Joyner Emerick is the 2024 Recipient of AuSM’s Jean Bender Changemaker Award

Joyner Emerick became the second-ever recipient of the Jean Bender Changemaker Award during AuSM’s 2024 annual meeting of its board of directors and members of the community. Joyner is an AuSM board member and the first openly-autistic member on the school board of Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). Joyner’s leadership was instrumental in getting Autism Acceptance Month and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month added to the MPS calendar. Joyner’s advocacy on ableism and disability rights has included testimony in congressional hearings that led to recent legislation introducing anti-ableism training  to Minnesota educators.

Following is a partial transcript of AuSM’s annual meeting:

Ellie Wilson, AuSM Executive Director
“The first person we’ve chosen for the Jean Bender Changemaker Award that isn’t Jean Bender is our board member, our friend, and a person we absolutely adore, look up to, and admire: Joyner Emerick. Joyner, I didn’t tell you this was going to happen—which is a bit of an autistic party foul—but I think you’re up for hearing how grateful we are for your work, so THE Jean Bender came to our meeting so we could honor you.”

Jean Bender, former AuSM board leader and inaugural recipient of Changemaker Award
“I’m so honored to speak on behalf of Joyner’s Changemaker Award, and happy to be invited back with you all. You all know Joyner’s long list of accomplishments at the school board level, the county level, the state level, the federal level, and probably a lot of places that I don’t even know that they’ve had an impact. I want to call out Joyner’s incredible bravery in speaking out not just on behalf of autistic people, but of all marginalized populations, every disability—Black, Indigenous, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrant families, and more. If there is someone whose back is against the wall, or who is affected by systems our society has in place, Joyner is there working on their behalf—and listening to them, first. They’re so generous of heart and spirit – sometimes at incredible risk to themselves and their family. Joyner is not just doing it as an extracurricular or to have their voice heard; they are doing it to really make the world a better place for everybody. Joyner pushes the boundaries of status quo—while calling in others, rather than calling them out. Always volunteering to do the necessary work alongside other stakeholders, and not afraid to pause the work if the right people aren’t at the table—especially the people most affected by what’s being discussed. We respect Joyner’s dedication, intelligence, vast knowledge of systems to overcome ableism, racism, and all of the other isms. Joyner’s ability to make connections is admirable, and I’m so proud to call them my friend. ‘Changemaker’ is the word that describes Joyner so well.”

Ellie Wilson
“I wouldn’t dream of over-speaking Jean Bender on the Jean Bender Changemaker Award, but Joyner, from the bottom of all our hearts: We think that you are a gift, and it is your autistic mind and your autistic heart—and whatever magical combination of the two—that is exactly what we feel our community needs. And we know, heavy is the burden— we know that your advocacy comes with a lot of difficult decision making, and risk – and all of it takes endless amounts of energy. We know it all starts with love—you are a deep well of love for your family, and you put that love out there in a way that all of us can honor no matter what our experience is, because you’re so good at translating that experience into something that touches all of us. You’re tremendously gifted, and I’m deeply thankful that you exist—and that I’m lucky enough to get to exist at the same time.”

Joyner Emerick
“Thank you so much for this honor—I really appreciate it. I want to say thank you to Jean Bender—specifically because Jean has taught me so much about advocacy, and in the most deeply impactful way. Jean has touched my life in helping me grow my advocacy for my own autistic child, who has a high level of support needs, and communicates differently from the way that I do. I needed to learn how to be an advocate for him in my family, and out in the world, in every space that he goes, and will access in his lifetime. It’s through Jean’s tireless support in helping me do right by my own child that I have learned the skills that I am now honored to take out into our community, and hope to help to impact the experience of other kids and their families. Jean, I just couldn’t be more honored—this is the most important honor I have ever received because it has your name on it. There’s no one that I can think of that I would most want to emulate in my work, now, and in the future.”

In 2023, after years of impactful service as an advocate for Minnesota’s autism community, AuSM honored Jean Bender with the inaugural Jean Bender Changemaker Award, just as Jean was stepping down from AuSM’s board after a decade of exemplary leadership. For full historical context, that dedication can be read here.

Last year, Joyner joined the Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) first-ever Disability Inclusion Advisory Work Group, which has begun state-level groundwork toward developing further guidance for MDE. Joyner also introduced a resolution to the Minneapolis School Board to form the Special Education Community Work Group. Joyner continues to lead MPS in its partnership with Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCCR) to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately affects students of color.

Joyner Emerick:
“Our systems of education—like all our institutional systems—hold deeply embedded and biased behavioral norms for our children. They are rooted in racism, ableism, and white supremacy, and they touch every part of our students’ educational experiences. As long as our behavioral expectations seek—intentionally or not—to shape student behavior away from their identities and cultures, there is no inclusive path for student belonging. Instead, there are plenty of mechanisms meant to blame children for the unacceptable inadequacies of a system they did not create and do not have the power to transform, and to criminalize their attempts to engage as self-advocates for their educational access, safety, and well-being. My work is compelled by the belief that we have the collective will and the collective power to liberate ourselves from harmful and violent past educational practices and instead embrace expansive and diverse ways of being, learning, and demonstrating skill. Kids learn best when they feel safe, seen, and beloved for exactly who they are. Co-crafting that culture in our classrooms with our students is a worthy and deeply needed pedagogy. May we have the courage to let go of what does not and has not ever served our students, and to bring into being brilliant and visionary future schools where every child is seen and affirmed as an irreplaceable member of their learning communities.”