The new month means a new opportunity to honor people living on the autism spectrum. April is Autism Awareness Month and KPBS Education Reporter M.G. Perez tells us it begins with a puppet show, creating community and understanding.“It came from my experience with family members who have autism. I’ve worked in school districts several times in my life and worked with kids with autism and other special needs," Whitney said.
“I just call it a magic jacket because it makes me feel special, and when I wear it, it makes me feel safe," Leo said through his puppeteer, Carlos Herrera. Herrera is an artist who frequently works with the Hitchcock Puppet Theater. Puppeteers rehearse at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre in Balboa Park, San Diego, Calif., March 28, 2024
“Whether it’s gender, whether it’s race, whether it’s religion, whether it’s disability … It’s about meeting people where they are and accepting them for exactly who they are," said Whitney.“By making it puppets and not live actors, it broadens its appeal and ability to story-tell.”