Though these are challenging times, we hope these stories offer a look
into the many diverse perspectives in our community, and provide
inspiring and uplifting content when we need it most.

Meet Nils S.

I first realized that I had Asperger's syndrome when one of my high
school counselors unintentionally revealed the news to me during a
session. Although I had been officially diagnosed with autism at the
age of 10, I didn't know until that day.

When I came to learn about what having Asperger's entailed, I was more
understanding, but I did not feel comfortable disclosing it to my
peers because of my concerns about bullying and ostracism. Over the
years, however, I've come to appreciate how it gives me a different
perspective and has been advantageous to me in many ways.

My autism gives me a narrow and single-minded focus on my topics of
specialization, particularly the field of history which I'm very
passionate about. It has given me a very diligent work ethic, as I
always bring a firm commitment to fulfilling the tasks that I am
given. In addition, I have a very strong attention span and I can
type very fast. Consequently, I've developed a thriving side career as
a freelance journalist, and my articles have covered various topics,
including history, travel, and issues relating to autism and the
disability community in general.

The struggles that I have faced as a result of my autism have included
the challenge of securing academic accommodations in the form of
Individualized Education Program (IEP) during high school; speaking in
front of audiences; social interaction with my peers; and finding
acceptance among many of my peers. I've become more confident in
my ability to speak before audiences; have made many new friends and
have generally become more integrated into social life. I still feel,
however, that some of my peers are not fully accepting of me.

I'm most passionate about the field of history, especially Civil War
history, and I really enjoy visiting historic landmarks from the Civil
War here in North Carolina and in Virginia. I always relish the
opportunity to learn about the Civil War ancestors of the people I
meet, and I've created a personal blog that features their stories.
I'm also highly passionate about theater.

My personal and professional goals include living independently and
finding a full-time career in the historical or library field upon
completion of my second master's degree in Library and Information
Sciences (I have a previous master's degree in History).

My advice to anyone who was recently diagnosed would be; don't let
this inhibit you from reaching your potential. Don't see it as
something to be ashamed of. Instead, recognize the various strengths
that autism gives you and utilize those strengths in order to succeed.
There are many social challenges that come with being on the spectrum,
but if you work on mastering these challenges, you will have a
positive and thriving social life.

Hear a mother's perspective on Nils' autism journey
through this Q&A with his mom, Renee: [link removed]

What makes you most proud of Nils?

His name in Swedish means "champion." I cannot think of a more
appropriate name for my son - he champions the rights of autistic
people and models the role of someone who is proud of who he is and
his confidence in his own abilities. He is the most courageous person
I have ever known. He is never afraid of challenges -- he
embraces them.  When one of the psychologists told me, "he won't
be able to succeed in college, let alone U.C. Berkeley," he not only
succeeded but he graduated phi beta kappa - with straight "A's."
He also went on to found "Spectrum at UNCG," an organization dedicated
to promoting autism awareness on the campus of University North
Carolina Greensboro and fostering community and support for students
with autism.

What do you hope the future holds for your son?

In August, Nils will receive his second master's in Library Studies.
He is starting to search for full-time employment as a military
historian, librarian, archivist or curator at a university, library,
historic site or museum. However, because of the pandemic, finding
work has been tremendously difficult, especially given the fact that
hiring seems to have stopped for the employment venues that Nils is
interested in -- libraries, museums, historic sites and state
archives.. One would think it might be fairly easy to find employment
with two master's degrees, but this is not the case. I
am hoping he eventually finds a job that he loves and finds
gratifying.  I also hope he finds a romantic partner, which he
really wants. The girl of his dreams hasn't appeared yet.

What advice would you give to other parents who have a child/children
on the spectrum?

Build a community. The old adage: it takes a village to raise a child
certainly rings true. In our case, my family was not there for us. I
would say: stay away from anyone who is not supportive, kind, helpful.
I would also encourage people to get supports right away --
therapists, social skills groups, as many interventions as possible.
Nils was totally mainstreamed in school. I kept him busy with theater
camps (he really enjoyed these), other activities, piano lessons. I'd
also say: love your child beyond reason -- tell them how great they
are, how talented they are while still admitting to them they are
different and would be perceived as such.

Why would you recommend other autism families reach out to Autism
Speaks when they are in need of assistance - regardless of what they
might need?

What helped me more than anything was knowing that there was a
community that had my back and that I could go to them with my
problems. I know they will understand my neuro-diverse child and his
behaviors. You need someone who understands the complexity of this
diagnosis and its consequences. Autism Speaks is a wonderful resource
with people who are not only knowledgeable about what an autism
diagnosis entails but also have the empathy that is so critical for
those of us with neuro-diverse children.

The story shared above represents the experience, views and
perspectives of the individual(s) highlighted. We aim to share stories
across the spectrum and throughout the life span, but the information
provided on our website is not a recommendation, referral or
endorsement of any resource, therapeutic method, or service provider
and does not replace the advice of medical, legal or educational
professionals.




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