This guest post is by Mariah Kay Sample, a young woman on the autism spectrum who was accepted into Edgewood College. Mariah is applying for the Spring 2022 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.
I hope you can support my nonprofit like I’m trying to support these students with scholarship aid for college. Learn more on how you can help our cause with a small donation (just asking for $3 today, equal to your daily cup of coffee) here.
My name is Mariah and Im a 24-year-old woman living in Wisconsin and I have autism. I was born in Minnesota, lived in multiple foster homes and have faced a lot of pain and uncertainty in my life. It’s been a difficult journey, but it’s made me the caring, sensitive, compassionate person with a love for my friends that I call family and Jesus Christ, that I am today.
I truly believe that everything I have been through in my life – the struggles and trauma, the joyous moments like finding my family and friends and receiving an autism diagnosis – has put me exactly where I need to be in the world. I love animals, enjoy listening to music, reading YouVersion Bible plans, watching movies, playing Special Olympic sports and I have an amazing relationships with my non blood family and my true friends. I wouldn’t change my story for anything.
When I was diagnosed with autism at the Waisman Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic in Madison, Wisconsin, I felt relieved and that I finally had an answer to why I was struggling and why I felt so different for most of my life. It was like everything clicked and made sense to me. I learned there was nothing wrong with being different and that everyone is unique in their own way. My entire life, I have found it very difficult just to exist and be myself in the world. If I would have had all the answers earlier in my life, I would of viewed myself and life differently. I would have realized that there is nothing wrong with not being able to fit in and not mask.
I wouldn’t change being autistic. Without my autism, I wouldn’t be me. Having autism also helps me to accept differences in other people because I am different myself. Autism also makes me more tuned in to emotions, which makes me highly empathetic. My feelings and emotions are very intense and can be overwhelming. There is a myth out there that individuals with autism aren’t empathetic and I find this to be so far from the truth.
I felt misunderstood and different for most of my life. I’ve experienced a lot of bullying, rejection and friendship struggles as well. I was very quiet and had a hard time understanding the social rules in games and relationships and understanding jokes and humor. I also struggled with understanding how to relate and connect with others and without experiencing anxiety.
My main struggle today is the stigma surrounding autism and how society views people with ASD. I love to make new friends and meet new people, especially those who have similar interests, but making friends is a struggle due to people not really understanding and accepting me. I will not change myself or mask who I am for anyone. I’ll continue keep a small circle of friends who accept me for who I am. My autism is a strength as well in my life and it has helped me excel in repetitive tasks, creative thinking, observational skills, reliability and in practicing honesty and loyalty. I excel at repetitive tasks because it helps me focus on one thing and gives me routine and predictability. I think these skills can help employers view me as a good employee. I enjoy posting on social media and talking about autism in a way to bring more education, understanding and acceptance to autism to help with this too. Autism is unique and different to everyone and I believe differences need to be talked about, not avoided. Inclusion needs to be practiced more in the community as well.
What gives me purpose in life is my relationship and belief in Jesus Christ. I am a Christian and believe having a relationship with Jesus is vital in growing in character, spirit, mind, soul and love. I do this by continued prayer and reading the gospel. I enjoy reading Bible plans and listening to Christian music. The words in the gospel you read can change your perspective in life and how you see the world in an awesome way. Also, without my relationship with Jesus, I wouldn’t be able to love correctly. Jesus is full of love and one of them is displayed by his forgiveness by his death on the cross.
My future goals is to be successful at my new college and future career. I want to. learn more about Jesus and the bible and animals. I have a language delay, speech, Auditory processing and learning disability, also so I want to be able to succeed with those struggles. I also want to go on mission trips to learn about evangelism and explore the world and Learn how to drive and get my license. Driving is anxiety-provoking for me, but I need to learn to fight through it as I need to be independent. I also want to be successful in my future relationship with others and connect with more individuals on the spectrum.
The advice I would give to individuals with autism or any other differences is to don’t let your difficulties define you. Do not let people’s opinions of you make you change yourself or cause you to mask. Differences should be welcomed and celebrated, especially if you are around the right people. The second thing I would tell them is to learn how to advocate for yourself. Don’t be scared to share your voice. If you’re unable to advocate or speak for yourself, find an advocate or support group who can be your voice.
Follow my journey on Facebook, my Facebook Fan Page, & Instagram!
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 a 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.
