People of Color

Poetry: Letter by Letter

Nonspeaking youth Rumi Ottus spells out a striking poem about the life unlocked by having access to communicate via letterboard.

Sienna, the author of the piece, has long, curly, dark brown hair and is wearing headphones. She stands in front of an orange background

A Letter to Autistic Teens

Sienna is a young Autistic adult writing to Autistic teens. In this beautiful letter, Sienna encourages teens to understand and embrace themselves unapologetically.

A Letter to Black and Indigenous Autistic Teens

Wolfheart Sanchez is Black and Native American, and he writes a letter to Autistic teens about how the lack of representation is harmful, but they can build the community they need to feel less alone.

A Letter to Autistic Teens: Know What You Deserve

Jude Olubodun pens a powerful letter to autistic teens validating that they deserve respect, boundaries, bodily autonomy, and love in a society that is inherently harmful for those who are different.

How to Deal with Workplace Bullying

David Chin is an autistic elder who has experienced bullying in multiple contexts over the span of decades. His experience taught him how to advocate effectively against workplace bullying.

Ode to my autistic ancestors

Teen nonspeaker Anantha Krishnamurthy pays homage to autistic changemakers throughout history, who from stoning to electric shocks have suffered for their rebellions.

Moods of a morning

This poem is a PDAers anthem. Teen nonspeaker Anantha writes about the drive for autonomy and the freedom found in immersing in a passion.

How I Came to be Diagnosed with Autism at 55 Years of Age

Autistic elder David Chin spent life dealing with depression and masking. At age 55, life’s difficult mysteries came into focus when he was diagnosed with autism, giving him the tools to arrange his life to suit his neurology.

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