Category: Community

In the second episode of the “Raising Rainbows” series, Priya Kannan shares her family’s journey with her daughter Latika, highlighting the importance of acceptance, inclusion, and celebrating neurodiversity.

“Raising Rainbows” is a celebration of the extraordinary journeys unfolding inside ordinary homes, showcasing stories of resilience, advocacy, acceptance, and unconditional love. Through conversations with parents, caregivers, educators, and change-makers, this series looks beyond diagnoses and labels to explore the courage, wisdom, and joy that emerge when every child is given the freedom to thrive as their authentic self.

In this edition of “Raising Rainbows,” Priya Kannan, a parent advocate and champion for neurodiversity, opens the doors to her family’s journey with her daughter, Latika. She offers an intimate glimpse into a life shaped by love, neurodiversity, resilience, and countless moments of unexpected joy.

For Priya and her family, raising Latika has been more than a parenting journey; it has become a mission to promote awareness, acceptance, and inclusion for children on the autism spectrum. Their story serves as a powerful reminder that when we look beyond labels, we discover not limitations, but new ways of understanding, connecting, and celebrating what makes each child uniquely extraordinary.

In a conversation with Ancy James, Priya reflects on her experiences and insights as a parent of a child with autism.

When asked about the first things that come to mind when she thinks of Latika, Priya describes her daughter as a keen observer, an energetic performer, and a creative, multi-talented young adult. Latika enjoys performing on stage through singing and dancing, and loves traveling with family and friends.

Priya expresses her desire for a shift in the assumptions people often make about autistic individuals. She notes that many misunderstand their behaviors, attributing them to poor parenting or bad behavior. In reality, these behaviors may stem from challenges with communication and social skills, with sensory overload often playing a significant role.

A pivotal moment in Priya’s journey came when she shifted her focus from expectations to acceptance. After attending a personality development course, she created a more accepting environment for Latika, which led to significant progress in her daughter’s development. This experience taught Priya the true power of love, patience, and acceptance.

Latika possesses a variety of strengths that Priya believes deserve more recognition. Her talents in music, dance, graphic design, and video editing highlight her creative abilities.

On an ordinary day, happiness in Priya’s household looks like Latika feeling peaceful, calm, and content. A good day is one where she can sleep soundly at night without anxiety about the past or future.

Reflecting on the moment she first heard Latika’s diagnosis, Priya recalls the fear and heartbreak that accompanied it. The term “autism” initially felt like a heavy burden, but a mentor’s advice helped her reframe her perspective. She learned to focus on supporting and understanding her child rather than worrying about the future.

During particularly overwhelming times, Priya found strength by taking breaks and organizing herself. Engaging in activities like solving math problems, listening to music, and participating in inclusive playgroups helped her recharge and connect with Latika.

Priya emphasizes the importance of support from extended family and community members during the developmental journey. She believes that schools and educational institutions play a vital role in accepting and supporting autistic children, and that greater public awareness is essential for fostering inclusion.

Parenting Latika has transformed Priya and her family into confident advocates. They have created autism awareness materials and founded a non-profit organization, Wiztara for Autism, to promote awareness and empower parents through workshops. Their long-term vision is to build an inclusive society that provides equal opportunities for individuals with autism.

Priya highlights the invisible sacrifices families like hers often make, such as missing social gatherings and the financial burden of supporting a child with autism. She notes that many parents sacrifice career opportunities to focus on their child’s needs, which can create additional strain on family dynamics.

One of the biggest challenges Priya faces is navigating an education system that often fails to accommodate the strengths of children on the autism spectrum. This has led some parents to choose homeschooling, which requires significant time and commitment.

Priya also discusses the emotional challenges of managing Latika’s anxiety and sensory overload in public spaces. While they understand these behaviors as parents, handling them in public can be emotionally taxing.

Balancing her responsibilities while caring for Latika and maintaining her own well-being is a constant challenge for Priya. She attends personality development courses and engages in physical activity to stay grounded and positive.

