We were lucky to catch up with Braidie Waite recently and have shared our conversation below.
Braidie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
The most meaningful project I have been working on has been creating content for my autism advocacy page.
It is such a wonderful feeling to have people reach out with questions. I enjoy helping them brainstorm ideas, provide information or find resources. Often, when someone receives an Autism diagnosis, they feel alone. What do I do next? Who can I talk to? Where can I feel accepted and supported?
I was lucky to find a great support system for my family here in Kansas City. Unfortunately, services and supports are not equally dispersed throughout the nation, especially in the rural areas. I grew up in rural Wyoming. When it comes to Autism (and other disabilities, honestly) my hometown offers very little when it comes to services. One of my main goals is to be someone they can come to for support and community. I want to help manifest Maya Angelou’s saying of “do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When it comes to disabilities, I feel like people in general don’t know much about them until it becomes very relevant to them. I knew little about Autism before my daughter received her diagnosis. Which is a pity.
1 in 36 are diagnosed with Autism. The odds of all of us knowing an individual with Autism is pretty good. Even though it is a common neurotype, the general public knows very little about it. I want everyone to be educated about Autism. To absolutely smash the stigmas that surround Autism. Not all Autists are savants, excellent at math, or fascinated by traits. Autism affects each individual in a unique way, much like the way we each have unique fingerprints.
Autism is not more prominent in our day and age than in the past, it is simply better understood. The diagnostic process has been drastically improved from the past. Did you know that boys are 5X more likely to be diagnosed than girls? That tells us that there have been many females that have gone undiagnosed and under-supported for a long time.
I post on my instagram with the hope to show that my daughter, and all other disabled individuals, deserve to take up space in society too.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
There are so many things that I have had to unlearn, but I think the biggest thing would be basing someone’s competency on their ability to verbally communicate. Just because someone cannot speak words does not mean they do not have anything to say. It does not mean that they do not have thoughts. Even if their communication is limited their mind is not. Always, always, always assume competency.
How did you build your audience on social media?
When it comes to my audience I have tried to grow it organically. I would follow accounts that were also creating content advocating for the disabled community. Supporting each other and learning from each other has been big. It doesn’t really matter how many followers you have, it matters more about the community and relationships you are building. Having people who just “get it” and can empathize is life changing.
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