Houston TV Partnership
Spectrum Fusion announces partnership with City of Houston, including HTV and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
Spectrum Fusion, a nonprofit providing employment opportunities for adults on the autism spectrum, announces a dynamic partnership with the City of Houston’s Houston TV (HTV) and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. The three-tiered approach will focus on media-centric internships and jobs to provide hands-on work experience to neurodivergent individuals.
Tier one kicks off at Spectrum Fusion Studios where participants receive training in film production and editing, covering essential skills like camera operations and scriptwriting. Once the men and women have gained the necessary experience, they transition to tier two for an internship program at HTV at Houston City Hall, where they are exposed to state-of-the art programming, cutting edge equipment and mentorship by the HTV team under Director Ted Irving. Their current project is producing the “Spectrum Fusion Report” or City Pulse, an HTV show that highlights city departments and council district activities.
The third tier of the program aims at securing employment opportunities at Spectrum Fusion Studios and area companies. Through the partnership with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Spectrum Fusion is committed to broadening opportunities and fostering talents among people with disabilities. This includes reaching out to companies across the Houston area to engage them in the program, including sponsorship opportunities.
How did the Partnership Begin?
I met Brandi Harleaux through my River Oaks Women’s Breakfast Group and she mentioned that her husband worked at HTV. I asked her a couple of times to connect me, and then I connected with him on LinkedIn. We had a meeting and then started our partnership. It did take a long time to get the MOU signed and to have everything go through legal. Then we worked together for about a year and when everything was going smoothly, we then took the partnership to the next level and secured office space in City Hall. That is very exciting. It is truly unbelievable that we walk around City Hall and the guys are treated with dignity and respect.
Partnership With the Mayor's Office
“The partnership between the City of Houston’s cable channel and Spectrum Fusion has been a highly productive collaboration,” says Director Irving. “Spectrum Fusion team members have benefited from advanced professional training provided by HTV staff, while HTV has gained a valuable production partner. Spectrum Fusion’s content creation has showcased our mayor, council members, and city departmental initiatives. These well-produced programs have been extremely popular, helping HTV tell the story of Houston and raise awareness of important community programs.”
The mission of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) is to serve as the primary advocate for the rights and needs of residents with disabilities. The Office also serves as a liaison between the mayor, Houston City Council, city departments and other public and private entities on matters pertaining to people with disabilities in Houston.
Expanding Future Employment Opportunities
Red Oswald, a professor of industrial-organizational psychology at Rice University and expert in workforce development, notes, “To ensure that the aspirations of this partnership are reached, we are collecting data and key metrics. Being gainfully employed is a direct metric, but we are also measuring important downstream outcomes such as employee well-being and organizational satisfaction.”
Spectrum Fusion is seeking sponsors and underwriters to continue and expand the dynamic training program for Spectrum Fusion Studios, including companies that are committed to hiring neurodivergent individuals. The experiences of many of these young adults through Spectrum Fusion have been life-changing, giving them a sense of purpose and accomplishment. The feedback from the participants, their families and the clients served has been overwhelmingly positive.
To become a sponsor please contact heidi@spectrumfusion.org or call 832-208-5786.
About Spectrum Fusion
Dr. Heidi Stieglitz Ham piloted Spectrum Fusion in Australia and founded Spectrum Fusion as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Houston in 2018. Spectrum Fusion is dedicated to improving the quality of lives of adults on the autism spectrum by unleashing their full potential and providing new connections and opportunities for them to bring their talents and gifts to society. Spectrum Fusion forges career pathways for autistic adults to enter the creative and media industries. The nonprofit does not charge participants to be part of its programs; it relies solely on sponsorships, grants, and private donations, and has now hired 12 adults on the autism spectrum.