April is Autism Awareness Month (I prefer calling it World Autism Month or Autism Acceptance Month though)! Over the years there have been countless stories of amazing autism advocates who also happen to be on the autism spectrum. Here are some of my favorites below. Many of them have become dear friends of mine and are shining a light on our community! The importance of this list along with acknowledging them for their efforts is to make sure that their voices are heard in our communities not only in April but all year round. Their stories deserve to be shared with the masses.
You see what many don’t know about me is that I was actually nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4. Today I have overcome many of my obstacles thanks to intensive occupational, physical and speech therapy.
Today I have 4 jobs as a professional speaker, best-selling author, non-profit founder, and autism film consultant! I would love to give a webinar and/or speak in your area to your schools, businesses, parent groups, professional development meetings, etc to help spread inclusion and education in our communities. You can contact me anytime here for more details.
Want to learn more about these advocates? Simply click on one of their names below. (The list below is in no specific order) Did I miss someone? If so my apologies! In the spirit of including people with autism in our community I’d love for you to share your story in the comments as well and what you are up too. Tell us in the comments to keep the conversation going!
Note: This list is in no particular order. Not a ranking but a way to acknowledge self-advocates. 🙂
“#Autism is an important part of who I am and I wouldn’t want to change it. I like the way I think.” @DrTempleGrandin pic.twitter.com/Vc5S3fnn6L
— Future Horizons (@fhautism) July 9, 2015
He couldn’t speak ’til he was 4. Now an author and #autism expert, Dr. Stephen Shore will speak in SJ https://t.co/f8pNn5brXa @autismspeaks pic.twitter.com/FDVOfK3Nba
— Courier-Post (@cpsj) September 20, 2016
.@KatyPerry and Jodi DiPiazza sing “Firework” http://t.co/8KIN00hx. Watch “Night of Too Many Stars,” 8 pm ET this Sunday on @ComedyCentral.
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) October 19, 2012
Do you know know Dan Aykroyd, a famous writer and actor, was diagnosed with Tourette’s and Asperger’s?#autism #asd pic.twitter.com/KDnHu6yG79
— BEST (@ABA_center) January 18, 2016
Honored to have John Elder Robison at our 2016 #SAPAutismatWork Summit pic.twitter.com/Giqqg3eSeJ
— Jose H. Velasco (@JoseHugoVelasco) March 24, 2016
Miss Montana Alexis Wineman (1st Miss USA participant with Autism) #WhatInclusionLooksLike pic.twitter.com/BX4qrzNhUS
— Autism Society (@AutismSociety) March 23, 2016
When People Say ‘You Look Tired’ >> https://t.co/a5Ad2u1mg2
— Autism Speaks (@autismspeaks) October 29, 2015
Satoshi Tajiri, (Creator of Pokemon)
Ten years after the game of his life made him famous, Jason McElwain is still pushing the boundaries of expectation: https://t.co/IdzvL3MCBF
— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2016
Truly love that my career is taking off.
