This guest post is Therone T Washington Jr, a young man on the autism spectrum who was accepted into University of Texas. Therone 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 the Next Chapter: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams will be released on Amazon on 3/25/25 and looks at the lives over 75 Autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to supporting our nonprofits many initiatives, like this scholarship program. Check out the book here.
The puzzle piece is an enduring symbol of the autism community and represents the beauty behind diversity. For every individual with autism, there is a complex story that explains their entire life. Mine began when I was born in Dallas, Texas, and I was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old. While I may be low on the spectrum, I still faced significant and challenging obstacles. Regardless of how terrible they were, I am forever grateful for those experiences because they taught me how to love myself as both a human being and a person with autism. As a result, I am proud to be part of this community and share my story.
As stated before, I was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old. As a child, it was clear that I was different from other kids. I had trouble trying new foods and had a different understanding of things. As a result, my parents took me to speech therapy for most of my childhood. Although many therapists helped me work around my behaviors, there was one particular person whom I remember most, Mrs. Rebecca. Mrs.Rebecca was someone I spent the most time with during speech therapy, and she helped me become who I am today. She helped me try new fruits and vegetables like apples, celery, broccoli, and carrots. In turn, she taught me how to be open-minded for not just food, but anything unfamiliar to me. When I wasn’t taking speech therapy, I attended Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. At this time, I was an energetic child and enjoyed making friends. However, I was considered ‘the weird kid’ who misunderstood social norms. Additionally, I was pulled out of class to attend social group services with other special needs students, which further damaged my social status. Due to this and other personal issues, I became a sensitive child who was hard on himself for his personality and mistakes. Despite all this, I received help from my parents and other mentors on how to get through these struggles. I was constantly encouraged to believe in myself, be assertive, and understand what it means to be part of the autism community. In turn, I ended the bullying and finished elementary school excited for the next chapter.
When I attended middle school, I stopped going to social group services because the institution believed it was no longer needed. Nevertheless, my mom told me to inform almost every student and teacher about my autism. I didn’t understand why, but I assumed it would be a good excuse for asking obvious questions or not understanding directions. So every time I introduced myself in class, I would say “I have autism, which means my brain works a little differently.” While most reactions were neutral, others were not aware of it. One time, somebody held up three fingers and asked me “How many fingers am I holding up?” Moments like this stung me, not because of the person’s ignorance, but because they reinforced my fear of being defined by a label. It’s not that I was ashamed of being autistic, I wanted to be known as a human being and not “the autistic kid.” Nonetheless, I continued following my mother’s instructions until about 8th grade. At this time, COVID-19 was everywhere and I had to move to online learning. However, in the second semester, I attended school in person. In the end, I gave a speech at the graduation ceremony and received a trophy for academic excellence. This was a glimpse of what I was capable of when I didn’t let others’ perceptions define me.
When I graduated from middle school, I, moved on to high school. During this time, I began to like routines and would have one for everyday tasks. While it did help me stay on track with certain responsibilities, it also maintained my tendency to be hard on myself. If something disrupted my plans, I’d spiral into self-doubt, telling myself, “I’m not doing enough.” Due to this negative mindset, and in addition to early trauma, I developed signs of depression in 9th grade and began committing self-harm. Thankfully, I told my parents about how I felt and agreed to start therapy. It wasn’t easy at first, awkwardly sitting in a room with a stranger. However, I slowly healed and learned how to maintain a positive mindset. As a result, I was able to turn my life around and spend the rest of my high school career with more happiness and accomplishments. In my sophomore year, I received awards for my GPA and a self-portrait; I also began exercising, working at a barbershop, and training in Muay Thai. In my junior year, I joined the National Honors Society, an art club, and a black student club. Furthermore, I earned a Certificate of Black Excellence, an award for academic recognition, and two medals for creating a portrait of a passed loved one. Now that I’m a senior, I have become an officer of the black student club and a recording secretary for the National Honors Society. Moreover, I will soon earn an associate degree in Interactive Simulation and Game Technology since I’ve been taking dual credit classes. In the future, I plan on attending The University of Texas at Dallas to achieve a bachelor’s degree in Animation and Games. After that, I will pursue a concept artist position in the gaming industry.
People on the spectrum aren’t just puzzle pieces, they are the ones that put the pieces together. To those who have autism, embrace who you are. Your differences are your strengths, and your strengths are what makes you unstoppable. Use those unique traits to pursue what interests you, but do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Additionally, surround yourself with people who can support you, and don’t let anyone tear you down because of your identity. It may not be the easiest living with autism, but it is certainly a gift that keeps giving.
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education. Help us continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
Also, consider having Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by sending him an inquiry here. If you have a referral for someone who many want him to speak please reach out as well! Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofit organizations, parent groups and other special events on topics ranging from employment, how to succeed in college with a learning disability, internal communication, living with autism, bullying prevention, social media best practices, innovation, presentation best practices and much more!
