The Brady Bunch of Autism
Join Navah and Matt Asner as they discuss topics relating to the world of autism and family. Navah and Matt have six children. 3 who are autistic. They are the founders of the Ed Asner Family Center. A center that provides arts and vocational enrichments and counseling services and support groups to special needs individuals and their families.
The Brady Bunch of Autism
Beyond Awareness: Why Autism Acceptance Matters in Today's World
Autism has transformed from a diagnosis that affected 1 in 10,000 people to today's prevalence of 1 in 36. What does this dramatic shift mean for families, individuals, and our society? Hosts Matt and Navah Asner tackle this question head-on as they commemorate World Autism Acceptance Day with candid conversation about where we stand in 2025.
The episode explores the complex divide within the autism community itself – between parents of children with profound autism requiring higher support needs and autistic self-advocates. "Each person's own story is righteous," Navah emphasizes, pointing out that these different experiences are equally valid yet often at odds. This tension creates challenges precisely when the community needs unity most, especially regarding funding and support services.
Media representation remains problematic, with both hosts expressing frustration about harmful stereotypes. "No one commits a crime because they're autistic," Matt firmly states, addressing recent cases where autism has been inappropriately cited in criminal behavior. While awareness has grown, many people remain woefully uninformed about what autism actually means for those living with it daily.
The conversation highlights progress through initiatives like the Ed Asner Family Center's "Dating Spectrum" program, which focuses on building confidence for social interactions. This commitment to incorporating autistic voices extends throughout their programming, showcased through a special segment featuring Academy participant Maggie and instructor Max discussing their podcasting class.
Whether you're new to learning about autism or deeply familiar with the spectrum, this episode offers valuable perspective on how far we've come and the significant work still ahead. Listen now to join this important conversation about moving beyond mere awareness to genuine acceptance for autistic individuals of all support needs.
www.teafc.org From Our Family To Yours
Welcome to the Brady Bunch of Autism, your source for family parenting and all things. Autism and special needs created by our family for your family live from the Ed Asner Family Center and now your hosts, Nava and Matt Asner.
Speaker 2:Good day. Welcome to another episode of the Brady Bunch of Autism. I'm Matt Asner.
Speaker 1:And I'm Nava Paskowitz Asner.
Speaker 2:And here we are on a special day.
Speaker 1:Very special day. Today is World Autism Acceptance Day, Matt.
Speaker 2:Or Autism Awareness Day, as people used to call it.
Speaker 1:Back in your day, right Back in my day, and you know where are we.
Speaker 2:Let's talk about this Because the first thing, we've got a great show for you today. It's going to be an interesting show. Um, we are going to turn the reins over to um, one of our participants in the adasner family center academy a little later on, who is deeply ensconced in our podcasting show, our podcasting class, and she's going to give you a little taste of what it's like to be Maggie right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's important for us to include autistic voices in everything we do. I think it's something that we have always made it our mission statement kind of. But today is going to be fun because Maggie is going to take over and she's going to talk about a new class we started last semester called podcasting one-on-one with our amazing podcast teacher, max, and Max and Maggie are just going to vamp. They're going to vamp, but I think she has something planned.
Speaker 2:She's got her podcast, yes, all right. So that's that's going to vamp. But I think she has something planned. She's got her podcast, yes, all right. So that's going to be the last 15 minutes of this show, and the first 15 minutes is going to be us vamping. And what are we going to vamp about? We're going to vamp about the state of autism. So what is the state of autism? Come on, so let's talk about this. So, to put things in context here, you know, when my brother was born, who was autistic and was diagnosed, it was one in 10,000. And now it is. And I gosh, I don't have the numbers One in 36.
Speaker 2:One in 36. I thought that's what it was. It's one in 36 now. So that's you know what? 30-something years later? It's insane, it's incredible. So that's you know what.
Speaker 1:30 something years later. It's insane, it's incredible.
