"It wasn’t until I was 10 years old that I was introduced to supported typing and Alternative Augmented Communication, or AAC. By having the tactile input I needed, I was able to point to letters on a letterboard, to say exactly what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it. For the first time, I was able to fully express myself. I soon learned to type on a keyboard with voice output, so it would speak aloud what I had typed. Then I began taking mainstream classes, and I took poetry, and speaking at conferences. And now, at last, I became a contributing member of society. I want to say that, in spite of my great love for writing and painting, my greatest passion is to speak out, to make AAC a mainstream part of the school system so it will be available for everyone. This is where my autism story began to have wings," says Sydney Edmond. Sydney joins this episode of Autism Stories to discuss her advocating work for the use of AAC , her love of painting and writing, and being a contributor to the book "Life after Lockdown" that resets perceptions of autism.