SPARC Up: Recent Episodes
Angel Wilson
The idea for SPARC Up grew from a steady increase of voices in the minority community wishing for more information and acceptance of autistic children. This increase came to include professionals in the childcare, education, and mental health communities as well. By increasing community knowledge of autism in general, more services and interventions will be welcomed in institutions such as education, there will be less community stigma aimed at autistic families, and more advocates will be created to help bridge gaps between resources and those affected by autism.
In this Mini SPARC episode, we follow up on a previous Mini SPARC, Follow the Money, and continue to discuss the trend of multiple private equity firms' effects on the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) community.
In this week's episode, we welcome Anna Stewart, Manager at Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County. Her background as a Crime Scene Investigator and a non fatal drowning survivor also has given her a unique perspective in her current line of work. We discussed the ABC's of water safety and the resources available the residents of Palm Beach County.
In this week’s episode, we welcome Quaitba Davis, The Corporate Director of ABA (Applied behavior analysis) Assessments and the Regional Director of diagnostics. We discuss understanding how culture factors into creating a treatment program, positive and negative punishment procedures, and what families should look for when selecting a BCBA(Behavior Analyst Certification Board).
In this mini SPARC episode, we discuss the updated Centers for Disease Control recent findings that 1 in 36 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The increase of the diagnosis of ASD should not be an alarm, but a wake up call that we cannot continue to ignore Autism.
In this week's episode, we welcome Natalie Eno, Family Resource Specialist at Easterseals
Florida/Treasure Coast Early Steps. Natalie is a mother of three daughters, the oldest
diagnosed with autism. We discussed the resources she found that helped her better
understand and care for her autistic daughter, making time for her other children, and the
positive impact neurodivergent have on their neurotypical peers.
In this week's episode, we welcome Tricia Williams, the Area Director of Best Buddies in Palm Beach. We discuss her journey as a mother of a neurodivergent child and as a provider, the fight for inclusivity, and the history of Best Buddies.
Best Buddies Website: https://www.bestbuddies.org/
Best Buddies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestbuddiesBest
Buddies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestbuddie
Best Buddies Twitter: https://twitter.com/bestbuddies
Best Buddies YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bestbuddies
In this week's episode, we welcome Chandra McKinney- Clarke, MS and Jeffrey Lucas of FAU CARD (Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities). FAU CARD provides expert consulting, training, and support, at no charge, for all people across all race, ethnic, and gender groups, with autism and related disabilities, their families, employers, the professionals, and community and governmental agencies serving them.
We discuss the impact that FAU CARD is having on the local community, educating parents of the signs of autism and related disabilities, and the stigma of autism within the Haitian community.
Connect With FAU CARD:
FAU CARD Website: (Link)
FAU CARD Facebook: (Link)
FAU CARD Instagram: (Link)
FAU CARD Twitter: (Link)
FAU CARD YouTube: (Link)
FAU CARD LinkedIn: (Link)
In this episode, we will discuss the myth that autistic individuals lack empathy. Angel will also share examples of how autistic people are misunderstood and are mistreated by neurotypical people.
SPARC UP is back! In this episode, our host Angel Wilson provides insight into the shift of focus for season two of SPARC UP! There is a vast disparity in the research and awareness of autism in the black community, which will be explored in season two.
A recent task force investigated the controversial Judge Rotenberg Center and its use of electric shock on patients. We will discuss the leaked report and the updated position statement that was triggered by the backlash of the original report.
In this episode, we are joined by Christian E. Sanon II M.ed, BCBA, the co-founder of Look Up Therapy. Christian shares his experience as a provider, his journey into the therapeutic care industry, and his overcoming challenges to assist families in the black community
In this episode, we continue the discussion of Angel's experience with ABA, alternative techniques, and studies that support the use of alternative methods of care
It's story time! In this episode, Angel shares her initial experience with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and what led her to the Naturalistic Therapy techniques to provide care for her patients.
In this Mini SPARC episode, we discuss issues providers face when starting the conversation of telling a family that their child may have developmental delays or Autism and suggestions on how to best communicate with the family.
In lieu of recent tragic drownings and accidents in the local autism community, this episode focuses on why autistic kids are lured by water, the reasons they elope, and what adults in their lives can do to keep them safe.
In this Mini SPARC episode, we discuss the growing trend of multiple private equity firms' effects on the ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) community.
In this episode, Inside The House, we will talk about the warning calls coming from inside the house which is the autism community. These issues have been raised by autistic individuals, their families, and observant providers for years, but have mostly gone unaddressed or even ignored. To ignore them, however, could set the stage for the autism field as we know it to crumble. The question is...does it need to crumble to be rebuilt?
A quick take on the controversial Judge Rotenberg Center and its use of electric shock on patients.
Even before her twins were formally diagnosed with autism, their mother Meici knew that they would need support and her advocacy. In this episode, Meici and I talk about the journey to diagnosis and services, what it means to be an advocate for your autistic child, and how her view on autism reflects in her relationship with her children and their growth.
In this episode, we are introduced to Ryan and his story of navigating the world while being neurodivergent. As an adult who works to help others with neurodivergent conditions, Ryan talks with me about the importance of support systems, giving back to and improving the community he belongs to, and how we can all become better allies and advocates.
In this episode, we discuss one of the most important (and often overlooked) aspects of autism: sensory. While all of us use our senses to understand the world around us, autistic and other neurodivergent people process things very differently. Let's take a look at how our seven (yes, seven!) senses digest the input around us, and why we should always think "sensory first" when it comes to autism!
An introduction to the podcast, the voice behind it, and the myths and misconceptions that will shape the episodes to come. From vaccines to the "look" of autism, nothing is off limits! Are you ready to redefine what autism means to you?
The idea for SPARC Up grew from a steady increase of voices in the minority community wishing for more information and acceptance of autistic children. This increase came to include professionals in the childcare, education, and mental health communities as well. By increasing community knowledge of autism in general, more services and interventions will be welcomed in institutions such as education, there will be less community stigma aimed at autistic families, and more advocates will be created to help bridge gaps between resources and those affected by autism.