similar diagnosis can still lead to very different experiences. Some people with ASD are more independent than others; people contribute to society in many different ways. It’s wonderful that April can take on the role of a business owner, but I appreciate her acknowledgement that not everyone can.
I love your philosophy, “Do your best and if what your doing is your best then you are doing enough,” it is very empowering. I really enjoyed looking at your art-making, especially your metal work. Are you able to display your work in the cafe?