Kennedy speaks about our autistic children as if they’re broken, a problem to be fixed.

“Autism destroys families; more importantly, it destroys our greatest resource, which is our children,” he said.

Robert Kennedy, my child is not destroyed. My family is filled with love, just like millions of other families with autistic children.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned through my son’s diagnosis — do not make sweeping generalizations about Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, from symptoms to outcomes.

Meg Sanders, Special to the Standard-Examiner

I was ready to unleash that rant.

But instead, I want to save my breath to focus on those in our community who understand the complex nature of ASD — the struggles, the triumphs, the tears and awe.

April is Autism Appreciation Month, a growing movement away from “awareness,” instead embracing the diverse perspectives that come with neurodiversity.  While there is much discussion and debate over cause and care, one thing we can all agree on is the importance of celebrating our neurodiverse kids.

Since I was 16, I’ve watched “Survivor” without missing an episode, swearing I would apply for the show, going so far as to write my senior thesis on how the game structures its own society. Season 48 features Eva Erickson, the first player to openly discuss her autism diagnosis.

It was Eva who brought me (and Jeff Probst) to tears as I simultaneously watched and burned dinner. One cannot have a transformative moment while standing over a hot stove. During a challenge, Eva became overstimulated, and like many autistic people, she shut down. Her teammates didn’t understand the reaction and didn’t know how to pull Eva out of distress. I know what it is to watch your loved one shutdown, and here it was playing out on my television.

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Overstimulation is a part of ASD for many — they learn how to cope, how to calm. Eva was no different, getting ahead of the eventual sensory overload that comes with playing a game show.

On the first day, she connected with Joe Hunter, teaching him the overstimulation signs and the remedies. He was a good student, and in Eva’s moment of need, Joe was there as requested.

Calming her brain, Eva was finally able to explain her reaction to the 12 other contestants and 10 million viewers.

“I have autism,” she said. “I was diagnosed when I was very, very young. Doctors told my parents that I would never live independently, that I would never hold a job, that at most, I could hope to marry someone else with autism.”

Eva is currently working towards her Ph.D. in engineering from Brown University.

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“Everyone who has autism should not be ashamed to ask for help and ashamed to receive it,” she said.

Eva’s vulnerability and authenticity in that moment exemplified why neurodivergent people should be celebrated.

Here in Ogden, we’ve been celebrating for years. For the past eight years, Awesome Autistic Ogden, or AAO, has uplifted the neurodivergent in our community through a family-friendly festival.

Changing the narrative around autism, Stacy Bernal created AAO to bring together families, neighbors and community leaders.

With the destruction of DEI programs and the Department of Education, the need to support our neurodivergent and disabled children has never been greater. How is it Kennedy keeps calling ASD an “epidemic,” yet the administration he works for continues to cut funding?

We can no longer rely on our elected leaders to support our children; it takes community builders like Stacy to create the inclusive space our autistic children deserve.

My son, Bodie, has a boy in class with a greater level of autism. This classmate struggles more. He can’t throw the ball, he can’t run as fast, he has trouble with impulse control and he can’t always read emotions. But as is often the case with ASD, he looks, talks and moves like everyone else, so instead of recognizing his diagnosis, he’s just othered.

Sadly, our schools don’t have either the time or the resources to educate students about neurodivergence. I’ll only passive aggressively mention assemblies and hyping a chocolate fundraiser.

Because of Bodie’s experience with Awesome Autistic Ogden, because he’s connected with kids on every level of neurodivergence, he understands, he brings empathy and he connects to children often excluded. At this event, in this group, everyone is wanted and everyone is seen.

This year’s Awesome Autistic Ogden will be the biggest yet. Tomorrow, Ogden’s Dinosaur Park is hosting the event starting at 11 a.m. It will be the biggest yet! Dozens of vendors have signed on, sensory-friendly activities are planned and food trucks will feed the masses. Awesome Autistic Ogden wraps up at 2 p.m., so head over after the early morning soccer games; that’s my plan.

ASD occurs in all races, ages, sexes and socioeconomic levels, with one in 36 children being diagnosed, according to the CDC. Neurodivergence knows no bounds on who is diagnosed, who is affected, nor does it determine someone’s success or worth. Autistic people bring unique perspectives to our schools, workplaces and communities — even our favorite television shows. It’s time to recognize that. It’s time to celebrate that.

Meg Sanders worked in broadcast journalism for over a decade but has since turned her life around to stay closer to home in Ogden. Her three children keep her indentured as a taxi driver, stylist and sanitation worker. In her free time, she likes to read, write, lift weights and go to concerts with her husband of 18 years.