Reader Responses to Nevertheless, They Persisted

Jeannette Gonzales Wright is defined by the title of this article (“Nevertheless, They Persisted,” June-August ’20). She represents a brave model for thousands of people with disabilities, a symbol of persistence, conviction, hard work, and courage. I gratefully congratulate the students who graduated in these challenging circumstances. The important thing is the knowledge they acquired, because knowledge is always needed.

Thank you for yet another outstanding issue of BAM! I read with particular interest the article “Nevertheless, They Persisted” (June-August) and specifically the section describing work being done by Vanessa Garcia in pursuing an honors thesis on accommodations corporations make for the “neurodiverse,” including autistic spectrum individuals. As the father of a son recently diagnosed with high functioning ASD, I have devoured all available literature on the topic, but there is a dearth of information in the space where Garcia is focusing. Many individuals with high functioning ASD (formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome) have the potential to make tremendous contributions to society, if only they are given the chance and a modicum of understanding. Unfortunately, the rote application of typical norms governing social interactions often leads to misjudgement of character and denial of opportunity. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to read Garcia’s completed work. It warms my heart that future thought leaders such as those that come through Brown have begun to turn their attention to this topic.