The Dandelion Shift: Seeing the Ability in Disability | Laura Whitaker | TEDxUGA

In this talk, Laura Whitaker encourages us to view difference as ability, not disability. Laura Whitaker is the executive director of Extra Special People, a Watkinsville-based nonprofit that runs year-round programs and summer camps for more than 400 individuals of all abilities and their families in the Northeast Georgia area. She began as a volunteer at ESP in 2003, and when the founder tragically passed in 2006, Whitaker was chosen to be the executive director at just 19 years old. Whitaker earned her bachelor’s in Collaborative Special Education and her master’s in Adapted Curriculum Classic Autism at the University of Georgia, and she has received many honors for her leadership, including the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40, Georgia Trend’s 40 Under 40, UGA 40 Under 40, Bulldog 100, and Leadership Georgia. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@thomas-meyer]

So many of us on the spectrum say thank you, thank you for seeing our abilities not our differences.

[@IAmTheRealJoker]

I really liked this talk, so much sense and compassion and smarts.

[@jcwdog]

This was wonderful. Thank you so much! I am a 29 year Special Education paraprofessional. Spot on!

[@jasonopdebeeck4444]

I love when TED takes on subjects that few people will actually talk about. This is a good one.

[@mikehweaver]

Thanks for sending Jason.

[@jennyrichardson8837]

Laura, you are so genuine and amazing! This is wonderful - I hope people everywhere will watch this and let it transform them too!

[@vindemour]

This is really good, my brother is on the spectrum, friends think he's totally disabled, but he's brilliant.

[@danabailey3887]

Thanks for sending to me Vin, this is a wonderful talk

[@bryanestelle]

me too Vin great share

[@pengzhou6952]

great share vin

[@carolinechery]

Yes me too Vin, my sister is.

[@nigeltomlin]

People I have met with so-called disabilities are often much more able than me

[@elizabethbernard3135]

I loved dandelion's as a kid and she is right we look at them different as we growup, as we do so many things.

[@kristianzlee]

What a good and nice woman, so true to her self.

[@annmerrychristmas]

This is a very timely subject and well done and well spoken for people who don't always get a fair shake.

[@ARTSPEAKS82]

great talk you gave me courage as i do my talk on disability in october thank you

[@bryannacool4481]

Yes, ESP is a way of life!!!❤️

[@zee.pattymia]

The lives of an entire community 🥰

[@Bomples23]

I love this.... very glad I came across this!!!

[@christy-mercurio]

Oh this is genuinely a great talk.

[@shirleyward5230]

Great speaker on such a pertinent subject.

[@tarasuppleton]

This is such a good important debate to have, lovely talk.

[@billywalters5469]

In Australia recently they debated whether to remove special needs kids from schools, tragic.

[@gourmet2276]

So beautiful and important.

[@bobbiedorn7149]

Totally awesome!

[@shirleyward5230]

Great speaker to share a pertain subject

[@PinkHawk191]

I am on the spectrum. Thank you for seeing the abilities that I have!

[@lanazaja]

On the spectrum, thank you.

[@nicolamcirvine]

yes to joy transformers

[@kailygeorgen-schwartz5219]

If you enjoyed this video, please join my group on Facebook called The Magic of Inclusion!