[MUSIC] >>I'M DARRYL OWENS.

WELCOME TO A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

IN AN UNPRECEDENTED EXODUS, MORE THAN 47 MILLION AMERICANS IN 2021 QUIT THEIR JOBS, ACCORDING TO A RECENT U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS REPORT.

MANY DUBBED THAT GREAT MIGRATION, DRIVEN BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, "THE GREAT RESIGNATION."

AND THERE ARE FEW SIGNS IT'S SLOWING.

ALL THOSE DEPARTURES MEAN OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB SEEKERS, BUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WHOM?

EVEN AS EMPLOYERS INCREASINGLY TALK THE TALK ABOUT DIVERSIFYING THEIR WORKFORCE, INCLUDING MAKING IT MORE NEURODIVERSE, CANDIDATES WITH LEARNING AND ATTENTION ISSUES OFTEN AREN'T MAKING THE CUT.

ACCORDING TO HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, NEURODIVERGENT UNEMPLOYMENT SOARS AS HIGH AS 80%.

NOT ONLY DO NEURODIVERGENT JOB SEEKERS MISS OUT, BUT EMPLOYERS LOSE OUT ON THE VALUE THESE EMPLOYEES ADD TO THE COMPANY IN TERMS OF PRODUCTIVITY, CULTURE AND DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT.

IN FACT, DURING NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH EACH OCTOBER, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CELEBRATES THE MANY AND VARIED CONTRIBUTIONS OF AMERICA'S WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES.

WHILE LEARNING DIFFERENCES OFTEN COME COUPLED WITH GREATER ABILITIES, THE FACT REMAINS THAT THERE IS STILL MORE EDUCATION THAT CAN BE DONE REGARDING THE UNIQUE TALENTS OF THE NEURODIVERGENT.

ON THIS EPISODE, WE SHARE THE EXPERIENCES OF A YOUNG NEURODIVERGENT PROFESSIONAL WITH ATTENTION ISSUES ESTABLISHING HERSELF IN THE WORKADAY WORLD.

NEXT, OUR EXPERT PANEL REVEALS WAYS THAT EMPLOYERS CAN AND SHOULD LEVERAGE THE BENEFITS OF A NEURODIVERSE WORKFORCE.

LATER, YOU'LL MEET OUR LATEST DIFFERENCE MAKER, WHOSE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH DYSLEXIA LED HIM TO START A NATIONAL NONPROFIT AIMED AT UNLOCKING GREATNESS IN THE ONE IN FIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO LEARN DIFFERENTLY.

FIRST, WE TRAVEL TO THE WINDY CITY TO VISIT WITH A YOUNG PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONER WHO SHARES ABOUT NAVIGATING THE WORKFORCE WITH ADHD.

HEALTHDAY NEWS SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT MABEL JONG BRINGS US HER STORY.

>>PREPARING TO ENTER THE JOB MARKET AS A YOUNG PERSON IS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.

BUT FOR A YOUNG, NEURODIVERGENT INDIVIDUAL, THE PROCESS CAN BE ESPECIALLY TRICKY.

AND ONCE YOU HAVE A JOB, NAVIGATING THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF WORK IS ANOTHER OBSTACLE.

WHEN KATY HOEPER GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON WITH A DEGREE IN MARKETING AND STARTED HER CAREER AT AN AGENCY IN CHICAGO, SHE WAS STILL PROCESSING HER RECENT DIAGNOSIS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER, OR ADHD.

KATY WAS DIAGNOSED AT AGE 20 WHEN SHE WAS A SOPHOMORE.

NOW SHE'S 27.

HERE'S KATY REFLECTING ON HOW SHE FELT AFTER RECEIVING THE NEWS.

>>WHEN I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD, I ACTUALLY IMMEDIATELY FELT A LOT OF SHAME AND STIGMA.

I WAS AN HONOR STUDENT AT THE TIME, I HAD A REALLY HIGH GPA, I WAS GETTING REALLY GREAT GRADES, STUDYING ALL THE TIME, AND I DIDN'T KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT HOW ADHD CAN MANIFEST.

