meet siena castellon
Although all schools claim to have a zero-tolerance bullying policy, the reality is very different. My experience and the experience of many other autistic students is that when we claim to be bullied schools either don’t believe us or they blame us. I have lost count of how many times I was told that I needed to stop being so “different” and that I needed to make more effort to “fit in.”
Born in Jamaica and based in New York, Faith Clarke is a mother of three, author, autism awareness advocate, and founder of the Melody of Autism.
In this profile, Richard shares every up and down of his family's journey raising a daughter with Asperger's — from feeling denial about Katarina's diagnosis to reconsidering her Adderall prescription to becoming an autism awareness advocate.
MiMi Johnson is a makeup extraordinaire, beauty entrepreneur, autism awareness advocate, and mother. Her son, Channing, is on the autism spectrum and in this profile, she shares her personal and professional journey.
Jon Rubin is a father of three and blogger at Autism Dad in the 603. Through his blog, Jon reflects on his experience raising his son Sawyer, who is on the autism spectrum. Jon's writing provides an honest, unique glimpse at marriage, parenthood, and autism awareness.
Portia Dawson is a mother, writer, and autism awareness advocate. On her blog, she reflects on raising her son with autism, Callie. Learn about Portia's journey in embracing the joys, blessings, and triumphs of autism.
Innocent Byamugisha's son, Mark B, has autism. He is 31 years old and recently took public transport by himself for the first time. In this special profile, we learn more about Mark B and his journey toward independence.
Kate Swenson is a mother of two and blogger who shares her experience raising a son with severe, non-verbal autism. Her honest advice and reflections on motherhood remind us that "it takes a village."
Robyn Coupe has two children with autism and writes about her experiences on the blog, Autism in Our Nest. From exploring therapy for her children to experiencing isolation as a parent, Robyn shares her family's journey with autism.
Debbie Stone is a mother of two and founder of Pop.Earth, an organization committed to providing holistic health and wellness options for individuals with autism and developmental disorders. Her son, Dylan, is on the autism spectrum.
Chloe Schur's sister is on the autism spectrum and was diagnosed as a teenager. Learn how the diagnosis shaped their relationship and inspired Chloe's involvement in autism advocacy.
Oli Monks' brother has autism and Chron's disease. Oli has lent his voice to a TEDxTalk and Huffington Post article about disability inclusion. In this profile, he shares his experience as a sibling and founder of Place with Purpose.
Zoë Myers' brother, Evan, has autism and she shares eye-opening insights on her experience as a sibling (and as a triplet!). "Different does not mean less than. Don't apologize when I tell you I have a brother with autism," Zoë writes.
Meghan Hussey works at the crossroads of disability inclusion and international development, and her younger sister has autism. Learn about the personal and professional paths of her globetrotting journey in autism awareness.
Josée-Renée's sister has autism, and they live together. In this profile Josée-Renée gives a candid, personal glimpse into their relationship. She shares the often unspoken aspects of the autism sibling experience.
Rosie King is a creative writer, phenomenal TED speaker, and has two siblings on the spectrum. She is diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Meet the rest of the King family in the Autism Articulated profile: Meet the King's.
Natalie Breen's brother has autism. She is a passionate autism awareness advocate and through Autism Works, she promotes employment opportunities for adults with autism. In this profile, learn about her experience as a sibling.
Faduma Mohamed is a spoken word poet and storyteller, so it's only natural for her to beautifully articulate autism beyond the usual six question interview. In her writing, we learn about her brother Bilal.
Crystal is a globetrotting artist, mother, and sister to Sylvia, who is on the autism spectrum. She reflects on autism awareness in the African-American community, her sister's role as her maid of honor, motherhood, and more.
Dane Dougan is the chief executive of Autism New Zealand. In this profile, we learn more about New Zealand's autism community and the great efforts to promote inclusion, support employment, and more.
Dr. Jody Sandler is a veterinarian who created BluePath Service Dogs to provide service dogs to children with autism. His long-held passion for animals led to an award-winning career and an incredible contribution to the autism community.
Atiai P. Woody is a co-host of (A) Moms Happy Hour, a podcast that discusses autism and the special needs community. Her nephew has autism and inspired her to pursue a career as a behavior therapist and create Puzzled Pathway.
Jaime Shelton is a co-host of (A) Moms Happy Hour and she has two sons who are on the autism spectrum. In this profile, learn how Jaime shares her optimistic outlook on autism through her non-profit organization, Auptimism.
Syrenthia Farris is the host of the (A) Moms Happy Hour podcast and in this profile, we learn more about her journey raising a son on the autism spectrum and leading her organization, Parents of Children with All Special Needs.
Stacy McAlister is a former professional basketball player who has a son with autism. He launched a #DribbleforAutism initiative that supports autistic children in building sportsmanship, social skills, coordination, and cognitive development.
Desirae Pillay's daughter, Savannah, has autism and cerebral palsy. This led Desirae toward a career in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Based in South Africa, Desirae is a passionate autism advocate.
Dr. Moreno Toldo is an Italian doctor based in Varanasi, India who specializes in neuro-disability. Learn about the joys and challenges of his work supporting children on the autism spectrum and advocating for disability inclusion.
Barry Fierst is a lawyer who specializes in estates and trusts for persons with disabilities and their families. In this profile, learn about his career path and get advice on estate planning, guardianship, public benefits, and more.
Wanda Refaely created ICE4Autism, an "In Case of Emergency" mobile app for the autism community. This autism-specific app bridges the communication gap between first responders and individuals who are on the spectrum.
Siena Castellon is a 16-year-old, London-based neurodiversity advocate and anti-bullying campaigner. She’s also the founder of Quantum Leap Mentoring, a website that mentors students with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences.
Colin Potsig is a photographer based in North East England. He was diagnosed with autism about five years ago, at 37 years old. In this profile, we go behind the lens to learn about Colin's "You, Me and Autism" exhibition and his upcoming projects.
Justin Robbins is an autistic advocate who champions inclusion, awareness, and acceptance. In his TEDxTalk, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Autism", he inspires us to rethink what it means to be autistic.
Savan Gandecha is an autistic YouTuber based in the U.K. Diagnosed with both Autism and Dyslexia, Savan gives us a glimpse of his creativity, advocacy efforts, and perspective on autism awareness.
Qazi Fazli Azeem is an autism self-advocate from Pakistan who champions autism awareness, particularly in South Asia. His profile illustrates his experience with Asperger's Syndrome and introduces us to global autism advocates.
Roberto Espinosa is a filmmaker with Asperger's Syndrome who recently released the film, Normal People. In this profile, learn Roberto's perspective on all things creativity, storytelling, and autism awareness.
Samantha Craft is the voice behind @AspergersGirls and author of Everyday Asperger's. She shares her experience as a woman with Asperger's Syndrome and explores how underrepresented her perspective is.
Rosie King is a creative writer, phenomenal TED speaker, and has two siblings on the spectrum. She is diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. Meet the rest of the King family in the Autism Articulated profile: Meet the King's.
Chulayo Mthembu is a mother of two based in Durban, South Africa. Her son, Agape, has autism and since his diagnosis, she has championed autism awareness and disability inclusion both in her community and online (follow @ChulayoM on Twitter!)