This 13-Year-Old Is About to Talk to the Pope About Autism
This teen is about to have a very special meeting.
Jake Edwards is a 13-year-old with autism from Montgomery County, Maryland, CBS News reported. He is also the Autism Ambassador of his county, meaning that he works with local law enforcement to help them better understand autism.
“There are many different forms of autism, if someone doesn’t talk maybe it’s because they can’t. If someone doesn’t look at you, maybe it’s too painful for them,” Jake explained in a speech to law enforcement, CBS reported.
Jake’s work on behalf of people with autism is now getting some recognition — on Monday, September 21, Jake and 13 others will be honored as Champions of Change at the White House. Then, on Wednesday, September 23, Jake will meet with Pope Francis.
His meeting with the Pope is on behalf of the Archdiocese of Washington’s Special Needs Ministry and Jake says he will talk to the Pope about his blessings and how thankful he is, according to his blog.
Get more on the story in the video below:
Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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