AND THAT HIGH PERFORMANCE IS A VERY COMMON WAY THAT ADHD OR PEOPLE WITH ADHD TEND TO PERFORM.

>>WHILE KATY WAS STILL PROCESSING HER DIAGNOSIS, SHE STARTED PREPARING FOR THE END OF COLLEGE AND THINKING ABOUT HER FUTURE CAREER PATH.

>>I DID END UP GOING INTO A CAREER PATH OF MARKETING THAT I THINK ATTRACTS A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH ADHD, MORE OF THESE CREATIVE FIELDS: MARKETING, ADVERTISING, FILMMAKING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I WASN'T PURPOSEFULLY LOOKING FOR A JOB THAT I THOUGHT WOULD ALIGN REALLY WELL WITH MY ADHD, BUT I DID HAPPEN INTO A CAREER THAT I FOUND EXTREMELY INTERESTING, WHICH IF YOU KNOW REALLY ANYTHING ABOUT ADHD, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME DOING WORK WHEN THEY AREN'T VERY INTERESTED IN IT.

>>AT THE TIME, SHE DIDN'T CONSIDER DISCLOSING HER CONDITION TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS.

>>I THINK I AGAIN WAS SO MUCH IN THE THROES OF THIS LIKE SHAME AND STIGMA, I WAS REALLY WORRIED THAT PEOPLE WOULD HEAR THAT AND IMMEDIATELY SAY, "THAT'S NOT A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR US."

I NOW KNOW THAT A LOT OF COMPANIES HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF NEURODIVERSITY AND ADHD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>>SHE ENDED UP SECURING A PUBLIC RELATIONS JOB AT A MARKETING AGENCY IN CHICAGO.

AFTER A FEW YEARS, SHE REALIZED THE COMPANY WAS THE RIGHT FIT FOR HER.

BUT THE ROLE WAS NOT.

>>ALL THOSE DEADLINES AND MANAGING SO MANY DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS, SO MANY DIFFERENT TEAMS AND CLIENTS.

IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME AND DO IT REALLY WELL, SO I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING EVERYTHING VERY SUBPAR.

THIS OPPORTUNITY AROSE IN MY COMPANY TO MOVE INTO THIS NEW DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S STILL A REALLY FAST PACED JOB.

BUT I NOW WORK ON MORE PROJECTS AND SO AT EVERY DAY I KIND OF HAVE LARGE BLOCKS OF TIME WHERE I CAN SIT DOWN, HYPERFOCUS ON THAT ONE THING WHICH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES CAN BE SEEN AS A NEGATIVE OF PEOPLE WITH ADHD IS HYPER FOCUSING ON ONE TOPIC AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, GOING DOWN A BLACK HOLE WITH THAT.

BUT, I FIND THAT IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY BENEFICIAL IN MY NEW JOB.

I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING THAT I'M LEARNING ABOUT AND BECAUSE I TEND TO HYPERFOCUS ON THINGS THAT I FIND INTERESTING, I'M ABLE TO REALLY DO THAT JOB, THIS NEW JOB WELL, IN A WAY THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO DO IN PR.

>>THROUGHOUT HER PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING CAREER, KATY SAID SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TRANSPARENTLY ABOUT HER CONDITION.

>>I FEEL REALLY COMFORTABLE SHARING WITH MY COLLEAGUES PERSONAL ANECDOTES THAT MIGHT RELATE TO MY ADHD.

I THINK IT HELPS BUILD, FOR ME PERSONALLY, I REALLY LIKE BUILDING THOSE AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK WITH THE PEOPLE I'M WITH EVERY DAY.

BUT IT'S ALSO REALLY HELPFUL TO ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH A COACH AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TIPS FOR MY TIME MANAGEMENT OR HOW TO PRIORITIZE DIFFERENT ACTION ITEMS I MIGHT HAVE FOR THE DAY, IT'S HELPFUL FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M COMING FROM SO THAT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO FIT, YOU KNOW, A ROUND PEG IN A SQUARE HOLE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS THAT ADHD MAKES WORKING IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD SOME SOMEWHAT MORE DIFFICULT.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE A BENEFIT TO JUST THE WAY THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NEURODIVERSE THINK.

