Good morning. ("Good morning" response) The first person I will thank is the Lord, Father, Son, and Spirit, I will then thank my mother, my brother, all classmates of computer programming, all friends here and elsewhere, counselors Shawn Lane, Doug Hilker, as well as instructors and staff E.C. Townshend, Mr. MacFarland, and Mr. Buckley.
This is not the first time that I have graduated. I know that disabilities such as autism can inhibit one's career development in fields such as social research. I am not sure exactly why this is.
Mr. Dorsey was nice enough to tell us about milestones. When a milestone is reached, and apparently to no avail, it is a heartbreak, a terrible heartbreak. But more than just a heartbreak. People, I have suffered loss of income, my mother has suffered further, taking care of me during that time. State, Federal, local governments also suffered directly as a result as well.
I hope that this time it will be different.
The answer, the answer to employing the disabled, is twofold. First, the disabled must be flexible and optimistic. And I know we have done our part. We are trained, we will continue to take the first step.
We cannot do it alone. We must, the other half of the answer is to, is to have respect, acceptance, and honesty from the non-disabled.
Therefore, I call upon the employment community to work with us, we the graduates, who have certainly proven ourselves in school.
And as Mr. Dorsey has said, no, I will not give up. That is what has kept me going so far.
Thank you for your time.
(applause)