This guest post is by Zach Parker, a young man on the autism spectrum who is applying to college. Zach is applying for the Spring 2025 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4, and you can read more about my organization here. Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams, our nonprofit’s new book, was released on March 29, 2022, on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults.
As a young black male with a disability it’s so many odds stack up against me. I appreciate any positive opportunities that’s there for me. Every day is a challenge but I don’t give up. I’m also working on becoming independent.My main accomplishments is and was being on a team, the marching Band was my first ever team.Learning to read and play music especially being able to play 3 instruments is definitely an accomplishments.
I don’t think I would ever been able to accomplish these goals without my music therapist she was able to teach me how to communicate with and without music.
So for my future goals I want to study music and become a music therapist by this I would have to go to college and from a family with low income I know it would be a hardship on my mother who is a single parent so if I’m able to get scholarships that helped me achieve my goal and farther my education and therefore I can have the next generation or the next young person who was like me that struggle with social interaction.
I think music is universal in a language that everyone can understand.
I take pride and knowing how to play the piano, the bass guitar, the drums and being in percussion in band.Definitely want this to be my legacy I leave behind for future black male with Autism. To achieve this goal I would have to know the ends and out of business ownership!
My main goal and challenge is social networking with people being able and comfortable to be with others. I still struggle but I feel like over the years I have overcame social anxiety.
Let me tell you, when I first learned how to play the piano it was like the heavens had opened up to me. Not only can I see the notes I could hear it in those notes.
I remember being so nervous at my first concert in front of my family I didn’t want to mess up but I knew I haven’t learning this song and I was anxious. When I looked in to the audience and see my family moving their bodies to the tune. It was a whole different experience. Seeing people happy and dancing to the music I was making the sound that was coming from my hitting each key on beat.
I knew in that moment, this what I want to do for life.Bringing joy to people with music.
I was so happy to have a music therapist and music teacher. I want to bless someone else with this feeling. I want to teach music to other people who are like me who never thought they would have a voice, or will never have group to fixed in.
Even though I’m young and I just started playing the piano keyboard in 2020, I feel that if I didn’t have this space to express myself I will still be lost.
I am a senior in high school,I have autism and I am interested in attending college so I can get a degree in music to be a music therapist.
I want to give back and be a blessing.
I want to see the smile on someone face when they hear themselves play their first song. When they realize music is more then a beat. Music is life and music can be your voice
Follow my journey on Facebook, my Facebook Fan Page, Tiktok, Youtube & Instagram.
My name is Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum. I 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.
Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams was released on March 29, 2022 on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to our nonprofit to support initiatives like our autism scholarship program. In addition, this autistic adult’s essay you just read will be featured in a future volume of this book as we plan on making this into a series of books on autistic adults.
