The TOP 5 Autism Speakers for Fundraisers, Events, and Conferences.

Here are the TOP 5 Autism Speakers for Fundraisers, Events, and Conferences in 2023.

1) Holly Robinson Peete (She/Her) (Non-autistic Ally)

Holly Robinson Peete is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Judy Hoffs on the Fox police drama 21 Jump Street, Vanessa Russell on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Dr. Malena Ellis on the NBC/The WB sitcom For Your Love. She also served as one of the original co-hosts of the CBS Daytime talk show, The Talk.

Her son Rodney is autistic. Because of this Holly founded the HollyRod Foundation which provides support for families with autism.

2) Mickey Rowe (He/Him) (Autistic)

As an actor Mickey went from non-speaking to special education, speech therapy, and occupational therapy to Broadway's biggest stage. He was the founding Artistic Director of National Disability Theatre. He been the keynote speaker at the Kennedy Center, Yale University, Columbia University, CUNY, Disability Rights Washington, and many more. As an actor who has been on Broadway at the Gershwin Theater, Mickey is a speaker with incredible stage presence and charisma.

He became the first autistic actor to play the lead role in the Tony award-winning play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, landed the title role in the play Amadeus, and founded the National Disability Theatre.

You have seen Mickey featured in the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, the TODAY show, PBS, Vogue, Playbill, NPR, CNN, Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, Forbes, on Smarter in Seconds, and more.

Mickey now helps autism and disability organizations break their fundraising goals.

Watch five-minute preview videos of Mickey here. He is represented by Top Youth Speakers.

3) Lydia X. Z. Brown (They/Them) (Autistic)

Lydia X. Z. Brown is an advocate, organizer, attorney, strategist, and writer whose work focuses on interpersonal and state violence against disabled people at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, faith, language, and nation.

Brown is an adjunct lecturer in the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Disability Studies Program at Georgetown University as well as Self Advocacy Discipline Coordinator for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment Disabilities Fellowship program. They are also an adjunct professorial lecturer in American Studies in the Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies at American University.

4) Rodney Peete (He/Him) (Non-autistic ally)

Rodney Peete is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, and Carolina Panthers. One of his children was diagnosed with autism at age three. He discusses his relationship with his autistic child in the June 2010 issue of Men's Health. He now occasionally speaks about Autism at events.

5) David Flood (He/Him) (Non-autistic ally)

David Flood’s heartfelt speaking style empowers students with social and emotional skills while teaching them the lost arts of dignity, respect, and compassion.

David’s origin as a motivational speaker comes first hand. He grew up impacted by addiction in his family. He married and became a father of two children; his oldest is a special needs son. He is active in his church, is a hospice volunteer who visits terminally ill patients, and is on the board of K.I.D.S Plus, a non-profit organization that helps special needs children through sports. David attends meetings and participates in activities with The Anti-Bias Consortium Nassau County Schools. He is a member of The Northport-East Northport Drug and Alcohol Task Force.

David’s life teaches him every day about dignity, understanding, patience, forgiveness, and most of all, unconditional love. As a youth motivational speaker, David has spoken in 38 states and Canada to over 400,000 students, inspiring them to look at people and things differently. His online videos have received over 125 million views. He speaks with passion and conviction and, through his humility, leaves his audience with so much to think about in their formative years as they move into their future.

Watch five-minute preview videos of David here. He is represented by Top Youth Speakers.

INVITE MICKEY TO YOUR EVENT:
Please contact Top Youth Speakers to invite Mickey to speak at your school, organization, fundraiser, or event.

• PHONE: (800) 799-1460

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