Asperger Actor Finds His Audience! (With A Little Help From Mom)
Jodi Murphy is a marketing specialist, lifestyle journalist and out-of-the-box thinker who works daily to promote self-acceptance and understanding for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. She is also Mom to son Jonathan Murphy, who was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at age 13, but has gone on to become a Bay Area actor, a voice over artist, and a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).
Jodi has always approached her son's challenges and the struggles to find professional services and support for him with an upbeat approach. One of her creative out-of-the-box strategies that came to life was when she founded Geek Club Books to give Jonathan the opportunity to share his experiences growing up with children on the spectrum in an inspirational, respectful, humorous and entertaining way. They've released their first interactive storybook app, The Mighty League, featuring an Aspie protagonist who saves the day because of his unique point of view. Dorktales, classic fairy tales with a geekish twist, were created specifically for Jonathan's talents—kooky character voices, entertaining children, physical comedy, great timing, and a cheeky wit.
While Jonathan was growing up, Jodi noticed he was always different, teachers didn't understand him, and he was sometimes bullied. Since Autism wasn't diagnosed back then, life was a struggle until Jodi found a different school where Jonathan was respected and admired for who he was. Jonathan discovered theatre there and developed his ability to do voices. He believes that the characters he creates for the Mighty League and other projects are helping to make a connection and raise awareness with all kinds of kids. "This is a good way to say we (with autism) like a lot of the same stuff you do," he noted. "We are all really talented and we can use our talents to contribute and make a difference in the world."
Watch and learn about all the different creative works being developed by Jonathan, his sister Molly and a bunch of other amazingly talented people at Geek Club Books who are changing perceptions about autism and putting an end to negative stereotypes.
Learn more at: https://geekclubbooks.com/
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