Edlyn is a catalyst of positive change in the autism community. We had a beautiful conversation about believing what others can't believe, advocating for our kids voices and presence on a world that does not (yet) fit them.
Edlin Peña loves integrating and connecting with autistics and celebrating their voce. Her core philosophy is that communication is the foundation of connection and she advocated for alternative communication for her son Diego, so that he could be included in age appropriate educational settings. The emergence of Diego's voice revealed his personality and wit, and opened the doors for his own advocacy, as he emerged as a writer and self-advocate within the autism community. If you haven't already, get a copy of his book, the Anatomy of Autism where he talked about the three areas that autism affects him.
Edlyn co-founded and is the Director of the Autism and Communication Center at California Lutheran University.
She released her new book, Communication Alternatives in Autism, this week, and it's already become an amazon #1 new release! This book is filled with research based approaches to facilitating communication, as well as powerful stories of 10 autistic self-advocates who share deeply personal insights from their stories.
Professionally, she is Dr. Edlyn Peña, an Associate Professor of Higher Education Leadership and Director of the Autism and Communication Center at California Lutheran University. As an award-winning researcher, public speaker, and appointed member of the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, Dr. Peña is highly active in national conversations about autism and disability.
Connect with her at @autismresearcher, www.edlynpena.com or email: epena@callutheran.edu.
