By Denise D. Resnik, Founder & President/CEO
Flip one’s wig (v.): To react to something, good or bad, with strong emotion
Matt loves my hair. Always has. He likes playing with the curls, sticking his nose in them for a whiff and making sure they’re lying on his pillow when we snuggle. While Matt never cared for the wig I wore while I was transitioning from dark to gray, he had no problem announcing Mom’s “wig hair” whenever he reached for it—never mind when we were out in public at the grocery store or pharmacy!
Several years ago, after a long workday, Matt and I were driving on the freeway. He reached over with loving affection to touch my hair. What happened next was completely unexpected…
Matt pulled the loosely placed wig from my head, placed it on his and proceeded to lower the sun visor to check himself out in the mirror! Not much to do at that point but laugh.
Living with autism and Matt’s honesty, humor, idiosyncrasies and loving ways never ceases to fill our family’s hearts with an endless range of emotions that constantly reminds us of his many gifts.
As the First Place Global Leadership Institute’s 12th symposium, October 18–20, fast approaches, we’re committed to following Matt’s lead and transferring that honesty into candid conversations. Our agenda addresses the challenges, risks and opportunities of housing and community development—and what we can do together to maintain momentum for a new and improved marketplace that includes homes, healthcare, employment and education options for the special populations we so passionately serve.
Join us October 18–20 as we stay on track to drive change—together!