1. An Introduction, with Rachel Harmon

Discover what's possible for the Global Autism Community. 

In this brief introduction, I want to give you an idea of what the Global Autism Project is, who I am, and what this podcast is about. For more information about our movement, please visit globalautismproject.org. 

I recorded this episode on April 18th, 2020. Of the first five episodes released for the launch, this one just happened to be recorded last. It was done on a Saturday night, at around 8:15 pm. We had just come back from clapping alongside our neighbors on our balcony. Every night at 8:00 pm, all of Spain cheers for the healthcare practitioners working on the frontlines during this coronavirus pandemic. The homage also serves as a daily reminder that we are all in this together. 

I waited for silence in the streets to record one last take. By this point, I was exhausted from a long day of editing. I gathered some energy and powered through, knowing that this introduction would be important. It would set the tone for the whole podcast, and our message needed to be delivered clearly. 

As I was recording the last couple of minutes, I couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional. All of the months of preparation were soon coming to fruition. I was suddenly very aware of the impact this show may have on our community. I thought of my colleagues, our partners, our SkillCorps® family. I was inspired by the fact that, even though we have all been affected in different ways by the current global crisis, we still remain united to encourage compassion for the autistic population. This podcast is our platform in the world at this crucial moment in history. 

You may hear me choke up at some point. I was torn about giving it another try, to present a cleaner ending without my voice quivering, but I decided to leave this take as is. This is me, raw and exposed. As you listen, I invite you to sense what I was feeling in those last couple of minutes. I hope you find inspiration through my story and understand why this mission means so much to me. 

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We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. You can also follow us on Instagram @autismpodcast and subscribe to our YouTube channel Global Autism Project. 

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