This guest post is by Naijal Robinson, a young man on the autism spectrum who was diagnosed with ASD at age 3 and has been accepted into Prairie View A&M University. Naijal 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. Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams, our nonprofit’s new book, will be released on March 29, 2022 on Amazon here for our community to enjoy featuring the stories of 100 autistic adults.
My name is Naijal Robinson, and I am currently a Senior attending Dulles High School. Let me tell you a little bit about myself:
I live with my mother, father, and sister in Sugar Land, Texas a suburb outside of Houston, Texas. We have a dog named Lola and 2 cats, Ming & Dior. At 3 years old I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism, BUT I NEVER LET THAT STOP ME.
Things I’ve accomplished include obtaining my Red Belt in Tae-kwon-do, playing the drums since I was 3, being in band since 7th grade and earning the spot as the lead snare and my letterman jacket.
Another fun fact I am also in a band called Plain Sight Gems.
In Junior year I began to take a class called Kick Start which was started by Chuck Norris. The concept was not only to teach the basic fundamentals of Tae-kwon-do but discipline as well. I continued to attend Kick Start while participating in tournaments eventually earning my Red Belt. From the time I was small, I was always fascinated by the sound of the drums and the vibrations; so much so that when we would go to restaurants I would beat on the table with anything I could find; which led my Grandmother to purchase my first drum set. Once I got to 7th grade in Middle School I joined the band and although I wanted to be in Percussion, I had to start with other instruments (Piano, Triangle (which I hated), and even the Clarinet. Outside of school I continued to work on my craft (Drums) by taking drum lessons at various music schools. Over time I persevered, and I ended up being moved to Snare Drum when I was a Junior in High School. In addition, Junior Year I earned Most Improved -Percussion and in my Senior Year I became the Lead Snare player. So that I can build on my knowledge of music and drums I also joined the Jazz Band my Junior Year in high school, which I really enjoy.
I have always been told it’s either college or the military, but I always knew that college was where I would be after graduating high school. Once I started deciding which college I wanted to attend, my first college visit was to the Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) campus, and I instantly knew that the school was for me. I not only enjoyed the campus, the history that the school holds, but the fact that is a Historically Black College University (HBCU) is a top priority for me. In February I found out that I was accepted to PVAMU. During my time in school my parents always made sure that I had the best teachers and education so that I could graduate from High School; and eventually, go to college. Despite my challenges with my disability, I have never failed a grade, I have always strived for excellence and would like to continue my education and graduate successfully. I am respectful, considerate, and dedicated.
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 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.
Autistics on Autism: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams, will be 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.
