Working Together

- [Narrator] Emotional awareness.

- [Person 1] There's a lot more coming in than there is going out, and that's something I think is pretty universal across all autistic people. Just because someone's not speaking or being super expressive to you, and really engaging with you, it doesn't mean that they're not aware or that they don't understand what's happening.

- [Narrator] Expressing feelings.

- [Automated Voice] Autism makes it difficult to express my thoughts and needs such as when things are frustrating and I need to convey my feelings, such as being angry or when someone says something hurtful. It is easier to show love by hugging someone than I love or trying to help them, especially my mom or other family members.

- [Narrator] Empathy.

- [Person 2] Being autistic, it makes me be more aware of people's feelings too as well, and I can feel that. For me, it's trying to understand the gifts that I have, the empowerments that I have, and also the insight that I have. How can I best utilize them?

- [Narrator] Being valued in the community.

- [Person 3] Just because I'm on the autism spectrum and I have a disability, it does not mean I don't have ideas, I don't have thoughts, I don't have the ability to make my own decisions and figure things out. I like to be part of a community and do things just like anyone else would in the community.

- [Person 4] I would just like to see a world where, like Data on "Star Trek," the entire community there understands that he is not a typical quote unquote human being. He is an Android. I'm not saying that autistic people are androids, but his lack of social ability definitely highlights part of the autistic experience. But what's interesting is that on "Star Trek," everyone understands this and tries to help him understand and bring him along, whereas out in the real world, you never know what you're gonna get.