Speaker 2:So that's pretty crazy, yeah. And what does that mean really? It just means there's a lot of autistic people out there.
Speaker 1:I don't think anybody really knows why these incredible surges I mean we're going to get. I mean I'm sure Bobby Kennedy is going to get to the root of that.
Speaker 2:You think no, I don't think so either I won't go there. Look, I mean, how long have we been looking into this? It's been a long time. It's not a magic wand that you can wave that you can wave, I still am.
Speaker 1:I will always hold fast to my theory that autism is pre kind of existing in certain genetic families.
Speaker 2:I know how prevalent it is in the Pasquitz and Asner family but you know Well there's that old thing that my dad used to say what?
Speaker 1:is that.
Speaker 2:Well, people used to say what do you think about autism? And he would say, like well, you know, my wife says it shouldn't be called autism, it should be called asnerism, and that's you know, that's, you know, kind of a family joke, but you know, it's definitely genetic. But there's also other factors. There's environmental factors and all sorts of stuff, but nothing has been proven yet.
Speaker 1:My dad used to say that the more vulnerable the person is, the more that they are going to have an effect.
Speaker 2:The more susceptible they are to the poisons of the world, and also just the world itself becoming more toxic yeah.
Speaker 1:I think that has a huge everything to do with it and with what's happening right now. Well, it's interesting.
Speaker 2:It's interesting because you look at the past and you think well, the world was a much more poisonous place in the past, because we were not thinking as much about the things we think about today. But that's not true. It's not true.
Speaker 1:No, I mean, if you think about even the things that you ate as a young person you're a lot older than I am but I know that we're much older than me, that we much older than me, but um, I mean just the ingredients on some of the things that I just saw an article about.
Speaker 2:um, you know some of the ingredients on certain uh items that are still for sale in grocery stores well, I would say you're right about that, but the fact is that the fact is that autism prevalence rates are fairly, you know, similar for each nation you go to. So so you know, whereas you could say that we eat more unhealthy food than everyone else americans do, yeah, um, you would think that we would have more autism here than, but I think other countries are also mimicking ours in the way that they're also eating, yeah, but our food here is very unhealthy.
Speaker 1:I agree, but we just saw that show about Living to be 100 or wherever where Osaka, Japan, was the healthiest place in the world. Now they have huge instances of obesity and you know.
Speaker 2:Because they've changed the way they eat. Yes, exactly. The fact is that you're right. The world eats very similar nowadays. You've got McDonald's everywhere. No offense, mcdonald's People are eating more on the go. This is like a global thing, it's not just a local thing. But the fact is that we have more crap in our food than most other countries.
Speaker 1:And I think what we really need to talk about is the more alarming rate of profoundly autistic kids that are being diagnosed not just autism level one like our guys, but profoundly autistic kids. That number is rising.
Speaker 2:Yes, it is, and let's talk about that for a minute. And the autism community. The autism community is like, unlike any other community, because it's comprised of people who are living life with autism or with people with autism. It's, and each person's people who love somebody with. Well, that's what I'm saying, and each, each person's own story is righteous.
Speaker 2:I think I agree, and that's what we don't factor into when we talk about all this is that there's a person who has higher support needs who's living their life with their family and they have their own story to tell. There's a person with low support needs who's living their life and has their own story to tell. They're different stories. They're not the same story.
Speaker 1:But both stories are Equally as important. Exactly.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I think that's the part that's really fractured our community and I always, as I consider myself neurodivergent, I have numerous autistic kids. I have, you know, panic disorder. I you know I have a lot going on. But I also really feel like there's this huge divide between my friends who are parents who have autistic kids, some of them, most of them, profoundly autistic.