>>A GROWING NUMBER OF COMPANIES FROM BANK OF AMERICA TO ERNST & YOUNG ARE TAPPING INTO THE TALENT OF PEOPLE WHOSE BRAINS FUNCTION DIFFERENTLY FROM THOSE WHO ARE NEUROTYPICAL.

AS MORE PEOPLE ARE DIAGNOSED WITH NEURODIVERSITY, SO DOES THE RECOGNITION THAT THOSE POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES HAVE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAKE IN THE WORKPLACE.

THE OFFICE OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY, PART OF THE LABOR DEPARTMENT, OFFERS GUIDANCE ON HOW WORKPLACES CAN BEST SUPPORT THESE EMPLOYEES.

FOR HER PART, KATY SAID SHE'S LEARNED A FEW THINGS ABOUT WHAT SHE WANTS FROM HER COMPANY AND HOW SHE MIGHT HANDLE THE PROCESS DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE.

>>I WOULD USE THE INTERVIEWS AS A TIME TO ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE I HAVE REALIZED NOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE THAT REALLY PRIORITIZES THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.

SO I WOULD DEFINITELY ASK QUESTIONS, I THINK, IN THE INTERVIEWS LIKE, YOU KNOW, "WHAT IS YOUR POLICY IF SOMEONE WERE TO HAVE A THERAPY SESSION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY?"

"DO YOU EVER ACCOMMODATE EMPLOYEES IF THEY TEND TO WORK BETTER FROM 7 TO 3 VERSUS 9 TO 5?"

AND SO I THINK ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE A REALLY BIG PRIORITY FOR ME.

>>THANKS SO MUCH TO KATY FOR SHARING HER STORY.

I'M MABLE JONG, FOR A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

[MUSIC] >>THANKS, MABEL.

NEXT, OUR EXPERTS TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO NEURODIVERSIFYING THE GLOBAL WORKFORCE.

[MUSIC] >>BRENNA SNIDERMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE RESEARCH FOR DELOITTE.

SHE OVERSEES A CROSS INDUSTRY RESEARCH TEAM FOCUSED ON GLOBAL SHIFTS IN TECHNOLOGY, MOBILITY, CLIMATE AND WORKFORCE, DEVELOPING WORK THAT ULTIMATELY HELPS GUIDE HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN OPERATE AND STRATEGIZE IN AN AGE OF RAPID TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURAL CHANGE.

HETAL PARIKH IS CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF RANGAM CONSULTANTS, AN INTERNATIONAL WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS COMPANY BASED IN NEW JERSEY THAT FOCUSES ON CONNECTING PEOPLE OF ALL CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH AUTISM WHO ARE NEURODIVERGENT OR WITH DISABILITIES, TO BUSINESSES LOOKING TO RECRUIT AND HIRE SUCH TALENT.

DR. JAMES WILLIAMS IS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF CAREER ADVANCEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN PARTNERSHIP AT THE BOVEN CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT BEACON COLLEGE IN LEESBURG, FLORIDA.

HE ALSO SERVES AS CEO OF BLOOM CONSULTING IN ROUND ROCK, TEXAS, WHICH PROVIDES VOCATIONAL SERVICES, REHABILITATION, TRAINING, EVALUATIONS AND COUNSELING FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES, NEURODIVERSITYIES AND DISABILITIES.

JHILLIKA KUMAR IS CEO AND FOUNDER OF MENTRA, A NEURODIVERGENT FRIENDLY TALENT PLATFORM THAT INTELLIGENTLY MATCHES NEURODIVERSE INDIVIDUALS WITH EMPLOYERS THAT VALUE THEIR STRENGTHS.

IN A DAY WHEN DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OR DEI OR CORPORATE BUZZWORDS, HOW RARE IS IT THAT COMPANIES ARE STILL OVERLOOKING NEURODIVERSITY IN THIER DEI PROGRAMS?

