Family Initiative, an autism and child welfare community service organization based in Cape Coral, Florida, is hosting a speaker series focused on Redefining Autism this fall.
On Friday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m., Haley Moss will be the first in a series of speakers to engage the community in a discussion of inclusion, acceptance and redefining the confines of autism. Free and open to the public, the event will be held at the Family Initiative Autism Center, 734 SW 4th St. in Cape Coral. Registration is requested by emailing info@fi-florida.org.
Moss was diagnosed with autism when she was three years old and today, she is a 28-year-old attorney, author, advocate, artist and consultant who is passionate about disability inclusion and neurodiversity. Moss is featured in several news articles, including the Associated Press, documenting her personal experience becoming the first openly autistic lawyer in the state of Florida, if not the entire country.
Raised in Miami, Moss attended the University of Florida after high school and graduated in three years with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and law as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After, she attended the University of Miami Law School where she was named a Miami Public Interest Scholar and was the Student Commencement Speaker. Moss graduated with her law degree in 2018 as shown on CBS.
Moss has written four books, is an accomplished artist with an influence between pop art and anime, and she is actively involved in autism advocacy and serves on the constituency board of UM-NSI CARD. As an engaging public speaker, she shares her own story with humor and wisdom to inspire, challenge and encourage others as she proves that with support, guidance and acceptance, anything is possible, as told by CNN.
Family Initiative is welcoming speakers each month for the fall and after the first of the year. Coming dates and speakers will be announced soon.
About Family Initiative
Established in 2015, Family Initiative, Inc. is a Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to supporting children with autism and strengthening their families. Its team of clinicians serves children from a compassionate, personalized approach through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Occupational Therapy (OT) services, and offers autism play groups, teen meetings, parent education, community conversations and more. In addition, the organization provides child welfare caregiver training and support through its Family Impact Program. Visit fi-florida.org or find Family Initiative on Facebook and Instagram at @FamilyInitiative and on Twitter at @FI_Inc.