Inspired by Our Tiny Dancer
Valentina is 4 years-old. She has been enrolled at Shoreline Dance Academy for about 1 year.
Since the moment she stepped into Shoreline, the staff has been more than inclusive and accommodating of her needs. During the Christmas Show, an older dance student stayed with Valentina the entire time backstage to make sure she was comfortable.
When she got on stage, she danced her little heart out.
There are other students with disabilities who also attend Shoreline, so it is a great community of support. Her classmates are welcoming and positive role models.
I’ve been connected to the Autism New Jersey Annual Conference for many years as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I have attended the conference consecutively for years where I have furthered my education and training as a professional. I am dedicated to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), and I now continue to practice the principles professionally and personally.
As an autism ambassador, I have raised money to support Autism New Jersey’s efforts with an annual awareness pin sale in the school district in which I worked. For the past two years, I purchased a book about autism for each of the elementary classes in my home district where Valentina attends school.
Having been in the field of autism for the past 20 years, it was quite a shock for me as a parent when I received Valentina's diagnosis of autism. After going through processing my own feelings, I turned my passion and energy into becoming a "warrior mother" for my daughter.
At the end of the day, however, I am just Valentina's mother, and I love her dearly. She amazes me every day and is my inspiration.
Autism Acceptance is important to me because everyone deserves a sense of belonging. Creating a culture of acceptance generates love, empathy, patience, and perseverance. Only good things can come from acceptance. I have made it my life's mission to spread acceptance for individuals with autism so that everyone is included in the journey.
Note: Valentina’s mother purchased an ad in her daughter’s dance recital program and donated it to Autism New Jersey. An ad was created to wish all the performers luck and share information about Autism New Jersey. We also wanted to share the story of this thoughtful family.