Using Engagement Journalism to Serve the Needs of Caregivers of People with Autism

Author

Ariam Alula, Craig Newmark Graduate School of JournalismFollow

Graduation Date

Fall 12-13-2019

Grading Professor

Carrie Brown

Subject Concentration

Social Journalism

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Abstract

I’m Ariam. I worked with a diverse group of families who are intimately impacted by the autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities through caring for a loved one with the diagnosis. During the program, I used my journalism education, advocacy work, and interpersonal skills to support the emotional and informational needs of the community. The majority of the caretakers I engaged over the duration of the program reside in the Bronx, my home borough. I chose to focus on the lived experiences of people in this community because they represent my own. I have an older brother on the spectrum who lives with me and my family in the Bronx, and I’ve witnessed my parents live under high levels of stress over the years and throughout my adolescence and I have seen the manifestations of that stress (weight gain, sleep deprivation, high blood pressure, etc.) I used a community engagement event, 360-degree storytelling, a personal essay and stories to amplify the voices of older and younger caregivers.

Recommended Citation

Alula, Ariam, "Using Engagement Journalism to Serve the Needs of Caregivers of People with Autism" (2019). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gj_etds/373