A.J. Paron-Wildes: Design Empathy Creates Well-Being in the Workplace

About this video

“Storytelling is how people grow. They listen, absorb, and it changes how they think and act. My son Devin is a visual artist. We both told our stories at the PeaceLove event, as we’ll do at BIF. Frankly, the rehearsals we had before PeaceLove were horrific. But as Devin told his story on stage, the audience engaged and listened to his story. He hadn’t had that experience before. It transformed him into a storyteller, not just a young adult with autism who finds it almost impossible to communicate except through his art.

We judge so fast and we don’t see the value in people. Story helps people understand the struggles, how hard it is. When you walk on the street and see Devin doing something weird, you just say, what’s wrong with that person?

The underlying story is important, not just the headlines or the pictures or the first impressions. What matters is the story of the journey and how someone impacts people.” -A.J. Paron-Wildes