Multiple Autisms Collective is an interdisciplinary and collaborative effort between academic and community partners. Our goal is to raise awareness of autism in diverse communities through real stories of struggle and hope.
John Thornton
John Thornton is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work reflects anomalistic stories of strength triumphing over adversity, where the characters compel audiences to take action. He has worked with ABC Family, TLC, HGTV, AXS TV, Meddin Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, UpTV, Student Quarters, From the Root, and Broadcast Management Group on documentary short films, narrative feature films, independent short films, episodic television shows, and reality television shows. John is an active member of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences, the International Documentary Association, and Film Independent. In the School of LMC, he serves as the Director of Film and Media and is a part of the Black Media Studies cohort.
Camille Proctor, Founder of The Color of Autism Foundation
Ms. Camille Proctor is the mother of a teen son and an adult daughter. In 2008 shortly after her son’s second birthday, he was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. As she searched for support services for her family, she soon realized a disparity in the black community. In 2009 she founded The Color of Autism Foundation to support African American families with children on the autism spectrum. The Color of Autism Foundation is a US Non-Profit (501 c3) organization committed to educating and assisting African American families affected by autism spectrum disorders. They aim to help families identify the warning signs of autism early on, so they can become their child’s best advocate. Providing culturally competent support and training will improve outcomes for children in underserved communities on the autism spectrum.
She has served as a diversity and inclusion advisor for both television and film. In September 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the Michigan State Disability Council. The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council’s mission is to support people with developmental disabilities to achieve life dreams. Author of a CNN Essay, “For the Walter Wallaces of the world, the police are not the answer” (October 2020). In 2021 she co-authored a research paper “A culturally grounded autism parent training program with Black parents”. She obtained Diversity Equity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University in January 2023. Appointed to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) in the fall of 2023.
Jennifer S. Singh MPH, PhD
Jennifer S. Singh is an Associate Professor in the School of History and Society, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts at Georgia Tech. Professor Singh is a sociologist who specializes in medical sociology and science and technology studies. She is an expert in qualitative research and investigates the intersections of medicine, health, science, and society. Her book, Multiple Autisms: Spectrums of Advocacy and Genomic Science, is a multi-sited ethnography that explores a range of perspectives from scientists, activists, parents, and people living with autism surrounding the rise, implementation, and impact of autism genetics research. Her current research examines the intersectional inequities to autism diagnosis and services among low-income racial and ethnic minority communities. Accompanying this research, Professor Singh is leading the design of public facing materials, data visualizations, and interactive platforms that will raise awareness and mitigate autism services inequities. She is also co-founder and director of Break the Cycle of Autism Disparities, a transdisciplinary and inter-institutional group of clinicians and researchers who aim reduce autism service inequities in Georgia.
Eboné Smiley
Eboné Smiley is a writer, content strategist, and marketing virtual assistant based in Atlanta, GA. She is the mother of a son with Autism and shares her personal story in the inaugural Navigating Autism in Communities of Color documentary. She is managing promotions, media relations, and social content strategy and design for the film.