“I want to be there for other autistic people the way my mom was there for me, with the additional level of having actually experienced autism firsthand. It is so empowering to have someone genuinely care about you and understand you.” Brielle Williams By Ron Sandison I was excited to interview Brie…

Areva Martin is an award-winning attorney, best-selling author, legal commentator, talk show host, and a critical voice for social justice. By Ron Sandison Areva Martin has a son Marty who has autism. I interviewed Areva Martin for Black History Month because her advocacy for Marty reminded me of m…

By Danyale Sturdivant When my son Joshua was born, I cannot begin to tell you how happy I was! I had watched video’s and read books and was so “prepared”! I had everything down and was excited to take on this new venture. As life would have it, he was diagnosed with Autism at 2 ½ and that is when o…

If you’ve met one person who is a runner, you’ve met one person who is a runner. By Tracey Cohen Without a doubt, running, like autism, can be full of challenge, even painful at times. But the willingness to embrace difficulty is giving oneself the opportunity to flourish, to live a fulf…

By Tracey Cohen I always knew I was different but never understood why.  I aimed to please, but the world was too fast, noisy, unpredictable and innately counter-intuitive. Yet I was told by family and professionals in more ways than one that I was wrong – I was the problem. And I was told that…

“Tell me I can’t so I can show you that I can,” Armani Williams By Ron Sandison What were your greatest challenges having autism? I feel like my greatest challenges of having autism is the communication and social interaction. All my life I have been dealing with issues growing up but I hav…

“You’re autistic?” By Leanne Libas The first thing most people say when I disclose my autism is, “Really?! You don’t look autistic.” I have a love-and-hate relationship with that particular phrase. I love the reactions I receive from those who perceive me as a “normal person.” I …

I got it. You had to be tough to be black. There was no crying, no picky eating, none of this I can’t look you in the eye. Humor was a way of toughening yourself up, because the world was going to be tough for us, so if you don’t have a sense of humor now, you had better develop one. By …