Bay Area man's journey from autism challenges to campaign success

SAN FRANCISCO - Weeks after a life-changing opportunity, Adam Sherman is contemplating his next steps.

For a man whom few have bet on so far, he’s fresh off the opportunity of a lifetime: serving as campaign manager for Paul Miyamoto’s reelection bid for San Francisco Sheriff.

"It’s a multifaceted role. Everything from helping organize fundraising to putting out media blurbs and other forms of publicity," said Sherman, Miyamoto’s Campaign Manager.

Sherman’s situation is different because he is on the autism spectrum—something he’s proud to talk about, but one that has kept his ambitions tempered. And he isn’t the only one.

"There are five and a half million autistics in America who are at that age where they can be working professionals, and yet barely one-fifth of them are professionally employed. The rest are either unemployed or underemployed," says Adam Sherman, Sheriff Miyamoto’s Campaign Manager.

And Sherman was no exception.

Graduating from San Francisco State University with a degree in Environmental Studies, specializing in social justice, he found himself unable to find a job in his chosen field. So, he took a job stocking shelves at Trader Joe’s.

But while he couldn’t get the jobs he wanted, he donated his time, volunteering with various community organizations. It was this effort that got him noticed by Miyamoto’s team.

"He was actually on one of the teams doing safety patrols in Chinatown, so his commitment to the community was already evident through that volunteer work," said a representative from Miyamoto's campaign.

That commitment—and a reputation that preceded him—landed Sherman the coveted role of leading Miyamoto's critical reelection campaign, helping the incumbent secure more than 80 percent of the vote.

Entrusting your reelection campaign to anyone is a big deal, but Miyamoto said Sherman’s autism was never a factor in his decision.

"I don’t think I even asked any questions about whether or not he’d be able to do things," said Sheriff Miyamoto.

The Autism Society, an advocacy group, hopes more companies and organizations adopt Miyamoto’s thinking. According to their research, employing people on the spectrum is good for the bottom line.

"We look at different ways of information processing and different ways of executive function. We might have folks who think in a very systemized way, but we might have others who think from a bottom-up perspective, and that can bring a lot of creativity and other valuable skills," said Aaron Rock, Director of Employment Initiatives for the Autism Society.

The organization cites research that shows companies that embrace neurodiversity are likely to have a competitive advantage. Businesses employing autistic individuals report increased innovation and problem-solving capabilities.

"So I think the idea that we’re open to bringing in neurodiverse autistic talent into the workplace is important. It’s about understanding that sometimes, we need to figure out where the best fit can be. Let’s talk to the individual. Where do you think your strengths are?" Rock said.

It’s a conversation that Sherman wants to encourage in public discourse, sharing his struggles in his book, Living Beyond Normal: An Autistic Autobiography.

"I really want to bridge the divide between neurotypical or ‘normal-brained’ people in society and neurodivergent or autistic people like myself," Sherman said.