Latika flourishes when engaged in creative and hands-on activities. She enjoys expressing herself through singing, drama, dance, and multimedia design. Traveling and staying physically active also contribute to her overall happiness and fulfillment.

While awareness of autism is growing, Priya notes that challenges remain in achieving true inclusion in schools and community spaces. Many still struggle to accept autistic individuals, often judging them based on behaviors rather than understanding their unique needs.

If Priya could redesign one aspect of public life to better support neurodiverse individuals, she would advocate for priority access in crowded places and calming sensory rooms to reduce anxiety. She believes that greater public awareness and respite care services are essential for supporting families.

Priya calls for stronger implementation of the Right to Education for autistic children and advocates for more empathetic housing communities and insurance policies that cover therapy costs. She emphasizes the need for trained professionals in schools to support autistic students effectively.

True inclusion, according to Priya, means equal access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities for autistic individuals. It requires acceptance, respect, and meaningful participation in society.

For policymakers, educators, and community leaders, Priya urges a deeper understanding of autism and the need for flexible systems that recognize individual abilities. She emphasizes the importance of empathy and embracing diversity as a strength.

Priya’s hopes for Latika’s future are simple yet profound. She dreams of her daughter living independently, pursuing her interests, and building a meaningful life. Most importantly, she wishes for Latika to have the freedom to create her own path.

To parents just beginning their journey, Priya offers encouragement: every child is unique, and the journey may vary for each family. She emphasizes the importance of perseverance, support, and believing in their child’s potential.

Priya wishes people would stop assuming that autistic individuals are incapable of learning or achieving their dreams. She believes that every child deserves to be seen for who they truly are, beyond their diagnosis.

Ultimately, Priya envisions a world rooted in acceptance and understanding, where individuals are not judged by labels. Through advocacy and education, she hopes to create a future filled with possibilities for children and families living with autism.

According to Ancy James, the creator of the “Raising Rainbows” series, these intimate conversations aim to foster awareness and inclusion, helping families feel seen and celebrated.

Animal Assisted Happiness in Sunnyvale provides therapeutic interactions with barnyard animals, helping children with special needs build social skills and emotional connections.

Jonathan Coleman recalls the challenges he faced as a child. Speaking and forming relationships were difficult until he met his three best friends: Froyo, Romeo, and Tyler, miniature goats that were part of a team of barnyard support animals.

“I got involved with Animal Assisted Happiness when I was 9 years old,” said Coleman, now 27. “That was a time when I was struggling a lot socially as someone on the autism spectrum. At the time, I didn’t see it as therapeutic, but it was a therapy to help me with thinking about other people and other living things.”

Founded in 2009 by Vicki Amon-Higa and her husband, Peter Higa, Animal Assisted Happiness has reportedly helped over 150,000 individuals through its free services.

The mission of the nonprofit is to enhance the lives of children with special needs by providing opportunities to interact with a variety of barnyard animals. Located in Baylands Park in Sunnyvale, the farm features vibrant fences, stacks of golden hay, and enthusiastic visitors eager to meet the animals.

At Animal Assisted Happiness, guests enjoy a welcoming environment where they are not judged. “Animals don’t judge. They just let you be,” Amon-Higa said, reflecting on the organization’s ethos.

The idea for the organization originated in 2006 when Amon-Higa began bringing her miniature horse, Lollipop, to visit 14-year-old Riley Church, a brain cancer patient. During these visits, Lollipop would instinctively rest her head on Church’s lap, providing comfort and companionship.

Amon-Higa now witnesses daily connections forming between children and animals, such as the bond between Dakota, a non-verbal boy, and Ginger, an outgoing miniature pig. “I have watched Dakota read to Ginger,” Amon-Higa shared. “When a child who’s nonverbal is speaking with her, it’s just the most beautiful thing to watch.”