Speaker 1:And then my friends who are autistic, actual autistic, and advocates, some self diagnosed, some you know self self advocates, self-diagnosed, some you know self-advocates. And you know I totally understand both sides of each one of their stories, but to me it's like, you know, I say the same story to both of them, which is I understand your position, but I don't think, unless you go into that person's house and live in their house and walk in their shoes, that you have the right to dictate to somebody else that they're not living an authentic life and they're not living an authentic life for their children, or about their children, or for themselves. So on both sides I feel there's this divide and I wish there was more ways of kind of healing this divide Because you know, especially now, with the uncertainty of all of our you know our community's funding, we need to come together.
Speaker 1:We need to kind of band together in this uncertain time.
Speaker 2:Well, Natha, I think you're right.
Speaker 1:That was my Norma Rae moment.
Speaker 2:I think that you know honestly. I mean, you know they say that autism awareness is. You know, we're all aware of autism. We have enough awareness, we're aware enough. Is that really true? Do you think that's really true?
Speaker 1:I think that there are so many level one autistics that are in the limelight. Like you talked about the K word, I won't mention his name and Elon, and now that wonderful little girl from the Last of Us. Her name slips me, bella Ramsey. Bella Ramsey. So I think there's a lot of voices for the kids with level one autism, but I still think that when I see some of our friends who have profoundly autistic kids and the challenges, the overwhelming challenges that they face in financial challenges and you know, I think that's true.
Speaker 1:Relationships within their families. I think that is not enough and you and I both, we try very hard to promote those organizations that are trying to help and bring. The other day there was a profound autism day on St Paddy's Day. For some reason, We'll have to find out why that was.
Speaker 1:But I think it's really important that those voices are heard and people really understand and that element of awareness I think needs to have more focus on Because if the funding is, even for a second challenged or God forbid taken, I think those are the families that are really going to feel it the hardest God forbid taken. I think those are the families that are really going to feel it the hardest Because, especially if their children are in residential housing and there's no other choice except for that residential setting, I really think that there needs to be more awareness for our profound autistic friends.
Speaker 2:I agree with you, but I also think people I still don't think people are aware of what autism is. I mean, I think they kind of get it, they kind of understand it a little bit. I still think people are woefully ill-informed about the issues of autism that autistic people face every day Even lower support needs individuals. Our last show we really face every day even even lower support needs individuals.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, and then, and that our last show kind of uh, we, we really talked about that and how somebody with well, that's what I'm saying, yeah and not only that.
Speaker 2:I mean you've got when you have the media talking about this creep and uh, I don't even want to mention his name really the idaho guy. Yeah, I mean you know when you oh, I know when you have when you have like a defense team trying to kind of make an issue out of that. Yes, that says to me that people don't understand autism really because what the hell? Does that have to do with anything?
Speaker 2:no, it doesn't that you know no one is. No one commits a crime because they're autistic. I'm'm sorry, it's not true. And anyone who says anything about that, who says they, that's a possibility. No, it's not. And it's insulting as a parent, it's insulting to me for them to even bring that up in the conversation when I hear that it makes me sick.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, I uh well, yeah, you know, I well. I think that that is what their job is, is to make any excuse and to find excuses.
Speaker 2:Well, look what they have to do.
Speaker 1:And I pray that that's not enough, because you know those families, we I'm following that case. Like you know, I love true crime. That's my thing, but anyway um yeah, I think that's what we were experiencing with kanye and you know, trying to uh excuse all of his horrible it's like that's not an it's not, that's not, that's not it yeah, that's not the reason. Okay, but it's not the reason. No, you know?
Speaker 2:no, he's the reason is he's an a-hole right that's what the reason is yeah he has you know, I think he's got.
Speaker 1:I think he's got more going on, I mean maybe he is.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of hate there isn't there.
Speaker 1:Well, I think he's got something else, some sort of, you know, bipolar something or something, yeah, well, something, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Anyway, on that cheerful note, Well, but we have come a long way. And there are, you know, there are more services out there for people. Hopefully they're going to stay there, and you know, I think we are in a place where acceptance is the most important thing. So see, I've come full circle.
