Jessie A. Saperstein
Jesse A. Saperstein is considered one of the most respected leaders in the Anti-Bullying movement of his generation. He also has a form of autism called Asperger's syndrome (AS) that gives individuals some profound talents and challenges.
After graduating from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2004 with a BA degree in English, Jesse set out to conquer the 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail to benefit the Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation. He began hiking from Georgia to Maine on March 9, 2005 and completed the journey on October 18, 2005, raising more than $19,000 for children to attend summer camp who had contracted HIV/AIDS through prenatal transmission. Shortly after his hike ended, Jesse was exposed to some of the harsh realities of living as an adult on the autism spectrum and was treated with fear by members of the community who did not understand. His decision to write a book was an opportunity to escape these realities and advocate for his peers who are not always granted a voice. Jesse's story, "Atypical: Life with Asperger's in 20 1/3 Chapters," was published by Penguin Group (USA) in April 2010 and became a popular memoir due to its practical advice and humor.
After receiving a grant from the Anderson Center for Autism (ACA) in Staatsburg, New York, Jesse completed his first skydiving jump in front of his community in an effort to eradicate bullying. "Free-Falling to End Bullying in 2012" is now a popular video on YouTube: www.youtube.com/jessesaperstein
Jesse visits schools on a regular basis and has been successful with dramatically alleviating bullying. He was part of the “Keeping it Real” project with New York University (NYU) that helped introduce a new anti-bullying curriculum to New York City schools. The web page is: www.projectkeepitreal.com He has spoken in front of the United Nations and the of America in Minneapolis, MN.
His second book, “Getting a Life with Asperger’s: Lessons Learned on the Bumpy Road to Adulthood” was released on Tuesday, August 5, 2014 and focuses on surviving the difficult transition into adulthood if someone has an autism spectrum disorder. Jesse moved to Albany in June 2015 to live in his first apartment as an independent adult. He serves as the Media and Activities Liaison for the College Experience run by Living Resources, Inc. The College Experience is a program that gives individuals with disabilities the ability to attend a mainstream college with a modified curriculum and provides life skills as well as employment training. The web page is: www.thecollegeexperience.org, and feel free to read his blog entries.
On the date of Tuesday, April 2, 2019 Jesse had the honor of being included as one of the thirty-plus American heroes profiled within the anthology, “American Spirit” produced by New York Times Bestselling authors, Taya Kyle and Jim DeFelice. On Wednesday, January 22, 2020 Jesse appeared on the Dr. Phil Show after successfully pitching the producers to advocate for his friend, David Elmore Smith who was in dire need of resources to combat his morbid obesity. He has worked with the CEO of the American Red Cross to replenish the blood supply in hospitals especially if it is the antibody-enriched plasma harvested from survivors of COVID-19. On Thursday, August 27, 2020 Jesse was one of twenty-five citizens in Albany presented with the Community Champions Award for his litter collection to benefit the bus company of the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) and raise awareness for Convalescent Plasma.
