stories
Lend a Helping Hand
by Santiago Brion
After almost 10 years being in college, I now have a Bachelor’s in Journalism and it happened even as a guy on the Autism spectrum. While I did and still am trying to get my film critic career off the ground, there is a side gig that I do, and that is doing film lectures at the Transitions program, a subsidy under The Arc Lexington, an organization that helps and supports people with disabilities and learning differences.
In the five years since I’ve been part of Transitions I’ve learned so much about living on your own, the things that I never got to learn in high school related to world history, sex ed, finances and basic life skills. Believe it or not, I’ve improved my independent living skills dramatically in a 1 year span. Usually when you’re in the program it takes a while for you to be on your own and have a job, because when you start off in Transitions, you live with 4-5 people in a house with a full-time live-in peer mentor until you’re responsible enough to have an apartment.
During my time in the program, I’ve become a respectable student and peer to not only the fellow members of the program but also the peer mentors as well. I’ve inspired the friends I’ve made and have been influenced by mentors to always get out of my comfort zone and be proactive. I’ve been teaching my film knowledge to my students who are also my friends and have been told that my class is their favorite which is always nice to hear.
To me, being an advocate is someone who lends a helping hand to those on the spectrum that you can relate to, or share an interest in. It’s really all about giving helpful advice to those who don’t know what they’re doing and educating people who aren’t neurodivergent on learning differences.
After almost 10 years being in college, I now have a Bachelor’s in Journalism and it happened even as a guy on the Autism spectrum. While I did and still am trying to get my film critic career off the ground, there is a side gig that I do, and that is doing film lectures at the Transitions program, a subsidy under The Arc Lexington, an organization that helps and supports people with disabilities and learning differences.
In the five years since I’ve been part of Transitions I’ve learned so much about living on your own, the things that I never got to learn in high school related to world history, sex ed, finances and basic life skills. Believe it or not, I’ve improved my independent living skills dramatically in a 1 year span. Usually when you’re in the program it takes a while for you to be on your own and have a job, because when you start off in Transitions, you live with 4-5 people in a house with a full-time live-in peer mentor until you’re responsible enough to have an apartment.
During my time in the program, I’ve become a respectable student and peer to not only the fellow members of the program but also the peer mentors as well. I’ve inspired the friends I’ve made and have been influenced by mentors to always get out of my comfort zone and be proactive. I’ve been teaching my film knowledge to my students who are also my friends and have been told that my class is their favorite which is always nice to hear.
To me, being an advocate is someone who lends a helping hand to those on the spectrum that you can relate to, or share an interest in. It’s really all about giving helpful advice to those who don’t know what they’re doing and educating people who aren’t neurodivergent on learning differences.