>>I THINK THAT IT IS BECOMING MORE COMMON THAT ORGANIZATIONS DO THINK ABOUT NEURODIVERSITY, WE ARE HEARING ABOUT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, DELOITTE INCLUDED, THAT HAVE SPECIFIC PROGRAMS DEVOTED TO HIRING NEURODIVERSE CANDIDATES.

THAT BEING SAID, I DO THINK THAT IT IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT IS LAGGING WHEN WE THINK ABOUT D-E AND I FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

ONE, I THINK NEURODIVERSITY IS STILL A TERM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND.

I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS ALL TOO OFTEN WHAT WE CONSIDER AN INVISIBLE DISABILITY, WHERE IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN NECESSARILY TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT SOMEBODY.

AND IT'S ALL TOO OFTEN SOMETHING THAT INDIVIDUALS DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL COMFORTABLE DISCLOSING WHEN THEY ARE INTERVIEWING OR APPLYING FOR ROLES.

AND SO IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND OR KNOW HOW TO INCORPORATE NEURODIVERSE HIRING GOALS INTO A D-E AND I PROGRAM WITH ALL OF THOSE FACTORS IN PLACE.

>>THANK YOU.

WELL HETAL, WHAT IS PREVENTING EMPLOYERS FROM HIRING QUALIFIED NEURODIVERGENT CANDIDATES?

>>I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT ARE INVOLVED.

FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE UNKNOWNS, THE UNCERTAINTIES, NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO, JUST REALLY LOOKING FOR EXPERT PARTNERS.

SO EVERY ORGANIZATION IS ALWAYS LOOKING TO TAP INTO THIS UNDERREPRESENTED TALENT COMMUNITY AND INCREDIBLE TALENT COMMUNITY, BUT THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.

THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE IN THE INDUSTRY WHO CAN REALLY HELP THEM BE THAT GUIDE TO THEM AND HELP PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT NECESSARY GUIDANCE COACHING.

AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS ALSO ABOUT FAILING, BECAUSE AT ONCE, IF THEY ARE FEARFUL OF SEEING THAT, IF THEY GET INTO SOMETHING THAT THEY FAIL THAT IT WILL, IT'LL IMPACT THE FUTURE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IT'S REALLY CRITICAL, FIRST OF ALL, TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PARTNER THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU TO START THE NEURODIVERSITY PROGRAM.

BUT SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT I WOULD SAY.

THE OTHER FACTOR IS ALSO THE RECRUITING METHODOLOGY.

OUR CURRENT RECRUITING SYSTEM ESSENTIALLY SCREENS PEOPLE OUT VERSUS SCREENING THEM IN, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR THIS INCREDIBLE TALENT COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY STRENGTH IN THEIR SKILLS.

AND THERE'S A THIRD FACTOR THAT I SEE IS EXECUTIVE SPONSORSHIP.

SO THERE ARE WHILE THERE ARE MANY INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO UNDERSTAND AND SEE THE VALUE, THEY REALLY NEED THE THE TOP LEVEL EXECUTIVE SPONSORSHIP TO HELP SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO BUILD A CULTURE WITHIN THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, ENTIRE ORGANIZATION SO THAT WHEN THEY IT'S NOT A SILO HIRE, BUT IT'S REALLY A CULTURE THAT IS BUILT IN THAT REALLY DEMONSTRATES THAT WE ARE TRULY ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND BELONGING, WHICH THEN EXPANDS THE DIVERSITY INTO NEURODIVERSITY AS WELL AS DISABILITY.

BECAUSE THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE THAT I FEEL THAT OFTENTIMES THE WORD DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY IS NOT REALLY EXPANDING INTO THAT AREAS OF DISABILITY NEURODIVERSITY WHEN THEY DEFINE DIVERSITY.

>>THANK YOU.

DR. WILLIAMS, IN THE PAST, COMPANIES HAVE HIRED NEURODIVERSE JOB CANDIDATES KIND OF AS A PUBLICITY BOOST OR AS CHARITY.

ARE YOU SEEING THE MOTIVATION CHANGING TODAY?

>>I AM.

I AM.

OF COURSE NEVER FAST ENOUGH, RIGHT, FOR ALL OF US.

