Outrage Overload

A Connors Institute podcast

Outrage 73 – Rethinking Autism Advocacy – Ari Ne’eman

Aired Oct 1, 2025

When conversations about autism leave out autistic voices, something essential is missing. Too often, autism advocacy is framed as parents versus self-advocates, or high versus low support needs—but what if the real divide is somewhere else entirely?

In this episode of Outrage Overload, host David Beckemeyer talks with Ari Ne’eman, Assistant Professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and co-founder of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network. Ari brings both lived experience and policy expertise to unpack the history of autism advocacy, the tensions between normalization and inclusion, and why autistic voices must be at the center of shaping autism’s future.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, advocate, or simply curious, this episode challenges common assumptions about autism and points toward a more values-driven vision of independence, communication, and community for autistic people and their families.

Ari Ne’eman is Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management at Harvard. He co-founded the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network and served as its executive director from 2006-2016, served on President Obama’s National Council on Disability, and advised the Department of Health and Human Services from 2020-2025. His research focuses on disability rights, inclusion, and public policy.