“Often, autistic people are seen as inspiring for overcoming ‘autism,’ not for overcoming the obstacles that the world puts around them”: Interview with journalist Eric Garcia

photo of a Latino man with black hair and brown eyes, wearing a white shirt, red tie and black suitjacket, seated at a brown wood table with his arms folded in front of him and colourful photos on the wall behind him.
Eric Garcia

I had a really interesting conversation with journalist Eric Garcia about his upcoming book, We’re Not Broken, which focuses on the social and policy gaps that exist in supporting autistic people.

We talked about the current policy landscape, media bias and the challenges and recent triumphs of the autistic rights movement.

Listen to the podcast here by clicking the audio link below –or on Stitcher here or on iTunes here  (Transcript below audio)

Transcription by Julie Ann Lee: Transcript_Noncompliant_Eric_Garcia
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Bio

Eric Garcia is a journalist based in Washington, D.C. His first book We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation is coming out in August 2021. Eric previously worked at The Washington Post, The Hill, Roll Call, National Journal and MarketWatch. His new book uses his life as a springboard to discuss the social and policy gaps that exist in supporting autistic people. It looks at politics; education; employment; independent living; relationships/sexuality; gender; race and the future of the neurodiversity movement.