Lisa Zuegel, a board member, describes the joy her 26-year-old autistic son, Jeffrey, experiences at the farm. “He loves seeing the horses, walking around with a huge smile on his face, and being in nature,” Zuegel said. The family has been visiting Animal Assisted Happiness since Jeffrey was a child.

“He’s welcome here, and we need more places like this in the Bay Area,” Zuegel emphasized. “Places where people aren’t judged, where they feel safe and genuinely valued for who they are and what they bring to the world, and where they can communicate and connect in ways that feel comfortable for them.”

Another horse enthusiast, 19-year-old Finlay Snell, finds that his visits help him cope with the challenges of autism and motor control. “I like horses because they help me with my balance,” he said.

A regular visitor since elementary school, Snell began volunteering in high school by walking horses and cleaning pens. “By taking care of animals, he learns how to take care of himself, too,” said his mother, Yoko Snell.

Hundreds of youth and adult volunteers dedicate their time to support the nonprofit’s operations. Coleman, now a special education teacher, credits the support he received at Animal Assisted Happiness for his success. “Animal Assisted Happiness helped me join the disabled community and learn how to communicate with others,” he said. “I had the resilience to find that calling of teaching.”

Avani Kumar, a member of the Class of 2028 at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, contributed to this article.

This content originally appeared in the Mercury News.

Mosaic is a partner of the Knight Collaborative, in which India Currents participates.

Advocate Shruti Pushkarna is dedicated to promoting disability awareness and inclusion, drawing from her personal experiences and her mother’s innovative solutions to navigate challenges.

Shruti Pushkarna was born with a weak eye muscle, which affected her eyesight and resulted in high myopia. When she was around three or four years old, her mother was diagnosed with a form of rheumatoid arthritis that left her bedridden and in constant pain. This challenging environment shaped Shruti’s understanding of disability from an early age, ultimately guiding her journey to become an empathetic advocate for disability awareness.

Today, Shruti serves as a disability awareness consultant for various organizations and changemakers. She also provides counseling for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.

Her mother was Shruti’s first role model. “I never saw my mom as disabled; I thought she was very smart,” Shruti recalls. Her mother devised creative solutions to overcome the barriers she faced. For instance, she set up a frying plate next to her bed so she could prepare lunch for Shruti. “As a child, I complained that all mothers cooked for their children, but not mine. So this was her solution,” Shruti explains.

Additionally, her parents arranged for a carpenter to build a wooden stool with wheels, allowing her mother to transfer easily between her bed and the toilet. “At that time, there were no slim wheelchairs available in India, and houses were not designed for accessibility needs,” Shruti notes. “So despite her immobility, she could wheel herself.”

This ingenuity left a lasting impression on Shruti. “I have since learned that people with disabilities are great innovators because they have to figure out how to navigate life,” she says. Observing her mother’s ability to adapt to her environment deepened Shruti’s understanding of the importance of disability awareness, education, and inclusion.

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her career as a journalist, Shruti transitioned to disability advocacy. This new path flourished through her collaboration with George Abraham, a prominent advocate for the vision-impaired community. “Journalism was reaching a point of sensationalism in the country, and I felt my work was not making any impact,” Shruti explains. “When I met George, he was looking for someone who understood impact and storytelling. I was a good fit.” Despite salary constraints, Shruti was eager to engage in meaningful work and accepted the position.

George Abraham, born in London in 1958, lost his vision after suffering from meningitis at ten months old. His privileged upbringing and education in inclusive schools initially shielded him from the realities faced by the average vision-impaired person in India. However, a family trip to Dehradun in 1988 led him to the National Institute for the Visually Impaired, where he recognized the significant under-resourcing of the visually impaired community. This realization ignited his passion for cricket, which ultimately led him to establish Cricket for the Blind in India in 1990.

“He took it to different levels, state and national, and then realized other countries were playing, so why not start a worldwide blind cricket association?” Shruti recounts. George gathered representatives from seven countries—Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India—and established standardized rules for international blind cricket. In 1996, he was elected the Founding Chairman of the World Blind Cricket Council he co-founded, and in 1998, he organized the inaugural World Cup of Cricket for the Blind in Delhi.

