By Conner Cummings I am happy that this issue is all about traveling. I love to travel especially to Orlando, Florida and Los Angeles, California to visit Disney Parks. Our Guest Editor, Gretchen McIntire (Leary), came up with an idea: Gretchen wanted an issue that could help autistics travel to whe…

By Gretchen McIntire I remember the exact moment when I knew I needed to go back to the place I was born last year. I was listening to a song from the Moana soundtrack while I was out on my daily walk in my neighborhood in Boston suburbs. Something about the music, the sunshine on my back, and the m…

Editor’s Note: Find updates from past contributors to “The View From Here” at the end of this article.  By Douglas Sparling  I have lived two lives of “before and after.” One frustrated by uncertainties, the other embracing every moment. I have lived an imperfect life, flawed but not broken. I am a…

By Megan Amodeo Most of us have memories of road trips and family vacations solidified into our brains from childhood. Those memories always seem to more lighthearted and amusing than the actual experience of driving endless hours in a packed car. If you have never been on a road trip, you’re missin…

Nea Hanscomb is the CEO and Founder of Appropo Software, LLC and a parent of a child with nonverbal autism. When she noticed how engaged he was with his tablet, she started searching for speech recognition apps. Not finding anything that would fit her son’s interest or needs, she decided to develop …

When talking about autism in the classroom, it’s important that teachers include autistic viewpoints and experiences as a part of the discussion. There will always be a place for professional and pa­rental guidance and perspectives, but autistic voices should rise to the top. They are the true “expe…

By Christa Holmans, Neurodivergent Rebel I was born autistic. I’ve been autistic my entire life. And, I will die autistic.  This information shook my world view when it finally came to light, just before my 30th birthday. I often relate my story to The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen…

By Megan Amodeo Television networks and streaming services have made big bank on seemingly obvious or blatantly literal autistic “characters”. Big Bang Theory and The Good Doctor are just a few of the more popular sitcoms and dramas revolving around autism. Are all autistics like those main characte…

Amanda Harrinauth began writing poetry as a way to heal this world of discrimination, bullying and intolerance. I also became dissatisfied with others with disabilities not being able to live their dream. I may be vision impaired and autistic but I have big dreams. I want to become a life coach bec…

By Gretchen Leary We are always sitting at the potter’s wheel in our lives. We mold who we are with our actions and thoughts each and every day and present that to the world as our greatest masterpiece (or Magnum Opus). This past month was an important one. I made a brave decision that some might fi…

By Quinn Dexter, Autistamatic If you are autistic and you don’t stim then you are in a minority. Most people stim in some way or another from bored employees in meetings clicking their pens to Presidents and Prime Ministers scratching their chins in thought. Stimming is not just the preserve of neur…

Chris Bonnello standing with Neurotribes author, Steve Silberman, who wrote a testimonial for Underdogs. Chris Bonnello is best known for his work at “Autistic Not Weird,” a popular blog about his insights from both a personal and professional perspective. Formerly a primary school teacher in the UK…

Led Bradshaw is using his talent as an artist to collaborate with his autistic son, Jacob, on bringing his comic book heroes to life. Together, they have created “Jetpulse Comics,” a collection of stories set in a neurodiverse world. Their companion workbooks help children practice and learn skills …

By Christa Holmans, Neurodivergent Rebel I’m always in motion, rocking, bouncing, singing, humming, flapping, and making random sounds. I’m a stimmy human, but for almost thirty years, I had been stimming without really understanding or thinking about why. Being diagnosed autistic in my late twentie…