A photo posted by Jeremy Sicile-Kira (@jeremysvision) on
“Everybody’s Gift” in the words of Justin Canha #justincanhaart #autism #talent #independence http://t.co/qs1337XmgC
— Learning By Design (@NicoleTuronDiaz) October 11, 2015
Asperger Syndrome Awareness: Bryan
Names of people I’d like to add for 2018 that should be shared with the masses as well include phenomenal advocates including…
Kelly Israel
Finn Gardiner
Lydia Brown
Ari Ne’eman
Julia Bascom
Sam Crane
Sara Luterman
Sharon da Vanport
Names of people I’d like to add for 2019 that should be shared with the masses as well include phenomenal advocates including…
Morenike Giwa Onaiwu
Erin Miller
Gyasi Burks-Abbott
Khylil Robinson
Thomas Hassell
Kelly Carpenter
Hattie Rose Groskind
Jillian Nelson
Joel Carver
Noelle Budde
Mina Cuesta
William Farrior
Kimberly Griego
Heath Camerer
Maggie Gossard Thompson
Michael DeMelfi
Brooke Brockman
Trae Bly
Karl Wittig
Tony Hernandez Pumarejo
Elizabeth Graham
Zachary Morrison-Gray
Alex Feeley
Kelly Carpenter
Autistic Pastor
Austin Ortiz
Austin Sullivan
Logan Mills
Sharisa Joy Kochmeister
Archibald Brechin
Cooper (Finding Cooper’s Voice)
Greta Thunberg
Russell Lehmann
Alix Generous
Natalie Graiff
Sandy, Uppal
Michelle Vinokurov
Deanna Homar
Clifford Brooks
Mickey Rowe
Nicole LeBlanc
Guy Smith
Eileen Lamb
Dennis Taylor
Ryan Lee
Alicia Trautwein
David Sharif
Erin Ruth
Nathan Freeberg
Hollie Mabbott
Amanda Alonzo
Chris Watson
Justice DeAngelis
Names of people I’d like to add for 2022 that should be shared with the masses as well include phenomenal advocates including…
Shalese Heard (aka Autistic Travel Goddess)
Eden, Leo, Laurel and Abby from the Autisticats
Alex Corson
Justin Hlifka
Kayla Cromer (Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, The Good Doctor)
Rick Glassman, Albert Rutecki and Sue Ann Pien (As We See It)
The 99 autistic contributors in our new book Autistics on Autism (check it out here)
Names of people I’d like to add for 2024 that should be shared with the masses as well include phenomenal advocates including…
Siena Castellon
Yenn Purkis
Morénike Giwa Onaiwu
Chris Bonnello
Jory Fleming
Danielle Jacobs
Dr. Lamar Hardwick
Naoki Higashida
Emma Zurcher-Long
Amy Sequenzia
Stephen Wiltshire
Tito Mukhopadhyay
Jessica McCabe
In addition, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to be the autism consultant on the last two seasons of Netflix Emmy Award-Winning Series Love on the Spectrum U.S. During that time I’ve learned about so many incredible individuals who I wanted to recognize. These include
Season 1:
- Michael
- Chloe
- Kelvin
- Maddi
- Olivia
- Mark
- Andrew
- Thomas
Season 2:
- Ronan
- Teo
- Kassandra
- Jayden
- Jimmy
- Sharnae
Season 3 (U.S. version):
- Subodh
- Kaelynn
- Steve
- James
- Abbey
- David
- Heather
- Solomon
- Dani
- Charlotte
Season 4 (U.S version):
- James
Steve
Tanner
Dani
Journey
Abbey
David
Connor
I have a video series at A Special Community where I highlight several individuals with autism such as Justice’s story which you can watch above. You can follow more of their stories here.
Three young individuals on the spectrum who are quite talented singers I’ve had the opportunity to highlight on my Facebook page A Special Community I also wanted to feature. They include…
and Brooke Andraya
In addition to this list I’ve also had the opportunity via my non-profit KFM Making a Difference to give students with autism scholarships to college based on their efforts to “make a difference” in their local communities. You can learn more about their stories here.
I also hope you take a few minutes to learn more about my journey on the autism spectrum by checking out my website here.
Missing someone from this list? In the spirit of including people with autism in our community we’d love for you to share your story in the comments as well and what you are up too. Tell us in the comments to keep the conversation going!
My name is Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum that started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue post-secondary education. Help support me so I can continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
“Supporting Your Autism Journey: Autistic Adult Answers Your Burning Questions,” is an upcoming book that will release on April 2, 2024 here where Dr. Kerry Magro Ed.D. offers a deeply personal and insightful look into the autism spectrum, drawing from his own experiences as a nonspeaking individual with autism who has grown into a professional speaker, best-selling author, and consultant for major entertainment projects, including Netflix’s “Love on the Spectrum U.S.” This book emerges from Magro’s desire to bridge the gap between the autistic community and a society that often misunderstands them, fueled by the countless inquiries he has received over the years. From parents and educators to first responders and corporations aiming to understand and support autistic individuals, Magro tackles the most pressing questions including but not limited too ABA controversy, nonspeaking autism, employment, food aversions, tips for first responders interacting with those with autism, curriculum strategies for educators, special education, social skills, IEPs, the transition to adulthood, and a wealth of resources.
