Clarise Shelby-Coleman is the founder and executive director of Show Them How Smart You Are, an autism organization inspired by the personal experiences of her son Chase. Clarise is a native New Yorker originally from the Bronx and has settled in Central New York with her husband and son. Her love for community advocacy began in 1983 as a 13-year-old teenager with a passion for helping in areas of food insecurity. Currently, Clarise is a vocal, hardworking advocate for those with autism and their caregivers. She uses her community involvement with food pantries, inclusive summer camps, caregiver support programs, and fighting for autism legislation campaigns to help her son Chase and others like him. She has encouraged other caregivers of children with autism and special needs to focus on what their children can accomplish when appropriate modifications and accommodations are met while working together as a supportive inclusive community.
Produced by the Southeast ADA Center, a member of the ADA National Network and a project of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University