Speaker 1:Well, I definitely I mean, I haven't been in this world as long as you have, but I definitely see that even when my brother Israel's son, was diagnosed and there was a stigma, it was like, oh, are this nephew, nephew's, autistic? And god forbid one of our kids be autistic? And I thought those things. I, I thought those things when I was pregnant. I was like, oh, I, you know, because I was so fearful of autism and there was a stigma. And I think even in those past I guess it's been like, let's, 25 years I do see that there has been a huge increase in acceptance and kind of inclusion. We see that with our incredible academy being included, with the staff at Funko, and I think that that's a great start. I think there's a lot more work to be done.
Speaker 2:Roll up your sleeves. Maddie, exactly what do you think of the state of autism in film?
Speaker 1:um, well, I think it's gotten better. I think for sure. I mean, since you first put otfest out I don't remember what year that was, but at least five years ago I see a lot more inclusion. Um, our social director, chelsea darnell, is helping cast for love on the spectrum yeah, which comes out on on today comes out today yeah, um, I think, um, so everyone has to go home and watch and and binge.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that show.
Speaker 1:I love that show. We I remember you and I binged it one weekend and I just really, really just connected with the concept of having the love coach, who would come to the parents' house and really meet and just get involved in their life in a more personal way and then help them along the way.
Speaker 1:Right way and then help them along the way. Right, because dating is not about, um, you know, just that first date or a speed date or whatever. It's about helping them succeed in the long run. And, um, you know, chris, our mental health director, and I went out and we created, uh, the dating spectrum, which is our relationship, um, our relationship program. But it's not specifically about relationships. It's actually currently running right now. It's autistically co-created and autistically co-led. But it's really important that, even though there's the word dating in the title, it's really about getting self-confidence and getting the confidence to enter a chat room or talk to somebody online or in person, or just when you're ready to go out and think about any kind of social kind of interaction that you feel you've created the tools with this program to feel confident to do that.
Speaker 2:There you go. Well, we're just about out of time for our segment, but I wanted to mention, because we just came back from New York and had an incredible time there, did we not?
Speaker 1:Yes, I actually got on a plane, everyone it was a miracle.
Speaker 3:It was amazing.
Speaker 1:And yeah, pharmaceuticals are necessary when, when. This is why they made them, I mean this is why people can get on planes. Why?
Speaker 2:did we go to New York? We went to New York because we went to see A Night of Too Many Stars.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Which is the Beacon Theater, on Monday, the 31st of March, and we had a great time. I mean, what a great evening. Fun, fun, fun. They had amazing auction items. One was like be interviewed by Drew Barrymore. Who wouldn't want that? It was a blast, wasn't it.
Speaker 1:It was Some great comics. Just want to do a shout out again. Thank you so much, michelle, for your invite and we hope to go back again next year.
Speaker 2:One of the high, exciting autism events of the year.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. It's so rare that you and I get to go anywhere by ourselves when we have that opportunity. It was such a treat.
Speaker 2:Even if I did have to get on a plane, it was worth it. So thank you to the Smigels for making us feel so welcome.
Speaker 1:And, of course, next for Autism and Next for Autism, who has done so much for the Center.
Speaker 2:Have given the dating spectrum two grants.
Speaker 2:And the Friendship Builders and the Friendship Builders yes, grants and the friendship builder and the friendship builder yes. So we're going to actually now transition to Max and Maggie, and just a little bit. You know, I want to say a little bit about Maggie. Maggie's an incredible young woman who comes to the Academy. She is literally a ray of sunshine every time I see her. We meet in the hallway pretty much every day and either commiserate or co-celebrate the adventures of the Los Angeles Kings, and it's just something I look forward to every day, and I'm sure what she has to say is pretty damn important. So people should listen. And then we'll come right back after, uh, max and maggie, uh, to say goodbye, uh, until next week, um.
