Each autistic person has their own strengths and challenges. We are
proud to share their stories in support of our continued work to
increase understanding and acceptance, across the spectrum and
throughout the life span.

Meet Xavier D: [link removed]

As he walked through the hallowed halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
wide eyed and slightly nervous for the once-in-a-lifetime journey on
which he was about to embark, Xavier D. couldn't help but think
about the unlikely path that led to him making history as the first
openly autistic person to intern at the White House. The building
which has been called home by every U.S. President since John Adams
took office in 1797, would be a place for Xavier to learn from some of
the brightest political minds and get a glimpse into the inner
workings of the country's governmental epicenter.

"The first time I was brought into the Oval Office in 2019, I
had the chance to sit down and have a half hour conversation with
President Trump about my advocacy work for people with autism it was
a surreal experience. I met Vice President Pence before that and
always felt welcome in the White House. The way I see it, autism is
nonpartisan and eliciting change has always been my goal. My parents
might have thought I was destined for great things when I was younger,
but even I can't believe some of the things I've been able
to do."

Xavier credits Andrew Guiliani, former special assistant to the
president, and Andrew's father, Rudy Guiliani, the former mayor
of New York City, for helping him land the prominent position in the
nation's capital. The Guiliani's were inspired by
Xavier's staunch advocacy work and persistent drive to create a
better world for people with autism, which led to his introduction to
several members of The Cabinet and eventually his role as an intern.

Long before he was rubbing shoulders with Washington D.C.'s top
officials, Xavier was just a shy kid who loved puzzles, creating art
and spending time with his mom and dad. During his early childhood,
his parents noticed their son lacked social skills and would often
exhibit behaviors that sparked concern. This led to visits to
several doctors and eventually a diagnosis of
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Asperger syndrome.

"I was diagnosed with high-functioning autism after being
diagnosed with ADHD. My parents knew I'd grow up and make
something of myself regardless of what the doctors said because I had
savant-like skills in many areas and a photographic memory. They
always let me be me and encouraged me to express myself. My dad would
say society didn't accept me because it's not what people typically expect, especially in the early 1990's when not much was
known about autism. I feel like I grew up in a time of transition of
mental health and autism."

Xavier quickly learned how to turn his shortcomings into strengths,
absorbing information by listening closely to how others spoke or
interacted with one another at social gatherings. As a result, he was
able to transition from a shy, introverted child into a sociable
adult, capable of jumping into any conversation. He also learned how
to use difficult life experiences of his past as a springboard to
creating meaningful changes for not only himself, but countless others
on the autism spectrum who faced hardship and injustices.

Through the Xavier DeGroat Foundation ([link removed] , which he founded in 2018, Xavier has made it his mission to promote
opportunities for people with autism through advocacy, education,
economic opportunities and humanitarian efforts.

"Six years ago, I was pulled over while driving and had an
unpleasant experience with the police. I was very nervous and having
sensory overload from the flashing lights and cars speeding by. The
officer didn't have patience with me because he didn't
realize I had autism. From that point forward, I decided I was going
to advocate for changes to be made in the way the police are trained
to interact with people with autism and other disabilities."

Xavier's work led to the creation of a law that would require
state identification cards to alert law enforcement that a person has
autism or a communication impediment. The law in his home state of
Michigan went into effect on July 1, 2020, because of the
collaborative efforts by Xavier and Michigan state Senators Tom
Barrett and Curtis Hertel.

With more than 16,500 school-age children diagnosed with autism in the
state of Michigan and 1 in 54 diagnosed in the U.S., this new law is
just another step towards creating more awareness about autism and
creating a more accepting world for people on the spectrum. But Xavier
didn't stop there he's working with congressional leaders
from various states to implement autism-friendly changes to the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) protocols at airports
across the country.

Beginning in May of 2021, the TSA began educating its officers to look
for designations on driver's licenses and other state
identification cards denoting that a person has a disability that may
pose a communication barrier. Thanks to the work of Xavier and the
backing of many forward-thinking elected officials, including U.S. Rep
Dan Kildee, D-Mich., several states have updated their laws recently
to allow people with disabilities to add what's known as a
"communication impediment designation" to their ID cards.

Xavier said he plans to continue to expand his reach to other
large-scale advocacy efforts that can improve the lives of people with
autism and other disabilities by making it the norm to have
sensory-friendly environments in stadiums and arenas, churches and
hospitals, among other places that often have large crowds, bright
lights and loud noises, etc. But for now, he vows to continue to
inspire change with every step he takes along his own autism journey.

"I began my advocacy work because of the many injustices
I've faced in my life. I want to disprove some of the things
people told me I could never do and be a mouthpiece for other people
with autism who were told similar things. Just because we learn
differently and go about things in a different- way doesn't make
us wrong or less than, it just makes us who we are."




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