Spectrum Fusion announces partnership with City of Houston, including HTV and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

The collaboration supports Spectrum Fusion’s focus on employment and internships for adults in media production and creative industries

HOUSTON, February 4, 2025 – Spectrum Fusiona 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.

“I founded Spectrum Fusion to provide career opportunities and meaningful learning experiences for adults on the autism spectrum who have talents in the creative fields, especially media production,” says Dr. Heidi Ham, CEO of Spectrum Fusion. “We are thrilled that our work is being recognized and that the City of Houston has embraced our mission by working with autistic adults who are proving themselves to be invaluable on creative projects. This synergistic collaboration is a winning formula for all of us.”

Ham explains that neurodivergent individuals bring unique talents and viewpoints to the creative fields. “They are extremely capable. Our team produces industry-standard media content including, promotional videos, gala videos, voiceovers, commercials and graphic design, for prestigious clients including ROCO, United Way, Australian Consulate, CaringCrowd (Johnson & Johnson), Kaiser-Permanente and more. We have worked on two short films, including production and editing. And with City Pulse, we travel around Houston to document important events such as the recent Chevron Houston Marathon,” she continues.

“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.

“MOPD shares a common goal with HTV and Spectrum Fusion,” says Director Angel Ponce. “We go to work every day to improve the lives of people, including those living with disabilities. When we put in the effort to bring awareness to inclusion in the workplace, we help provide power to improve job opportunities, employee engagement, which gives way to innovation and growth.”

In November 2024, the City of Houston hosted a special “Intern Day” for Spectrum Fusion Studio members and other stakeholders. This special event included an exclusive HTV studio tour led by Director Irving, with a presentation on how the operation works. This was followed by a luncheon that featured Director Ponce and several other City of Houston employees who enlightened the audience about programs of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.

Fred 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.

To learn more about Spectrum Fusion, visit our website at www.spectrumfusion.org.