Speaker 3:And so, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, max and maggie hey, everybody, this is max and magg Maggie sitting in the podcasting room. Hey, hey, we are here.
Speaker 4:I'm used to doing it.
Speaker 1:I know right.
Speaker 4:Now it's just me and you.
Speaker 3:I know right.
Speaker 4:I never did that with you, actually, I know right, it's crazy.
Speaker 3:Well, that's just evidence of how much we've learned in our podcasting class, which we're here to talk about, and I teach the podcasting class at the Ed Osner Family Center Academy, and Maggie is one of my wonderful students who just only a couple of days ago wrapped her first ever podcast episode and it went amazingly. So, yeah, we're just going to talk a little bit about it and talk about the experience.
Speaker 4:Yes, we are actually. I'm loving it.
Speaker 3:Awesome. Yeah, had you ever like wanted to do podcasting before class?
Speaker 4:I always want to start my own podcast.
Speaker 3:Really.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I never want to do like reality TV shows you know Reality TV Okay. You know, I never like.
Speaker 3:That's not my style either.
Speaker 4:No, it's never my style. I only want to do podcasts. Actually, actually, I agree I.
Speaker 3:I think being on a reality tv show would actually be my worst nightmare and exactly yeah I would. I think it would do horrible, horrible things to my, my, my brain, you know, yeah, but um, it's so awesome to hear that you wanted to do a podcast and then we kind of got the chance to do it, and this is just the first semester of it I know, next semester too, we'll plan another episode, and now you've got one under your belt, yes, it'll be easier to plan another one and probably do more exactly yeah yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so why don't we tell a little bit about what we talked about in your episode? Oh, oh, we talked about arts and crafts Right With Jackie actually, jackie, one of our you know our co-workers one of our instructors Teaching media class at the academy.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 3:Absolutely true. Yeah, talked about arts and crafts, yes, and also about sort of your journey as an artist. Her journey as an artist, yes, her journey as an artist.
Speaker 4:Exactly. You know, she started like the beginning, she was like two. She told me Really, yeah.
Speaker 3:That's so great. That's amazing.
Speaker 4:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3:I know, and we also got a chance to talk a little bit about something else you're passionate about outside of Academy, which is your YouTube channel.
Speaker 4:Yes, yes, yes, my YouTube channel.
Speaker 3:Just kind of underwent a little rebrand. Yes, you just kind of reworked it a little bit.
Speaker 4:If you guys want to follow me, it's Craft Corner everyone, yep, it's.
Speaker 3:Maggie's Craft Corner.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 3:Yep On YouTube. Yep, you can find it anywhere. Super easy, you can do youtubecom. Slash Maggie's Craft Corner.
Speaker 4:Yes, I tell them I should share with your mom.
Speaker 3:Oh, you showed her.
Speaker 4:Yes, that's great I send it on Instagram actually.
Speaker 3:Oh, awesome yeah, Do you have reels on Instagram also?
Speaker 3:You can put it on your Instagram, actually, oh nice, yeah, instagram also, you can put it on the instagram. Oh nice, dude, you're cross-platform. Yes, that's awesome. Good for you, maggie, that's sweet, um, but yeah, so a little bit more also just about the podcasting class. Yes, in general, you know, we kind of had a lead up to actually recording over the last what two months you know we were working on maybe a little shy of that, it's like a month and a half I would say, but we um over the course of the sort of beginning weeks.
Speaker 3:You know, as you remember, we started to plan first, uh, our scripts yes we worked on our scripts and we also started to do exercises about host versus guest mentality, sort of conversation skills and also proper hosting technique using a microphone.
Speaker 4:Yes, right.
Speaker 3:We did learn a little bit about the gear of the room and stuff like that, and we did a couple exercises to sort of keep us on our toes in conversation, right. Yeah, sort of help us to keep the flow going. Yeah, and also learn how to best give, give our guests their space. Yes, exactly, and you always did a great job yes yeah, everybody did really. I was so proud of everybody.