BUT I AM, I THINK THAT THERE IS MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON REAL, ACTIONABLE CHANGE.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THE START OF THIS MOVEMENT OF NEURODIVERSITY AND EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY IN AND EMPLOYER ROUNDTABLE AND SOME OF THESE GREAT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, THE EMPHASIS WAS ON SMALL PILOT PROGRAMS, SMALL EFFORTS, WHERE WE WERE GOING TO SEE HOW IT WORKED AND THEN EXPAND IT.

WE WERE GOING TO TO TRY WITH A COUPLE OF CANDIDATES.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS MUCH MORE OF A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT AN ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, OF HOW THEY CAN BE MORE INCLUSIVE IN THEIR HIRING, MORE INCLUSIVE IN THEIR TRAINING, AND IN THEIR SUPERVISION OF EMPLOYEES.

SO, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YOU SEE A LOT OF GROWTH THERE AND A LOT MORE ACTION AND A LOT LESS TALK, WHICH IS A GREAT THING.

>>ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

AND JHILLIKA, IF THE MOTIVATION IS CHANGING, LET'S GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS.

WHY SHOULD COMPANIES EVEN BE INTERESTED IN HIRING NEURODIVERGENT CANDIDATES?

>>YEAH, WELL, NEURODIVERSITY IS A NEUROLOGICAL VARIATION ACROSS THE HUMAN BRAIN.

PEOPLE WHO ARE WIRED DIFFERENTLY AND PROCESS INFORMATION DIFFERENTLY AS WELL.

AND WHILE THOSE DIFFERENCES NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND ACCOMMODATED BY COMPANIES, IT ALSO COMES WITH PEOPLE WHO THINK DIFFERENTLY, PEOPLE WHO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S INCREASED INNOVATION FOR COMPANIES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR UNIQUE TALENT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING INTO THEIR WORKFORCE TO HAVE THAT COMPETITIVE EDGE.

IT ALSO BRINGS A WHOLE LOT OF EMPATHY FOR DIFFERENT HUMAN EXPERIENCES ACROSS THAT WIDE RANGE OF ABILITIES.

SO NEURODIVERGENT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BEING HIRED INTO COMPANIES ARE BUILDING PRODUCTS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND THAT REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY OF THE HUMAN SPECIES.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE STATISTICS VALIDATE THE FACT I MEAN, THERE'S A HIGHER RETENTION RATE THAT RECENT STAT SHOWS NEURODIVERGENTS ARE 30% MORE RETAINED THAN NEUROTYPICAL PEERS.

AND THERE'S ALSO HIGHER LEVELS OF PRODUCTIVITY THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THROUGH STUDIES HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED.

SO IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE REASONS AND THE ACTUAL IMPROVEMENT THAT COMPANIES ARE BENEFITING FROM WHEN THEY'RE HIRING NEURODIVERGENTS.

>>ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

SO, BRENNA, WHEN COMPANIES DO TALK ABOUT NEURODIVERSITY, IT SEEMS A LOT OF TIME THEY FOCUS ON AUTISTIC JOB CANDIDATES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE PATTERN RECOGNITION ABILITIES AND THEY HAVE BASICALLY THAT ABILITY TO STAY ON THE JOB LONGER.

BUT ARE OTHER NEURODIVERSE CANDIDATES OTHER DIFFERENTLY ABLED JOB CANDIDATES AS HOTLY COVETED AS AUTISTIC ONES ARE?

>>WELL, IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION.

AND FIRST, I KIND OF WANT TO BACK UP FOR A MINUTE AND TALK ABOUT THAT ASSUMPTION THAT THOSE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM TEND TO BE BETTER WITH UNDERSTANDING AND LOOKING AT DETAILS AND DATA, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T MAKE A VAST OVERGENERALIZATION ABOUT ANY ONE POPULATION.

AND THOSE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER NEUROTYPICAL INDIVIDUAL IN THAT EACH PERSON HAS THEIR OWN TALENTS, THEIR OWN PROCLIVITIES, THEIR OWN THINGS THAT THEY BRING TO THE JOB.

SOME MAY BE GREAT AT DETAILS.

