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A passionate clinician, executive director, and entrepreneur with keen strategic and intellectual ability evidenced in professional accomplishments, clinical staff mentoring, and advising and teaching students, professionals, and parents across the country. Landria has the opportunity every day to work and live in her purpose by working and training people with special needs and their families. Landria is described as a dynamic, informative, energetic, and captivating speaker. She is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist with specialties in autism, assistive technology, behavior, and communication. As the granddaughter of a woman who’s communication abilities were cut short by a massive stroke, she understands first hand the impact of impairment on the family. Landria is currently the owner and Executive Director of SLC Therapy, a private therapy firm located in Connecticut and Michigan focused on Empowering Families and Expanding Independence. Through her leadership at SLC Therapy, Landria has created dynamic and innovative programs for families that include Flourish!, a center based educational program for learners with autism, and the use of videoconferencing (Teletherapy) technology to provide families access to therapy service. In addition, Landria is focused on empowerment through partnerships with organizations to enhance community services. Landria is the creator of The Empowered Parent, a parent e-magazine focused on support for families of people with special needs. Landria was recently selected as a professional expert on a documentary focused on Autism in the African-American Community. Landria is the author of the social curriculum Keep the Conversation Going, which focuses on social cognition, conversation fluency, and social skills. Education B.S. Speech and Hearing Science University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign M.A. Speech Language Pathology Northwestern University Certified Speech Language Pathologist American Speech Language Hearing Association DIR Level 1 Practitioner Certification: Compton P-ESL Certificate: ADOS Training, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor PROMPT-Introduction Verbal Behavior, Dr. Vincent Carbone Achievements 40 Under 40 Business Professionals in Fairfield County 2009 Someone You Should Know Award, Bridgeport Black Pride 2007 People’s Bank Community Award 2006
Blog » African-American Children and Autism
As a practitioner I see TOO often, children with African-American heritage not getting diagnosed early enough. They get labels like delay, speech delay, ADHD, behavior disorder...but when I meet some of them...I think "why did he get missed?!?"
It is true the rate of diagnosis is growing in record numbers. I taught a special education class 1.5 years ago and the text book read 1 in 150 and now its 1 in 100. Still, the pictures of the children in the posters dont' look like me or people in my family. When in fact in my own personal life, we have a few little guys who absolutely fit the criteria!
It is true that the diagnosis of special education and the history of people of color in special education is not great. For us, historically, it meant "doomed to failure, special class, and never recovering". So many African-American's to this day do not want to discuss special education and their child. It is a sad truth that I bring up when I communicate with parents "yes I understand the history" but this does not mean....
As we enter Autism Awareness Month, my wish is that we add color to it. Hues of caramel, mocha, hershey, and caramel latte so that psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists, prinicipals...will think twice about giving African American children the stamp of ADD, ADHD, and Behavior Disordered...and evaluate accurately.
I would like to applaud some mom's and dad's of color that are out there and advocating on a global perspective:
S
usan Delaine, Gluten Free coooking 
Areva Martin, Attorney, Author, and Advocate 
Rodney Peete, Author of "Not My Boy" 
Support the Color of Autism Foundation 
~Enjoy and Be Empowered
Landria Seals Green
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