As a social entrepreneur and disability activist, George founded the SCORE Foundation and Project Eyeway, focusing on changing perceptions of blindness. He emphasizes that the primary challenge lies in societal mindsets rather than the disabilities themselves.

Shruti joined George’s nonprofit when he began scaling up a national helpline for blind individuals across India. She played a crucial role in training people from various NGOs to serve as helpline counselors. “We brought in technology, taught them how call centers work, and made the software accessible for blind users,” she explains. The helpline allows users to call a toll-free number and receive counseling from another blind person about their life options. “We had a tagline saying, ‘Life does not stop with blindness.’ Now the program is running beautifully,” she adds.

Working as a disability advocate has heightened Shruti’s awareness of the importance of mindfulness in interactions with disabled individuals. “I learned everything on the job. I had to unlearn a lot of visual things,” she explains. She recognizes that some people with disabilities may have inherent trust issues, requiring her to explain her motivations and empathize with their experiences. “For inclusion to happen, both sides need to be sensitized,” she states.

However, advancing disability awareness and change is not without challenges. Shruti notes that many people hesitate to use appropriate terminology for disabilities out of fear of offending others. “We need to understand that it’s okay to make mistakes,” she asserts. She advocates for a shift in focus from merely ‘Skill India’ initiatives to ‘Educate India’ programs that prioritize education for individuals with disabilities.

In some families, even affluent parents may avoid pursuing rehabilitation options due to stigma, mistakenly believing they can protect their children with wealth. Shruti reminds them, “What happens after you?” She emphasizes the importance of placing people with disabilities in leadership positions to drive meaningful change. “Disability is a cross-cutting issue,” she explains. “If there is a discussion on inflation, there should be a disabled person discussing their needs.”

Shruti points to IBM as an example, where a senior accessibility specialist who is vision-impaired has integrated accessibility into various aspects of the company. “Disability can happen to anyone, so we should design for everyone,” she emphasizes. “The exposure and meeting of these two worlds must happen for change to occur.”

Several innovative initiatives are emerging in India, according to Shruti. For example, NeoMotion, a startup incubated at IIT Madras, has developed a customized mobility solution that partners with food delivery service Zomato to motorize wheelchairs, enabling users to work as delivery partners. “They onboarded over 400 people with locomotor disabilities,” she reveals.

Another innovation from Torchit, a startup in Gujarat, enhances traditional canes for blind individuals with a device that includes a camera and Bluetooth connection, allowing users to call caregivers for navigation assistance. Additionally, a nonvisual desktop access (NVDA) screen-reading software is available to many blind users in India, and the Signable app connects hearing-impaired individuals with sign language interpreters for communication.

Many malls in India have also adapted their facilities for people with disabilities. Near Shruti’s home, a mall offers 25 wheelchairs at the reception, employs hearing-impaired salespeople, and provides quiet zones for autistic individuals, along with a silent hour for shoppers with sensory issues. “There’s a lot of good work out there, which tells me there are more good people than you think,” Shruti reflects.

To further her understanding, Shruti learned sign language while working with hearing-impaired individuals. She practices by interacting with hearing-impaired staff at her local Starbucks. “There are many retail and hospitality industries that hire deaf people,” she notes. “If I don’t know their language, I won’t be able to understand their issues.”

“Don’t put people into boxes,” Shruti advises. “Don’t be quick to label people.” She believes in connecting with individuals for who they are and focusing on their abilities. “I have friends who are deaf, blind, or autistic, but I don’t think of them that way. I think about who is good for book recommendations or who can suggest great movies.”

Ultimately, Shruti hopes that her role as an inclusion advocate will become obsolete as the world evolves into a more inclusive place.

According to India Currents, Shruti Pushkarna’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of empathy and awareness in promoting disability inclusion.