This is an article from the Add*Ed Research Group's inaugural edition of their magazine, ADD*ED Research in Inclusive Education.
Baljit Singh Ghuman is the founder of Sikhs for Autism, a nonprofit advocacy group supporting Punjabi, Sikh, and South Asian communities in navigating autism services and education. As a parent of an autistic daughter, Baljit shares his story of advocacy, perseverance, and resilience as he strives to help other families access culturally competent autism support.
Now a young adult, his daughter was formally diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of seven, following several years of intense struggles and challenges in school. Before being part of the ASD stream classroom throughout her K-5 education, she received instruction in inclusive settings. Baljit credits his daughter’s educational successes in these environments to the determination and support from her principals, teachers, and school board administrators.
When asked to share one of his best moments with his daughter, Baljit described the time she won a school progress award. He recalls some of the hardships they faced, including her being sent home, poor attendance, and frequent emotional outbursts. However, thanks to the intentional and directed support of dedicated educators during grades 4-5, his daughter began to flourish. He fondly remembers the moment she jumped and danced on stage as they announced her name for the progress achievement award, describing it as a glimpse of hope for many families like his.
Baljit emphasized that autistic students are intelligent but often process information differently. Of his daughter, he notes, “She's able to find solutions to many of the situations or concerns, but there are situations where she needs additional help and understanding.” He explains that while his daughter may require extra support or accommodations, she is very intelligent and academically inclined.
He described his daughter’s teachers as “superhumans” and commended them for their ability to manage many students with diverse needs. Despite staffing shortages, budget constraints, and administrative barriers, he recognizes the exceptional support his daughter received throughout her educational journey. Although he is aware that many parents struggle to communicate effectively with teachers and school administrators, he expressed his gratitude for the supportive, responsive, and caring educators who worked with his daughter.
As a political and education activist, Baljit wants educators to know that, as a parent of a child with autism, he stands with them. He advocates for both student learning access and opportunities as well as for increased teacher support through active lobbying on issues such as smaller class sizes and additional resources. Regarding the parent-teacher relationship, Baljit encourages teachers to “keep fighting along with us” to bring about change for both autistic students and their educators. He continues, “We are thankful for the work you do. We see your work. We appreciate it, and people like me, wherever we get a chance, we fight for you.”
More about Sikhs for Autism:
Sikhs for Autism works to advocate and create awareness around autism, advocating and especially within the Sikh, Punjabi-speaking and South Asian communities. They strive to work collaboratively towards building inclusive communities through awareness and advocating autism acceptance that ensure the rights and needs of the autistic community.
This organization can be helpful for educators and school communities with large Sikh/Punjabi populations to bring awareness to autism and culturally relevant support services. Baljit, founder, frequently does professional development with schools and discusses his experiences with larger school communities. Baljit has dedicated the last two decades playing key roles in creating awareness around the issues faced by communities with a focus on disability and minority rights.
Baljit’s work has included community activism, radio interviews, and writing for newspapers. Additionally, he has presented policy level presentations to various government ministries, tribunals, provincial committees, and regional police force committees. You may invite Baljit Ghuman to your organization to share his knowledge and experience.
To read more about Baljit and Sikhs for Autism, visit: https://sikhsforautism.weebly.com/