“When Every Voice is Heard”

When Thomas Jefferson in 1776 wrote those famous words in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” I am not sure if he knew fully to which extent this phrase would be the under gird of what would challenge not only the fabric of American society but also our world.

In some instances, this pursuit for God’s endowed rights appear to only pertain to men as it is mentioned; however, I believe these endowed rights culminate to the simplest of truths for all humanity onto the entire human experience.

We all deserve to be welcomed. We all deserve to be embraced. We all deserve to be nurtured. We all deserve to be accommodated. We all deserve to be molded into the best representation of ourselves such that we offer our best to the world and to our fellow neighbor.

But what happens when we don’t get that opportunity to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? What happens whether it be by bias, socioeconomic status, systematic subordination or oblivion we do not do our part individually or collectively to ensure everyone is welcomed, embraced, nurtured and accommodated?

What occurs is the silent voices of life, the world's missing puzzle pieces, forgo the opportunity to a shot at a thriving, heartfelt life sharing in a society that understands their value and symbiotically supports their needs so they add value and purpose to our world.

These silent voices are countless in our Autism population, whether it be by biases, socioeconomic status, systematic subordination or mere oblivion. More specifically, many children with Autism miss the early intervention and developmental support necessary to experience the full life intended for them.

The top 10 percent of American earners make roughly $115,000 per year. The average cost of someone with severe Autism is roughly $72,000 each year. Even those from well off backgrounds are impacted by the exorbitant costs associated with Autism; all the while, how much more by those in our undeserved communities?

Today however, vanguards like Terri Matthews is a voice for the voiceless serving those impacted by Autism to give them a platform to share their stories and reinforcing their purposeful existence!

As a leading Executive and Global Advocate for Autism, Terri Matthews experienced first-hand the impact of Autism Spectrum Disorder when her son Jaden was diagnosed at 2 ? years old. “In 2009, Jaden was diagnosed with Autism. As I researched and secured services to help Jaden, I quickly realized a deficiency of viable options to meet the needs of less fortunate families.” This lack of resources precipitated Terri to start her non-profit foundation, Jaden’s Voice, helping over 3,000 families to date with viable options for Advocacy.

The numbers stop don’t there, she envisions reaching the masses to eradicate stigmas, promote autism awareness, address the value in proper education and provide full support for those impacted by Autism with her new YouTube show, On the Spectrum, show that covers All Things Autism.

On the Spectrum, will premier during National Autism Awareness in April. It’s Fun, Informative and Encouraging; we like to call it Prescription TV! With the guarantee to provide hope and enlighten the mind, it is bringing a voice to what some families 5 years ago would not

have for their unique Autism experience.

Terri kindly references the scripture Esther 4:14 referring to the power of time and influence for our marginalized populations:

14 “ . . And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

For Terri Matthews, her royal mission is like the then newly Independent Leader of 1776 (Thomas Jefferson), ensuring every voice is heard and has a platform for purpose endowed with Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. When every voice is heard, we all have the chance to be the best representation of ourselves such that we offer our best to the world and to others.

For more information about On the Spectrum and Terri Matthews, visit: www.onthespectrum.tv or contact via email: [email protected].

To find out more about Jaden's Voice and ways to support their mission, visit: www.jadensvoice.org.

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