Wisconsin Autism Empowerment

On the Radio

Brandon Fredricks July 7, 2023

What We Did.

Our TreASures invited Sandy and me to discuss Wisconsin Autism Empowerment’s mission on the Milwaukee’s Philanthropic Community radio show. Jill Economou hosts the show from Ellenbecker Investment Group. Our tentative air date is August 13th, 2023, at 10 am CDT on WISN AM 1130.

Who is Our TreASures?

Our TreASures is an organization founded by Scott and Cathy Muro. Their mission is to support, empower and advocate for families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders and related conditions. They hope to support parents and caregivers and help autistic and neuro-divergent individuals live more empowered and productive lives. They believe children with special needs and their parents or caregivers should have access to resources and feel a sense of community. Their organization provides services to children and their parents or caregivers. So if you are caring for a child on the spectrum and would like information on resources to help your child, check them out here!

Wisconsin Autism Empowerment on the Radio.

Our Members

Next, we talked about our members and their diversity. We have individuals ages 18 to 64 within our group. Some have identities that incorporate the LGBTQ+ spectrum. The education of our members also ranges from high school to advanced degrees. We have members that are unemployed and underemployed. Some members are professionally employed.

This section of the show discussed how our members use the group as a safe place to talk, network, and get advice. The space is free from the judgment of neurotypicals. However, we occasionally host events that ask our members’ friends and relatives to join us. We also protect our members from salespeople, people wanting to use us to further their research, and people wanting to watch us as entertainment.

How the Group Helps

When asked how our group helps members with challenges related to autism, I shared how it has helped me personally. The group has provided information about setting boundaries with new co-workers with a personality I have yet to encounter. They also built my confidence when speaking in a group setting.

I also stated that our group members provide each other with disability resources and assistance that is not advertised and can be challenging to apply for. Members have helped others navigate the application and follow through.

I mentioned that we had invited professionals to our group. We invited counselors to provide anxiety-reducing techniques and discuss mindfulness. We also invited managers of autism-friendly employers to share insights and practice interviews.

I ended this segment by informing our audience that, first and foremost, this is a social group. It is a group where we discuss current events, movies, video games, and music. We invite members to share their interests and tell funny stories. This group is primarily a social outlet.

What the group does for the community

Our members volunteer for panels at Our TreASures for the What I Wished My Parents Knew Panel. We also provided training for the MATC staff and administration. We participated in the Children’s National Hospital study on disparities for autistic adults who identify as LGBTQ+. We go to the Marquette School of Health Sciences panel yearly to talk about the challenges autistic adults face.

What our group believes the world should know about autistic adults

We regard autism spectrum disorder as not just a diagnosis but a community of individuals that experience common challenges. Although we have experienced similar situations, we all have different backgrounds, made different choices, and have had different relationships that shape who we are. We recognize the individual within the community and recognize their independence as freedom from control and the ability to make choices for oneself.

We recognize that we are human and desire relationships. We want friends, family, and their acceptance. We desire fair competition when it comes to employment. In an appropriate position, we can perform the same as, or better, than our peers. The autistic community has a high unemployment and underemployment rate; the community is an untapped resource of good workers.

In Summary

We joined host Jill Economou of Milwaukee’s Philanthropic Community radio show presented by Ellenbecker Investment Group. We joined our partner, Our TreASures, to discuss our mission: to help individuals on the autism spectrum and their parents or caregivers. The show aired August 20th, 2023, at 10 am CDT on 1130 WISN. It is also available for streaming here.