Often portrayed as lacking communication skills, individuals on the autism spectrum actually utilize a communication style that we can all learn from. Autistic activist Kalen Sieja draws on his own (sometimes humorous) experience as an autistic person to demonstrate the surprising lessons we can learn from individuals with ASD.

Kalen Sieja is a student at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studies evolutionary biology. Kalen is a passionate autistic advocate and speaker. In his capacity as an engaged political activist, he hopes to utilize his strengths as an autistic person to advance justice, equity, and inclusion. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx