Hi there ! I’m Claudia Taboada. I am the mom of two wonderful teenagers, Nicolas and Alex. Nicolas was diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder at 19 months, with a definitive diagnosis of classic autism at 2 and 1/2. Following his initial diagnosis, I had to abandon my career as a labour and employment attorney to become Nicolas’ case manager, therapist, speech pathologist, occupational therapist…you know the drill.

After successfully advocating for Nicolas’ rights before the Québec Health and Education ministries when he was younger, I became a passionate advocate for autism and disability rights. Over the years, I have been involved with several autism organizations and autism foundations in the Montréal area and have been a member of the board of directors of the Montréal Giant Steps School for autistic children for over 5 years. 

My wish now is to continue advocating at a global level and create a online community/movement of autism advocates (from parents, to teachers, to self-advocates, to therapists, to organizations, etc.) from around the world who will work together to promote acceptance and more concrete actions from governments and business leaders in their communities. Ultimately, our mission should be to encourage everyone to SEE THE POTENTIAL in people with autism and understand that despite their individual limitations, people with autism can thrive and become contributing members of society if they are given the chance.