Speaker 4:Yes, I missed my aunt in the already I know I'm so bummed he's not here anymore.
Speaker 3:I feel like I know I was, I like, so bummed because he always helped me turn on my earpiece now yeah my headphones, so now it's like so weird now you're all alone, have to do it yourself exactly, and now I'm not happy about it.
Speaker 3:I know we miss anthony anthony was one of our co-workers who just uh departed, but for good reason. He's going off to do some awesome stuff for himself. I know I miss anthony too. He's a big part of big part of podcasting. He's a huge help and, uh, he was on also uh some of our friend shows he was. He was the guest on a couple people's shows. He talked about, uh, the nba with with Daniel. That was a good episode That'll be coming at you on the internet for our listeners. We'll have everybody's podcast. Episodes from our academy podcasting class will get posted online, yes, and then also on Maggie's YouTube channel. We are also going to have a cut of her podcasting video with the audio overlaid into it.
Speaker 4:But I'm not turning my YouTube yet. I'm surprising them actually.
Speaker 3:You're surprising them with what?
Speaker 4:My podcast? They don't know yet.
Speaker 3:Oh, your subscribers.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they don't know yet, so I'm surprising them and they don't know yet. That's surprising them and they don't know yet, so that's exciting that's super exciting yeah heck, yeah, no, that's something to look forward to for everybody listening at
Speaker 3:home, but uh, that's basically it. I mean, we are gonna have another round of podcasting class in our next semester. We're gonna plan a new episode for, you know, people who are doing it for the first time, folks like us that have done it before, and uh, we're gonna have a blast, it's gonna be awesome and uh, I hope that uh, everybody is excited and ready to sort of hear those episodes with us as they come out and the round of episodes that we just finished yes so, um, from us here at the studio, thanks so much for listening.
Speaker 3:Um, I want to uh send everybody a big, uh happy world autism acceptance day. Also, we're taping this episode, uh, specifically for that reason. So, uh, you know we uh it's a big part of our lives and uh love to everyone that's listening. You know it was hot today.
Speaker 4:It was very hot today I didn't know what was going to happen this weather.
Speaker 3:I know.
Speaker 4:I feel like it's always raining, cold or it goes back to winter.
Speaker 3:I know seriously and we're all the way in. You know the flats of the valley, so it's been like 95 degrees.
Speaker 4:I don't know why. What is it about this weather?
Speaker 3:It's getting down to the summer. That's what it is. Maggie, thank you so much for joining me, of course. I'm so glad we got to do this. Yes, I got to watch you on one side. Now we're doing it together. We'll do it again Now.
Speaker 4:I need to. We need to do both.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4:Me, you and Wolfie.
Speaker 3:Let's do it All three. Next one you got that to look forward to people. Thank you so much for listening. We're going to turn it back over now. That's me and Maggie signing off.
Speaker 4:Yes, Everybody have a great one.
Speaker 2:Now it's back to Nava and Thank you, max and Maggie, that was awesome. That was awesome, incredible.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much, Maggie. You are an amazing, amazing speaker. Maggie actually spoke at our poker tournament. She did. And she was one of our center representatives last year and she was amazing. And Max, who is our cooking? He runs the cooking class and teaches Podcast 101.
Speaker 2:So we'll probably have these podcasts that our participants are creating. Maybe we'll do like, maybe we'll feature an episode here and there on uh, on our um exciting show, um, but until next week now, until two weeks from now, yep, um, I just we just want to say thanks for listening and happy world.
Speaker 1:Autism Autism Acceptance Day, Maddie.
Speaker 2:Happy World Autism Acceptance Day.
Speaker 1:Maddie. Thank you guys so much for listening.
Speaker 2:Happy World Autism Acceptance Day for all of you. Thanks for listening. Thank you all. Shalom Aloha, we'll see you soon.
