2020 Christmas post
2020 was a difficult year for everyone, it was a year of reflection, change and community as we learnt how to live during a global pandemic.
A lot happened this year not much of it was good, however we have all found a way to cope and sometimes even laugh at some of the odd things that have occurred. A great example of this is how toilet paper became a luxury item due to nation wide shortages, who would have thought? And how masks have now become a fashion accessory with thousands of different styles to go with your wardrobe; now Japan and China can say they were doing it before it became cool.
We have also learnt a lot this year, and I don’t just mean about viruses but also about ourselves and what is truly important to us. Going into lockdown I can remember the mixed feelings of the autism community, I remember people joking how they had been prepared for this their whole life as they thought we could cope without being around people outside our household. I also remember the struggle when our routines were suddenly changed, we could no longer go to work or school, we couldn’t buy the usual brands as shipping was almost at a stand still and we had to start wearing uncomfortable masks as there were no sensory friendly masks to be found. Despite all the difficulties the autism community faced this year we once again showed how empathetic and close our community is, for every problem an autistic or their family faced there was always someone online ready to assist. It is times like this that remind me how lucky I am to be part of such a caring community who is always there ready to assist.
Our community wasn’t the only one struggling this year though, May saw a wave of Black Lives Matter protests break out across the US and the world a result of the death of George Floyd. These protests will be remembered both for their violence with the burning down of buildings and clashes with police during the non-peaceful protests, and for the actions president Donald Trump took which included, sending riot police in to violently break up a peaceful protest outside the Whitehouse so he could get a photo op. Despite these negatives a lot of good has come out of these protests. Companies and organisations have reviewed their policies and their workforce to make them more inclusive and now more people are aware of the police brutality that exists in their local communities. People have begun to share their stories of police mistreatment due to their race which has then assisted in making a change.
I think the best thing to come out of 2020 is the US election results which showed that the US had had enough of Trump’s lack of leadership and action during one of the worst years in US history. Trump will always be remembered, however it’s probably not the way he wanted to be remembered as he has killed millions of people due to his inaction and lack of leadership. He has shown on multiple occasions that he doesn’t care about his people all he cares about is himself. 2021 looks positive for the US as the Biden administration takes over as the most diverse administration in history and I look forward to seeing what they do within their first hundred days.
2020 will be a year to remember as it has changed the way we see the world. It has brought families closer together and it has also taken some of those loved ones away from us. As 2020 draws to a close it is time to reflect and look forward to what will hopefully be a better year ahead. This Christmas I would like to challenge you all to think of those that are finding it tough this year, those that have lost jobs and loved ones; if you know of a neighbour who for the first time is spending Christmas alone, or if you know of a family who is struggling to budget in gifts for their kids perhaps do something so they realise you are thinking of them. Bring some shortbread or cake over to their house, or drop in and say hi this Christmas either in person or via zoom. Let’s make sure everyone is taken care of and is full of cheer this festive season. I know this Christmas doesn’t feel the same as last year however it is important after the year we have had to ensure everyone is doing alright. It is also important to have some fun and crack a few bad Christmas jokes and look forward to what the new year will bring.
With that in mind from all of us here at Bryce Pace – Autism Advocate, we would like to wish you all a merry Christmas and a hopefully happier and safer 2021.
Bryce Pace
Autism Advocate, Blogger, Speaker
The issues regional young people will vote on this election
a couple of weeks ago I was asked about the upcoming federal election and what I was voting for. You can find out what I said along with what other young rural Victorians said regarding the election in the story below. With young people now making up a large portion of the vote it is now time to listen!
2018 Christmas Post
2018 was another amazing year, Elon Musk launched a Tesla Roadster into space, either demonstrating Tesla’s new delivery system or that Elon Musk has too much time on his hands. Australia got a new Prime Minister, again, making the job of Prime Minister the most undesirable and short-term job in government and youth began to do parliament’s job by making their voices heard at student organised protests and in a lot of ways were doing a better job of representing Australia’s views, however, what did the year look like for the autism community?
2017 Christmas Post
2017 was an extraordinary year of change for the world. Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States, once again raising the question of The Simpsons having a time traveler as a writer. Same-sex marriage was made legal in Australia highlighting how important acceptance and equality is, however, the thing that stood out to me most was what the autism community achieved.This year was a difficult one for the autism community as we were constantly confronted with new issues. Earlier this year we had to prove that autistic students belong in mainstream schools when Pauline Hanson stated that we didn’t belong because we held our peers back in addition, we also had to stand together once again when Don Burke diagnosed himself with Asperger’s and used it as an excuse for what he did 30 years ago. This year made me proud to be autistic as I got to see the community at its best. We showed the world that when times are tough we stand as one and get through whatever the world throws at us together. This year brought a great deal of change, however, there is still a long way to go before the autism community is accepted and included. At the end of each year, I like to reflect on what I achieved as an advocate and to plan new projects for the coming year. This year there were many achievements. At the beginning of this year my Facebook page had 45 likes and now at the time of me writing this post there are 143 likes and a reach of over 1000 people and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed throughout the year. This year I was given the opportunity to speak at two major events and was in the newspapers on many occasions inspiring people and hopefully encouraging them to change their perceptions around autism. Next year I have one major project planned which I am pleased to announce today. On the 20th of March 2018, I will be holding a Professional Development day. This day is to be held in Warrnambool which is, of course, my hometown and from where this journey all began. The day will feature students, teachers, parents and professionals in the field of autism as speakers. If you are interested in attending please save the date and keep an eye on social media for further details, I am very excited about this day and would love to see you there. I would like to finish this post by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2018. Thanks Bryce Pace Autism Advocate, Blogger, Speaker
New Article
A few weeks ago I was asked by the VicSRC to write a piece. In this article I discuss what Pauline Hanson said in Parliament and I talk about Inclusive schools. let me know where you stand with inclusive schooling. Do you think it's a good idea? you can read the article here http://www.vicsrc.org.au/news/opinion-according-to-pauline-hanson-i-hold-my-peers-back?platform=hootsuite
Did you miss my Q&A Live Stream?
Did you miss my Q&A Live Stream yesterday? Don't worry because you can watch the full video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjXnUd-FoQ-urisR_UqfSMA
Newspaper Article On Pauline Hanson
Today I was asked by the Warrnambool Standard to share my thoughts on what Pauline Hanson said on Wednesday. You Can read the article here http://www.standard.net.au/story/4749775/advocate-says-hanson-should-educate-herself/?cs=72
I hold my peers back?
This is a good example of why we need to educate people of what it truly means to be autistic. According to Pauline Hanson, I hold my peers back because my teachers spend too much time helping me. She thinks we should be in special education and that we do not deserve a mainstream education. instead of segregating students like me, we should make mainstream education work better for us. What happened to the concept of inclusive education? http://www.9news.com.au/…/pauline-hanson-says-children-with…Bryce Pace Autism Advocate, Blogger, Speaker
