1st Person Autistic: “Own Voice,” “I Voice,” and a Call to Action for Disabled Writers
Presented by: Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, PhD, MFA
In this session, we will review disability representation in children’s literature. As an autistic person and mom of two autistic people, I will use the lens of autism as the disability through which I can best understand and analyze literary craft, using published examples to demonstrate that “own voice” is necessary for an authentic perspective, particularly for first person protagonists. We will work through writing craft exercises which will support participants in writing from their lived experiences. Our goal as disabled writers is to offer mirrors in which disabled readers can see themselves.
Kimberlee Bethany Bonura has a PhD in Educational Psychology from Florida State University and an MFA in Creative Writing – Fiction from UT-El Paso. She is a Contributing Faculty member in the Walden University School of Psychology; a professor for The Great Courses; a yoga teacher (E-RYT), yoga therapist (CYT), and Reiki Master; and a student in the Hamline University MFAC, Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is a late-diagnosed autistic & ADHD person, mom of two AuDHD (Autistic-ADHD) teens, and caregiver for her disabled-veteran mom. Her work lives at the intersection of psychological research and creativity. She writes as self-care and to find self-acceptance, in a world that is not always accepting of difference. You can find her across social media as @kimberleebonura.
Presented by: Kimberlee Bethany Bonura, PhD, MFA
In this session, we will review disability representation in children’s literature. As an autistic person and mom of two autistic people, I will use the lens of autism as the disability through which I can best understand and analyze literary craft, using published examples to demonstrate that “own voice” is necessary for an authentic perspective, particularly for first person protagonists. We will work through writing craft exercises which will support participants in writing from their lived experiences. Our goal as disabled writers is to offer mirrors in which disabled readers can see themselves.
Kimberlee Bethany Bonura has a PhD in Educational Psychology from Florida State University and an MFA in Creative Writing – Fiction from UT-El Paso. She is a Contributing Faculty member in the Walden University School of Psychology; a professor for The Great Courses; a yoga teacher (E-RYT), yoga therapist (CYT), and Reiki Master; and a student in the Hamline University MFAC, Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is a late-diagnosed autistic & ADHD person, mom of two AuDHD (Autistic-ADHD) teens, and caregiver for her disabled-veteran mom. Her work lives at the intersection of psychological research and creativity. She writes as self-care and to find self-acceptance, in a world that is not always accepting of difference. You can find her across social media as @kimberleebonura.
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Early Bird Savings ends August 31.
and other convention presenters.
Early Bird Savings ends August 31.
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