SOME MAY BE GREAT AT OTHER THINGS, LIKE THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ARTISTIC OR A LITTLE BIT MORE SORT OF BROADER, SQUISHIER THAN SIMPLY DETAILS.

SO I WANT US TO BACK AWAY FROM THAT NOTION THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE TYPE OF SKILL THAT A PERSON ON THE SPECTRUM CAN BRING TO AN ORGANIZATION.

I ALSO THINK THAT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT INDIVIDUALS THAT SAY HAVE ADHD OR HAVE OCD OR HAVE APRAXIA OR OTHER TYPES OF LANGUAGE PROCESSING SKILLS OR OTHER DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHALLENGES, I THINK THERE IS A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE PARTICULAR DIAGNOSES OR CONDITIONS AS WELL, AND I THINK IT'S DOABLE.

I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, ORGANIZATIONS THEMSELVES ARE JUST GETTING SMARTER ABOUT UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THESE VARIOUS DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIAGNOSES AND DIFFERENCES OUT THERE.

AND THE OTHER, I THINK, IS JUST A LEVEL OF COMFORT THAT WE'RE SEEING OR A LEVEL OF INCLUSIVENESS THAT WE'RE SEEING ALL THE WAY DOWN AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

SO CHILDREN NOW THERE IS MUCH MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON MAKING SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT DIAGNOSES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CLASSROOM, AT LEAST FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, SOMETIMES AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE.

>>WATCH THE FULL ASK THE EXPERTS SEGMENT ON OUR WEBSITE AT AWODTV.ORG IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NEURODIVERSITY IN THE WORKFORCE.

YOU CAN ALSO WATCH OR LISTEN ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, OR ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING PLATFORM.

[MUSIC] NEXT, LET'S REVEAL OUR LATEST DIFFERENCE MAKER.

IF YOU WERE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR THE COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES AT BROWN UNIVERSITY 20 YEARS AGO AND LOOKED DOWN AT THE PROUD GRADUATES, YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED ONE GRAD TO BE ON WHOSE MORTARBOARD WAS SCRAWLED THE WORDS "DYSLEXIC ON BOARD."

THE THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD CROSS THE STAGE AND COLLECT A DEGREE FROM ONE OF THE HALLOWED IVIES SEEMED A PIPE DREAM FOR A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS SHAMED AND WHILE GROWING UP BELIEVE HE WAS STUPID, A FEELING THAT DAVID FLINK WAS DETERMINED NO OTHER NEURODIVERGENT KIDS SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE AND LED HIM TO FOUND EYE TO EYE, A NATIONWIDE NONPROFIT CREATED BY AND FOR PEOPLE WHO LEARN DIFFERENTLY THAT SEEKS TO BRING A MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE WORLD TO BEAR FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES.

CORRESPONDENT BASSEY ARIKPO BRINGS US HIS STORY.

[MUSIC] >>DAVID FLINK HAS SPENT HIS ADULT LIFE ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES.

HAVING GONE THROUGH HIS OWN EXPERIENCES, DAVID CAN RELATE TO A GENERATION OF STUDENTS ON A SIMILAR PATH.

>>SO I OWN THE IDENTITIES OF DYSLEXIA AND ADHD.

AND I THINK THEY'RE SUPERPOWERS, BUT IF YOU HAD ASKED, YOU KNOW, NINE YEAR OLD VERSION OF DAVE FLINK BEFORE I HAD THAT LANGUAGE, I WOULD HAVE JUST SAID "THESE EXPERIENCES SEEM TO BE IN MY HEAD THE WORLD DOESN'T WANT."

YOU KNOW, THE THINGS BEING ASKED OF ME WERE AN AFFRONT TO THE WAY THAT MY BRAIN WORKED.

THE CREATIVE, IMPULSIVE DAVE FLINK OUT OF SCHOOL THAT SOCIETY LOVES AND REWARDED WOULD STEP INTO SCHOOL AND BE TOLD, "SIT STILL, BE QUIET, WORK HARDER."

BUT I JUST GOT IN TROUBLE A LOT EVENTUALLY AND FOUND MYSELF OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM MORE THAN I WAS ALLOWED TO STAY INSIDE THE CLASSROOM.

