World Autism Awareness Day is April 2.
World Autism Awareness Day
The day was designated by the United Nations in 2007.
Autism is generally a different way of thinking. It’s a different way of processing and responding to life experiences. There is no definition that applies to everyone. Autism is unique in each person. It can be a disability or a superpower or more likely both. Many autistic people are geniuses.
It’s not well understood, but the incidence of autism is increasing. It is also far more common than most people think. In the past, we were often separated from society. The trend now is inclusion. It’s better for everyone.
Autism in the Latin World
Autism has been described as a challenge in processing stimuli and connecting with other people, but connection is a Latin superpower.
Indigenous and African drum, song and dance traditions are all about connection. You may see drumming, singing and dancing, but the real purpose is social. It’s a social glue that bonds communities together.
In Puerto Rico autistic kids dance bomba beautifully and are popular members of their communities. In Argentina, tango has long been used as a therapy for autism. In Spain, autistic kids dance flamenco beautifully. There is something about connecting through dance. We love to dance, and we dance to love. Love conquers all.