“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…

“We are truly blessed to be James’ parents as we learn more about Autism and focus on his needs every day,” Senator Michael Webber By Ron Sandison Michigan State Senator Michael Webber and I went to high school together at Rochester Adams. We both are advocates for the autism community. While runnin…

By Ron Sandison I felt a sense of nostalgia watching the video of Joey Hicks, a thirty-year-old, nonspeaking adult with autism, soothing to the music of the Grateful Dead at the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington. In the TikTok video that went viral, Joey is rocking-back-and-forth absorbed in the mus…

By Ron Sandison In March, my family was interviewed by Netflix for a new reality show Travel on the Spectrum. The show will feature three families who have a family member with autism as they travel to Myrtle Beach for week vacation. Netflix decided to produce the show when they learned that 80% of …

Becoming a professional speaker takes hard work, confidence, and practice. By Ron Sandison In April for Autism Acceptance Month, I spoke to 3,500 students and staff. During the past 7 years, I have spoken to over 250,000 people and I have presented everywhere from Israel to Madagascar. I speak at ov…

Art of Autism announcement: Autistic Pride Day is June 18 – send your art, poetry and blog submissions to info@artautism.com. By Ron Sandison The Honey Badger Award: a Fierce Advocate: A Force to Be Reckoned With is given each April by Spectrum Inclusion to celebrate an entrepreneur and advoca…

“The buzz from the show opened doors for me to expand my reach, which is extraordinarily gratifying!” Kaelynn Partlow By Ron Sandison I enjoyed watching the Netflix series, Love On the Spectrum and hearing each participants’ story and the challenges they experienced with dating. The show beautif…

By Ron Sandison I enjoyed reading Carolyn Stern’s insightful book . Autism causes me to experience difficulty expressing my emotions and Carolyn’s book has taught me to use emotions for my advantage as a leader. In leadership positions I often felt anxiety in small group settings. Learning to expre…

By Ron Sandison I learned to develop healthy habits by reading Coach Dave Martin’s book Make That, Break That. Most New Year’s resolutions fail within the first month; not from a lack of motivation but a failure to make the resolutions into a habit. We are creatures of habits and good habits can dev…

“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…

By Ron Sandison December 7th, my wife Kristen and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. One of the challenges I experienced with autism was relationships. While dating, I had difficulty filtering my comments and unusual behavior: a lack of eye contact, monotone speech, and I often nervously tap…

“Many churches attempt to make accommodations for individuals with disabilities that does not necessarily mean that people with disabilities are included in the life and community of the church and leadership.” Krysia Waldock By Ron Sandison I was excited to interview Krysia Waldock, a P…

“As a public representative I will speak very loudly for our most vulnerable people with mental/physical disabilities and our seniors in our community.” Ashan Fernando By Ron Sandison Editor’s Note: This is an informative article. The Art of Autism nonprofit does not endorse s…

“You are always one decision away from a totally different life.” Author Unknown By Ron Sandison As a young adult with autism I often struggled with making decisions and taking healthy risks. After employment and relationships this was my greatest challenge. I have learned to take risks …