104. Honoring the Memory of David Sharif, with the Global Autism Community

Discover what’s possible when you’re defined by your determination, dedication, and devotion.  It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we release this episode. On April 23rd, we lost one of our most dedicated community members, David Sharif, to an epileptic seizure.  David made a huge positive impact in this world, inspiring everyone around him. He was a dear colleague, genuine friend, and all-around great human. David had a heart of gold and went out of his way to check on others’ comfort and well-being.  Graduating from high school as valedictorian, David prided himself on being a motivational speaker, world traveler, and basketball lover. David was committed to his work as an autistic self-advocate and loved to share his personal experiences to help educate others.  Taking on many roles over the past year in our Global Autism Community, David served as our community moderator, appeared several times as a guest on this podcast, and was preparing to travel to Kenya later this year as a volunteer with our SkillCorps® program.  Our team is still processing what it means to no longer have David here with us. We cannot express in words how much he will be missed. For now, we send our thoughts and support to David’s family.  Since first coming on the podcast in September 2020, David shared many insights and personal experiences with us. He was deeply passionate about empowering others through his own story.  To highlight David's advocacy, we’ve compiled several excerpts from various episodes that he was part of. Topics include: Overcoming obstacles Requesting accommodations at school and work Coping with stress and sensory overload Masking and authenticity Special interests  Our Global Autism Community held a memorial event for David last Tuesday. In this episode, you'll also hear some stories and memories of David that we shared.  The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, friends and family of David make donations to the Global Autism Project. We are honored to continue David's advocacy efforts of promoting autism awareness and acceptance worldwide.  You can make a donation here: David Sharif Memorial Donation ----more---- We appreciate your time. If you enjoy this podcast and you’d like to support our mission, please take just a few seconds to share it with one person who you think will find value in it too. Follow us on Instagram: @autismpodcast Join our community on Mighty Networks: Global Autism Community Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Global Autism Project We would love to hear your feedback about the show. Please fill out this short survey to let us know your thoughts: Listener Survey