By Amelie M. Dalporto People often possess prejudices and invite judgement into their everyday interactions. When we see someone who may interact with the world in a way that is different from what we have experienced, we tend to disregard what they have to say and who they are. Art is a form of exp…

By Anastasia O’Melveny American Abolitionist, Civil Rights and Women’s Rights activist Sojourner Truth was born in slavery in 1797 in rural Ulster County, New York. She died in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1883 at the age of 105. She was first separted from her family and sold as a slave a…

“A meltdown is a highjack of our emotions.” Ron Sandison By Ron Sandison Most neurotypicals pay little attention to their sensory processing. When you feel cold, you put on a sweater. When music is too loud, you turn down the volume. For me and many other people with autism, our senses provide unrel…

We understand when people are distressed. I can smell the endorphins. By John Testore I suffer for others and I’m always misunderstood for that. People think I want to always be in control. In fact it is my way of prioritizing. I know I’m good at prioritizing. I don’t like acting on inst…

Resilience is a key strength for autistic people. By Catherine Londero I was once told by a preschool assistant that “your son needs to work on his resilience.” I couldn’t disagree more. It struck me that so often autistic people, particularly children, are judged by their behaviour. A…

“My little cousin was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old and ever since I’ve been watching him grow up into this little amazing man. I recently wrote a poem about his special gifts.” – Alayna Kurland Camelio By Alayna Kurland Autism isn’t a disease, it’s my little cousin, Camelio, havi…

The Art of Autism’s 6th Annual Poems and Art for Peace. Header art by Ansh Batra. Compiled by The Art of Autism in collaboration with autistics, family, allies, and friends The Art of Autism’s 2021 Peace Series is dedicated to Haiti and Afghanistan’s good peoples, and the countless mor…

Art of Autism Creatives Share ‘Wassup’ In the New Year Compiled By Keri Bowers with help and special thanks to New Art of Autism Ambassador Linish Balan This Mash Up is dedicated to all of us who are emotionally and physically exhausted from the high-intensity dramas of 2020. Our wish is we can tap…

There is nothing wrong with theses children, they are just trying to get by themselves, like everyone else. By Jeffrey Sabins Let me ask a quick question. When you think of a child with autism which one in the photo do you see? Don’t feel bad, don’t feel judged, just be honest. No one will know, unl…

By Kaelynn Partlow Often those of us on the autism spectrum do things that neurotypical people have difficulty understanding. To outsiders, autistic behavior can look “odd” or seem “not to make sense.” Sometimes a person’s behavior can even be frightening. It’s not uncommon for autistic…

By Pamela Urfer A lot of people are put off by Jesus because they think of him as a stern taskmaster who is just waiting to whack us if we step out of line. This concept is particularly anxiety-making for neurodiverse people who are, by definition, always out of line. As a woman on the spectrum, I h…

By Pamela Urfer As I posted on this blog a few weeks ago, (“I never thought of myself as weird”), I spent my childhood reading every book I could get my hands on. As a result, I became a writer. My books are odd, as I am myself. One woman, reading my short stories, exclaimed, “You have a very strang…

why I’m no longer employed By an anonymous female on the autism spectrum Sorry, I had to title my first AOA blog with my favorite saying from the King’s Quest video game series. In game VII a very ugly (to some) troll asks the beautiful Princess Rosella for a kiss. Upon rejection his rep…

By Amy Highland Those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often well acquainted with sleep problems. Though statistics vary, it’s estimated that anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of people with ASD struggle to get a full night’s sleep. The problems include difficulty falling asleep, frequent night …