April is Autism Awareness Month

April is known as Autism Awareness Month.


But for me, autism isn’t just something to be “aware” of for 30 days. It’s my everyday life. It’s how I think, how I feel, how I experience the world.


Awareness is important—but we’ve reached a point where people know autism exists.


Now it’s time for something deeper:

Understanding. Acceptance. And real support.


Growing up, my journey with autism wasn’t always easy. There were challenges people didn’t always see—communication struggles, sensory overload, feeling misunderstood. Moments where I felt different… and not always in a good way.


But autism is also part of my strength.


It’s in my creativity.

It’s in how deeply I think.

It’s in how passionate I am about the things I care about.


Autism didn’t limit me—it shaped me into who I am as a person. 


And the truth is, everyone’s experience with autism is different. For some, it’s empowering. For others, it comes with heavy challenges, especially without the right support system.


That’s why awareness alone isn’t enough.


We need:

• People who listen instead of assume

• Support systems that actually support

• Spaces where autistic individuals can be themselves without judgment


This month, I’m not just asking you to be aware of autism.


I’m asking you to:

Learn about it.

Respect it.

Support people living it.


Because autism isn’t a trend, a moment, or a label.


It’s real life.


And for me, it’s a part of my story.


🧩


- Daniel Gillespie 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome to Brown Side Of Autism

We’re two brothers— Daniel and David —telling our truth from the inside out. We didn’t always have the words for what we were feeling. Growing up autistic and Black wasn’t something people explained to us. It was something we lived. Something we navigated. Something we survived. This blog isn’t here to “raise awareness” in the way most people expect. We’re not here to check boxes or play into stereotypes. This is about real stories —the kind you don’t see on TV or read in pamphlets. The kind that sits in your chest long after the moment is over. Brown Side of Autism is our space to talk about: The moments we were misunderstood The times we were loved so deeply, it saved us The days we felt broken—and the days we didn’t What it means to exist at the intersection of race, disability, and resilience You’ll hear both of our voices on this blog. Sometimes together. Sometimes individually. But always rooted in truth. This blog is for: The kid who doesn’t have words yet but feels everythi...
Read more

Autism Group Millcreek Karate

  As I got ready to leave on the lift To go to the Autism Social group today  I got greeted again by the staff  And my peers who were there  I got there a little bit early  But I wasn’t waiting too long  For the event to start  Because this time  We are doing Karate  With the Millcreek Karate Class today  Which I was really excited for  They we’re here at the Autism Group  To give us a mini session  To learn some Karate moves  And teach us about Karate  And before we got started  We had pizza and cinnamon buns With Icing for lunch I was talking to some of my peers Downstairs in the basement  Where we were setting up at I asked him if he was nervous  He said yes because it’s his first time  Doing this and learning a new skill  Just like me  Even though I told one of the staff  I won’t be participating because  I just had surgery done on my right foot  And I didn’t want ...
Read more

Bowling Party for Luther

  On Saturday, Dec 6th, Dallas and I went to a bowling party for my cousin Luther at this place called Bowling & Amusement Round1. My cousin Shamyra picked us up. When we first walked in, it felt like a full arcade—bright lights, a bunch of games to play, and even pool tables. We went up the escalator, and Shamyra asked Luther if he was excited. He jumped up and down yelling “yes!” so you already knew he was ready. After we got our bowling shoes, it was time to start. The rest of my family joined in too, and it was nice because I haven’t been bowling in a while. We played one round and I ended with 40 points. We ate pizza afterward—super fresh, and I only managed to eat three slices but they were  too  good. The best part was seeing Luther smile. Luther has autism, so seeing him enjoy himself meant a lot. After bowling, we all played some arcade games together. At one point Luther had a meltdown, and instead of pulling away, he walked straight to me and gave me a hug....
Read more