>>EVENTUALLY, FLINK RECEIVED WHAT MOST CALL A DIAGNOSIS, BUT HE SAW IT AS AN AWAKENING.

>>DIAGNOSIS DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A REALLY GOOD WORD.

MOST OF THE TIME WE USE THAT WORD THERE'S BAD NEWS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.

VERY MEDICALIZED.

NOW, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, I REALIZED LESS OF GETTING A DIAGNOSIS AND MORE SO GETTING AN IDENTITY I WAS LIKE "SO I'M NOT STUPID.

I'M DYSLEXIC?

I CAN DEAL WITH THAT.

ADHD?

SURE!"

AND AFTER I UNDERSTOOD THAT I HAD DYSLEXIA AND ADHD AND ULTIMATELY FLIPPED IT FROM DIAGNOSIS TO IDENTITY AND NOW I SAY I AM DYSLEXIC AND ADHD IS PART OF MY IDENTITY YOU KNOW THE WHOLE WORLD OPENED UP.

>>DESPITE SETBACKS IN HIS EDUCATION, FLINK, WITH HIS INCREDIBLE SUPPORT SYSTEM, FORGED HIS OWN SUCCESS AND RECEIVED AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WOULD SHAPE HIS LIFE FOREVER.

>>I WAS COMPLETELY SHOCKED THAT I WAS ADMITTED TO COLLEGE, MUCH LESS AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.

AND SO I WENT OFF TO COLLEGE, ACCEPTED AT BROWN TURNED OUT I WAS A DECENT STUDENT, PRETTY GOOD STUDENT WHEN I WAS GIVEN EQUITY, WHEN I WAS GIVEN AN EQUAL SHOT TO DO MY LEARNING THE SAME AS ANYBODY ELSE.

WHAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHEN I ARRIVED AT BROWN WAS HOW MUCH PRIVILEGE I HAD BEEN GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE TO GET THE LABEL, PRIVILEGE TO GET TO GO TO SOME OF THE SCHOOLS I DID THAT HONORED WHAT CAME WITH THAT LABEL.

THERE'S NO CORE CURRICULUM AT BROWN.

I WAS ABLE TO PICK CLASSES THAT FED IN DIRECTLY TO MY PASSIONS.

BUT I KNEW I PREFERRED TO WRITE PAPERS AS OPPOSED TO TAKING MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS.

SO I WAS DRAWN TO THAT WHICH REINFORCED MY WRITING ABILITY AND MY PASSION FOR THAT AND ULTIMATELY TO BECOME AN AUTHOR.

"THINKING DIFFERENTLY" WAS A PROJECT THAT I UNDERTOOK ABOUT A DECADE AGO, AND THIS WAS REALLY THE BOOK THAT MY PARENTS WISHED THEY HAD.

AND SO I WAS TAKING ALL THE BEST ADVICE THAT I WAS HEARING FROM YOUNG PEOPLE AND FROM FAMILIES OVER THE YEARS, SUCCESS STORIES.

AND I JUST PUT IT DOWN TO A BOOK.

SO A LOT OF THE BOOK IS THE STORY OF HOW I MANAGED TO GET THROUGH SCHOOL AND LIFE, BUT IT IS ALSO THE STORY OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER FAMILIES.

>>WHILE AT BROWN, FLINK AND A GROUP OF HIS PEERS WHO ALL HAD SIMILAR LEARNING DISABILITIES BEGAN AN ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO REACHING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ENHANCE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING AND ATTENTION DIFFERENCES.

>>YOU KNOW, EYE TO EYE WAS ABOUT ONLY MENTORING, SO WE WOULD TAKE COLLEGE AND NOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO HAVE NEURODIVERSE IDENTITIES, DYSLEXIA, ADHD, THAT KIND OF THING.

TRAIN THEM ON HOW TO WORK WITH KIDS AND THEN GO INTO LOCAL SCHOOLS AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "SHOW ME YOUR DYSLEXICS."

