Judge Kim Taylor:A Judge's Journey with Autism

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Judge Kim Taylor shares her journey as a pioneering female judge and mother of a son with autism, revealing how personal experience fueled her advocacy for autism awareness in the criminal justice system.

Her work began after learning about Sidney Templeton, a young man with autism who died in police custody due to officers' lack of understanding about his condition.

• First woman elected as district court judge in Alexander-Iredell-Davie County in 1986

• Created a task force that made autism training mandatory for North Carolina law enforcement

• Developed educational resources including "Autism in the Criminal Justice System" video

• Expanded advocacy through "Safe and Sound" committee with the Autism Society of America

• Advocating for national legislation for more uniform autism training across jurisdictions

• Emphasizes prevention and diversion programs over incarceration for those with autism

• Identifies the need for compassion and understanding in the legal system

• Won her initial election by just 75 votes across four counties

• Highlights how perspective changes when issues affect someone personally

Tell everyone everywhere about Why Not Me: The World, the conversations we're having and the inspiration our guests give to everyone everywhere that you are not alone in this world.

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intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild

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The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. 

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