Danny Whitty – Nonspeaking Autistic Writer & Advocate
Earlier this year, I was very excited to be interviewed by Meghan (Not An Autism Mom) for the wonderful group That Au-Some Book Club! Tara and I were invited to share a bit about The Ocean & Us Podcast, but also mainly to talk about our experiences with Spelling to Communicate and how it has changed out lives. Meghan is such a thoughtful interviewer and the That Au-Some Book Club community is so welcoming. I so enjoyed this!
Please enjoy this recording of our interview!
Friends! Something very exciting has just launched: Our new online magazine, Leo in Bloom! We are so thrilled to share this heartfelt project with you!
Leo in Bloom is a monthly publication about empathy in its varied forms across diverse realms. I am the Editor-in-Chief and contributor, along with my brilliant sisters. The first issue’s theme is From Awareness to Acceptance, published at the end of April to encourage continued focus on Autism Acceptance beyond this month.
Please take a look, subscribe, share, and enjoy!
Next issue’s theme (to be published June 1) will be “clouds.” We welcome submissions from all!
Meet Thanda Ko Gyi, founder and project director of Myanmar Ocean Project and all-around cool and inspiring person! She leads efforts to clean up ghost gear from Myanmar’s waters and to work with communities to find long-term solutions to the ghost gear problem. She is also an awesome diver and advocate for the oceans!
This episode is particularly meaningful because our guest and other friends in Myanmar are now struggling under the military coup in Myanmar. Please think of them as you watch. We are thinking of her and all who are affected.
Learn more about Myanmar Ocean Project here: http://www.myanmarocean.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/MyanmarOcean
Welcome back to our journey! We are so thrilled to share our conversation with a very special guest. Dr. Elizabeth Henderson is a Bioacoustic Scientist at NIWC Pacific who studies cetacean behavioral ecology and vocalizations and analyzes how noise (mostly manmade but also environmental) impacts their behavior. She is also the proud Best Buddy of a Mr. Danny Whitty! Join us to learn about beaked whales, discovery, cool ships including one that flips, dolphins as age groups, and friendship! Thank you, Liz, for being our guest!
These days of winter shifting to spring are full of fluctuations and freshness and remnants of coziness. That is my motivation for this recipe. This dish captures the transition from winter to spring. We enjoyed this with panko-crusted vegan “chicken” cutlets, but it would also be nice with a light fish dish. Enjoy!
½ onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 potato, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
A lot of broccoli, chopped
4 cups plant-based milk
Bouillon to taste
5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Cashew cream as desired
Liquid aminos or soy sauce to taste
1. Brown onions lightly in olive oil
2. Add garlic. Stir. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add potatoes and carrots. Stir for a few minutes.
4. Add plant-based milk and bouillon
5. When potatoes and carrots are just starting to get soft, add: fennel and broccoli, nutritional yeast, zest, and thyme
6. Thicken with cashew cream if needed
7. Add liquid aminos, soy sauce, and/or more bouillon to taste
The people in my life are like my angels! The people in my life are my hope for humanity. They are the manifestation of all that humanity needs to thrive. Their wonderful and vibrant hearts truly are the magic needed to transform our world!
Though it seems so saccharine, this sentiment rings true even upon more intellectual reflection. Beyond their obvious kind and loving natures, they possess true empathy and mindful compassion. This is beyond kindness, beyond caring; this is the genuine effort to understand me and to respect me as a complete person. That is real love in its true form.
Take any problem in our troubled world. I can think of how empathy can improve it. Think of any war. Think of environmental destruction. Think of inequality in all of its forms. These can all be traced to inadequate empathy. The act of empathizing includes not only understanding but also respecting and truly caring about the perspective and experiences of others. This seemingly simple act is somehow so challenging for many of us without practice! That is such a mystery to me. Thankfully, there are so many resources and inspirational people who can guide us to practice more empathy in our lives!
The act of empathy is one of the most precious and meaningful gifts you could ever give to anyone in your life. Don’t be afraid of the possibility of diving into someone else’s world! And when you do, you might find that your world has grown!
Dear Friends,
Maybe you have heard of the new film MUSIC by Sia. It has been distressing me for a while now, but it was too upsetting to think or talk about. Now that I have read more about it and seen the trailer, I am even more appalled and disgusted and hurt. It is clear that nonspeaking autistics are still viewed as props for the realization of neurotypical “empathy” and growth and little else. I am more than your inspiration. I am a whole and complex and real human, with my own stories that are worthy of sharing. I am my own story in and of myself. I am my own story of hopes and dreams and struggles and triumphs and real experiences. I have so much to share with the world, and being reduced to an inaccurate and offensive empty stereotype feels so devastating. Other nonspeaking autistics are also making their perspectives on this disrespectful movie public, including thoughtful and eloquent statements that I won’t attempt to add to. But to my friends, I ask that you read my words and the words of my peers and allies and share our voices. That is all I want to say for now. Thank you for caring. I will share more links in the coming days.
It is my pleasure to share this episode with you. It is my adventure of falling in love with the ocean. From my first glimpse to my current journey of growing more and more confident in the sea, I share what the ocean means to me. Take care all! We will be back with more episodes after a restful start to the new year!
Info on the Philippines story here.
The future looks so bright for Myanmar’s marine conservation community! Join us as we learn from the passionate and brilliant youths of the Myanmar Coastal Conservation Lab at Point B Design + Training! Yin Yin and Wint Hte share their lessons from their ambitious and wonder-filled work to bring marine conservation to other youths and to learn about marine mammals, plastic waste, and inclusion. And they share the thrill of discovery and learning to snorkel!
Learn about MCCL on their Facebook Page
Read about their marine mammal adventures here
We talked with wonder woman Dr. Louisa Ponnampalam about her inspiring work to study and conserve Malaysia’s marine mammals, the underdogs that are Indo-Pacific finless porpoises, the need to share knowledge with all, and how she manages to do it all! Learn about her team’s work here and on Facebook!
Danny With Words