AND THEN WE WOULD MENTOR THOSE KIDS SO THAT THEY COULD FEEL A SENSE OF PRIDE, THE THINGS WE OFTEN DIDN'T HAVE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ABILITY TO ASK FOR WHAT THEY NEEDED IN THEIR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

FROM ONE CHAPTER IN PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, WE NOW WORK IN 22 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

ULTIMATELY, I MEAN, SURE, IT HELPS KIDS GRADES GO UP AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEIR SELF-ESTEEM GOES UP.

THEIR ABILITY TO ASK FOR WHAT THEY NEED GOES UP, THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THEIR METACOGNITION, THEIR ABILITY TO KNOW HOW THEIR BRAIN WORKS.

OVER THE YEARS, WE REALIZED WE HAVE TO HELP THOSE KIDS.

WE HAVE TO HELP THE ADULTS AROUND THEM SO WE ALSO DO TEACHER TRAINING IN HOW TO WORK WITH THOSE KIDS WHO ARE INEVITABLY IN THEIR CLASS, 20% OF THE KIDS IN THEIR CLASSROOM ARE GOING TO LEARN AND THINK LIKE WE DO.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL THE LD ALLIANCE.

SO IT'S A CLUB MODEL WHERE ALLIES, KIDS AND THEIR NEURODIVERGENT PEERS, THEIR LD PEERS CAN COME TOGETHER TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO CREATE BETTER AWARENESS, LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR THAT DIFFERENCE.

>>DISTILLING HIS PERSONAL LIFE JOURNEY AND BEST PRACTICES FROM EYE TO EYE, FLINK HAS SEVERAL INSIGHTS INTO HOW PARENTS AND TEACHERS CAN BETTER HELP THEIR KIDS PROSPER AND HELP STUDENTS FIND THEIR OWN SUCCESS.

>>THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR KID, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS WHO'VE BEEN IDENTIFIED AT A YOUNG AGE AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, SAY, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, MAKING SURE THAT ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE, MEANING THEY GET AN EQUITABLE SHOT IN SCHOOL AND HELPING THE KIDS LEAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS TO BE THEIR ADVOCATES, THAT'S GOING TO SERVE THEM REALLY WELL.

YOU CAN'T FIGHT THESE FIGHTS FOR YOUR KID, BUT YOU SHOULD FIGHT BESIDE THEM.

BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZE AS A PARENT THAT I HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM AND LET THEM LEAD THE WAY AND I JUST YOU KNOW, MY JOB IS JUST TO CHEER THEM ON.

KNOW YOUR BRAIN IS BEAUTIFUL.

YOU'RE NOT BROKEN.

LEAN INTO ACCOMMODATIONS.

ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED.

AND BE THE BEST EXPERT ON YOUR BRAIN.

BECOME A METACOGNITIVE EXPERT.

AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE A PART OF A HUGE COMMUNITY.

WE ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST UNSEEN GROUPS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND YOU KNOW HOW DIFFERENT WOULD MY LIFE HAVE FELT IF I HAD REALIZED THAT ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE IN MY CLASSROOM WERE STRUGGLING THE EXACT SAME WAY THAT I WAS.

SO, KIDS, WHO ARE WATCHING THIS.

YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS, KNOW YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

BUT THE WAY THAT YOU FIND YOUR COMMUNITY IS YOU HAVE TO SOMETIMES BE THE FIRST PERSON TO SHARE YOUR STORY.

>>FOR A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

I'M BASSEY ARIKPO [MUSIC] >>THANKS BASSEY, AND CONGRATULATIONS DAVID FLINK FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

I'M DARRYL OWENS.

I'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT TIME.

YOU CAN WATCH EPISODES OF A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE ON THE BEACON COLLEGE FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE CHANNELS AND ON THE SHOW'S WEBSITE, AWODTV.ORG THE WEBSITE ALSO PROVIDES TIP SHEETS AND OTHER RESOURCES FOR YOUR PARENTING JOURNEY.

YOU CAN WATCH THE SHOW FROM THE PBS APP AVAILABLE ON YOUR FAVORITE STREAMING DEVICE, AND YOU CAN LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING PLATFORM.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND SUPPORTING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

[MUSIC]