Advocates for Adults with Autism Honors "Life, Animated" Dad Who Reached Autistic Son Through Disney Dialogue

The Second Annual Advocates for Adults with Autism Awards will be held on Tuesday, March 28th, from 8-10 a.m. at Reid Castle on the Manhattanville College campus in Purchase. The event will benefit Yes She Can, a nonprofit that provides job skills for young women with Autism spectrum disorders. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at http://www.YesSheCanInc.org/Awards.

"Life, Animated," a 2017 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary, is based on the Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Ron Suskind's book chronicling the inspirational story of his son's journey into adulthood. Owen Suskind was a thriving three year old who suddenly and inexplicably went silent. For years, he remained unable to connect with other people or to convey his thoughts, feelings or desires--until his family reached out to him by tapping into his passion for Disney films. Owen identified and felt empathy with the characters-- from Simba to Jafar. With his family's help and lots of Disney magic, Owen began to develop the tools he needed to understand and interact in the world, even as his family learned a lot about themselves. Ron Suskind is the keynote speaker at this year's Advocates for Adults with Autism Awards, and he and his wife Cornelia are among the honorees.

Also being honored is Amy Gravino, the "Dr. Ruth of Autism." Self-advocating as a young woman on the autism spectrum, Gravino coaches ASD college students, and is a TED presenter who shares her perspectives and experiences, and candidly addresses sexuality.

Social worker and well-known Westchester advocate Lesli Cattan, will be acknowledged for establishing mental health programs for people with autism and for advising government policy-makers in her role as leader of the Autism Advisory Committee at Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health.

Rounding out the program will be participants in the job-training program of Yes She Can, recipient of the day's event, sharing their experiences learning how to run Girl Again, a resale boutique for American Girl dolls and accessories, located in White Plains.