By Kit Oz I started painting oyster shells last year, as a lark. I’d seem some Dutch oyster shells painted with blue and white china patterns, and thought they were beautiful. As I have easy access to oysters here in Seattle, I thought it would be fun to take the idea of painting shells and make it …

“Growing up as an autism sibling was not easy and there was a lot of things I never understood, but as an adult I’ve learned how to find gratitude for the journey.” Natalie Castro By Ron Sandison Autism and sensory issues makes living space important to me. Home is a place for me to decompress and r…

By Nils Skudra As a Civil War historian, I have always been fascinated by the various personalities on both sides that played a pivotal role in shaping the course of the conflict. One of the most enigmatic of these figures is Jefferson Davis, who served as the Confederacy’s president throughout the …

By Zach Labbadia It goes without saying that the acting market is highly saturated, which makes it a very competitive creative profession. Besides connections and talent, to achieve any success you must have an identifiable brand or anything that would make you unique in the industry. Last year, whe…

I Can See You by Gregory Lawrence There is that man again. At the pub last night, he had mostly been throwing furtive glances at me when he thought I wasn’t looking. Now he’s at the end of my tram carriage. Craning his neck, as though he does not care about how conspicuous he is being in front of al…

By Ron Sandison As a theologian with autism, I enjoyed reading Summer Kinard’s book Of Such is the Kingdom: A Practical Theology of Disability. Kinnard shares her insight on Orthodox theology and empowering people with disabilities for full participation in the life of the Church. On June 8th I wi…

Jake By Sanchia Storey My life is uncomplicated, black, and white. I don’t speak in forked tongue, Hide meanings behind tones, I give the bare bones.   Never hide behind lies and hidden truths just to be liked. I am really me, No ego to feed, All to see.   Naked to the eye I say what I be…

By Miya Sae It’s crazy what a lack of understanding can do even to those of us who are autistic. I was born in the earlier half of the 90s. There was more stigma. Hateful organizations were the only ones in the spotlight. Stereotypes weren’t being fought against as much as they are today. “End Autis…

Autism Level 1 Speaks By Theresa Werba In a world of hyper-stimuli, Lights and sounds and touches, I retreat into the world within myself for relief. There is too much to process all at once, It comes at me like a screaming hoard, shoving up against my walls and forcing me to interact. Why interact?…

By Ryan Smoluk All Without Words As a self-advocate for autism awareness and a visual artist, I was so excited when this project came my way. It allowed me to create art that represents neurodiversity. I was free to create whatever images that flowed into my imagination. There were no boundaries. Cr…

By Nils Skudra This morning I had the opportunity to watch My Name is David, a compelling short film featuring the actual words of David Shapiro Sharif (May 28, 1997 – April 23, 2022), a young autism advocate who recently died suddenly at the age of 24. Made in Claymation, the film provides a…

This poem was written about my recent stay in mental health facility where I was admitted due to a meltdown. Miranda Wallace Ireland Catch and Release I am autistic because when everyone else laughs and I don’t think it’s funny I don’t care to mimic you No monkey see, no monkey do   …

By Kris McElroy I wish I could say I go into Autism Awareness Month with joy and excitement. Instead when April 1 hits I see an intense ball of emotions behind my eyes swelling in my body as I look in the mirror and prepare to navigate the stereotypes, the stigma, the messages that have been used to…

This April was the seventh anniversary of my becoming a national speaker and author. For Autism Acceptance Month, I decided to reflect back on my journey with autism and the lessons I’ve learned and the hardship I’ve endured. By Ron Sandison Every milestone and major event in my life took me longer…