By Nils Skudra This week I had the opportunity to watch In a Different Key, an intriguing and comprehensive documentary that examines the origins of the autism diagnosis and how public understanding of autism has evolved over the decades. Directed by Caren Zucker, a filmmaker whose son Mickey is on…

Documentary on being ‘Black, British and Autistic’ – by Writer / Director Tee Cee – Streaming on discovery+ By Talisha Cree Hi my name is Tee Cee and I am autistic… is not a sentence I ever pictured me writing or saying aloud, but here we are. Think of everything you ever tho…

Artist Ryan Smoluk shares his process of learning and painting about Mozart this last year. Cover image: Ryan Smoluk “Ode to Mozart” By Ryan Smoluk So much has changed in the past couple of year on a global level. The pandemic caught us all off guard, so many are still struggling. We ar…

This is a Casting Call for autistic actors The Art of Autism received this week. “I’m working on the second season of Love On The Spectrum US, an Emmy-Award winning documentary series on Netflix about dating and relationships featuring people on the autism spectrum. Our aim with the se…

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…

By Nils Skudra As a fan of the Harry Potter franchise, I always enjoy watching scenes from the films or reading excerpts from the books. One character I am especially intrigued by is Hermione Granger, Harry’s academically gifted and fiery best friend whose intellectual skills prove vital in the succ…

By Aaron Bouma As an autistic that studies conflicts around the world I have been monitoring the situation in Ukraine for a long time. Of course I knew it was coming but February 24, 2022, was anything but a normal night. When missile strikes and armoured units started coming across the Ukrainian bo…

“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…

By Kaelynn Partlow Autism advocates talk a lot about how we need to “support” people on the spectrum. But when we say “autistic people need support” what does that actually mean? It means giving someone access to an item/activity/service/modification that eliminates or reduces the challenges that ar…

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…

The Art of Autism mourns the loss of Lois Curtis in November 2022. Lois Curtis was an African American artist with intellectual and developmental disabilities and schizophrenia. Curtis paved the way for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities to get out of institutional settings and…

Sixty-year old Tommy Onorato doesn’t let his age or autism diagnosis inhibit him from pursuing his passion of being a jazz singer with a Big Band. By Nils Skudra Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to watch Tommy! The Dreams I Keep Inside Me, an intriguing documentary about Tommy Onorato,…

By Dan L. Edmunds, PH.D. What is wrong with that boy? He does not really express joy He flaps his arms and lets out a squeal Good Lord! What is his deal? He goes off alone and spins wheels He never tells us how he feels He actually rarely ever says a word It is mostly gibberish that cannot really be…

By Olivia Nguyen I am 27 years old, and I am from Fairfax Virginia. I am actor, playwright and educator, and I am currently a Instructional Assistant for a pre school autism. I went to school at Catholic university and majored in Drama and I went to nova community college and earned my Early chil…