The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism

“I simply couldn’t conceive of how devastating it would be not to be able to hear my children’s voices. Not to be able to communicate with them, to hear them learn, grow, and express themselves verbally. How fortunate, how blessed I am. This overwhelmed me. I can talk to my children, I can respond to their needs and comfort them when they tell me they are unwell. I can tell them stories and hear them tell theirs.”

Kate Winslet

Imagine what it would be like not to be able to communicate with those we love. For many individuals living with nonverbal autism and their families, this is their everyday reality. The Golden Hat is an intimate response to this reality created by Kate Winslet, Margret Ericsdottir, and her son Keli, who has nonverbal autism.

Kate and Margret’s stories, their personal email correspondence, and Keli’s poetry give us a profound insight into the world of those living with autism. Kate has shared this story with some of the world’s most famous people, posing the question: “What is important to you to express?” Their responses are a collection of intimate self-portraits and unique quotes. Among them are:

Christina Aguilera

Zac Efron

Julianne Moore

Maria Sharapova

Kobe Bryant

James Franco

Rosie O’Donnell

Ben Stiller

Michael Caine

Ricky Gervais

Michael Phelps

Meryl Streep

Kim Cattrall

Tom Hanks

John C. Reilly

Justin Timberlake

George Clooney

Elton John

Tim Robbins

Naomi Watts

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jude Law

Kristin Scott Thomas

Oprah Winfrey

Put together by Kate, Margret, and the dedicated team who work daily on the Golden Hat Foundation, this project has been a labor of love.

All the author proceeds from this groundbreaking book will benefit the Golden Hat Foundation, founded by Kate Winslet and Margret Ericsdottir to build innovative living campuses for people with autism and raise public awareness of their intellectual capabilities.