Barefoot Autism Challenge closing out 2025

 I hope everyone had a great time with the holidays. I hope 2026 will treat you all well and is filled with autism advocacy and fun. I look forward to seeing what the Barefoot Autism Challenge will have for next year as the challenge comes to it's tenth year!

Autism on Reality TV

 If there's one thing that gets people talking, it's reality TV show competitions. You either love them or you hate them. Other times people watch them for the drama or because they see people who remind them of their own lives. In the case of autism, it's not that represented on reality TV because some people haven't disclosed it or they try to keep it a secret so other contestants won't take advantage of the fact or just want people to see those individuals as themselves and not autism. Here are some examples of autistic people on reality TV.

To start, Ian Terry was on Big Brother 14 and 22 as well as Traitors. Ian was to this day the only winner on the autism spectrum although he was diagnosed in between his Big Brother seasons. Ian was known for his analytical approach to the game where he first won $500,000 but come the all star season, he was the first person to be on the jury. Terry even represented the United States in the 2021 World Backgammon Team Championship in Trier, Germany. He'll be on the 2026 season of The Traitors.

Speaking of Big Brother, we now have Britini D'Angelo. A member of the Jokers from Big Brother 23, Britini was sadly on the chopping block from week 3 to 5 but saved herself by winning a veto on week 5. But week 6 housemate Kyland Young (more on him later) won Head of Household and D'Angelo tried to make a deal with him to keep each other safe. But Kyland was focusing on other targets and the Cookout convinced him Britini was the bigger threat landing her as the first member of the jury. She revealed to the jury that she hid her autism because she wanted to see people for herself, but the jury was very accepting of her and was proud for saying she has autism. D'Angelo is a kindergarten teacher and a black belt in taekwondo and MAN CAN SHE RAP!! She even rapped for me in a Cameo video congratulating me on getting picked for Team Iowa for the USA Special Olympics.

Onto Kyland Young, he too was on Big Brother 23 but he was placed 4th and was a member of the jury as well. The difference from him and Britini was he was diagnosed with autism AFTER the show and on the launch of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion. Currently he is competing on the Amazing Race with his girlfriend Taylor Hale. I'm making this blog prior to the finale so you'll have to watch and see how they survive the final leg of the race.

You either loved Survivor 48 or you hated it. I loved it! Especially since the castmate I was rooting for needs no introduction. Watch episode 5 of that season or read my blog about Eva and you'll know what I mean Eva Erickson was the first Survivor contestant to be openly autistic. She is working towards her PhD, captain of the Brown University Men's Hockey Team, and the runner up of her season. If Kamila didn't cut Eva off about blindsiding Shauhin, I feel like Eva could have won with Joe being a tie breaker between her and winner Kyle, but she said that the friendships she made on the show even if they weren't allies, were far more important than winning a million dollars.

Other autistic reality show personalities include Amber Borzotra from Big Brother and the Challenge, L Rodgers from the Voice, Adin Boyer, Sam Finelli, and James Durbin from American Idol and Demi Burnett from the Bachelor franchise. Feel free to give those guys a follow to see more of their autism journey.

Autism and Thanksgiving

 With autism, Thanksgiving can be a bit overwhelming. To best prepare for the holiday, here's some helpful tips.

1. Take the day after Thanksgiving off work. I understand it's Black Friday, but you don't have to shop that day if you don't want to. But it can be a long time to recharge after the holiday if you're tired. It's important to set boundaries for the holiday so be prepared for certain conversations too.

2. Be prepared for changes in a schedule. As someone who's autistic, I struggle with changes in routine especially around the holidays. There might be changes in food options, guests in the home and access to certain personal belongings. Those changes could prove stressful and overwhelming for those on the spectrum.

3. People who are autistic might be picky eaters (guilty as charged). So have food you know you love, or let the host know that you're bringing your own food.

4. Plan ahead. Telling an autistic child that Thanksgiving will be different than a normal Thursday routine is an easy way to prepare for a change in routine. Bring different things from home to make them comfortable like a special interest, a calming item or a favorite piece of travel-sized furniture.

5. Pay close attention to how an autistic individual is feeling. If they feel uncomfortable, don't force them to stay in a certain room or do activities. If they need a break, let them have one. Don't put a time limit on how long an autistic individual or their family should spend with you. It's all about having fun with everyone.

Hope these tips are helpful! Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Halloween fun

 As someone who's autistic, Halloween can be fun but also overstimulating.

One of my friends from high school, Kayla, hosts a Halloween party at her house every year. There's music, treats, and games. It's an adult only party so some of the drinks they have are not for the kids. Kayla knows that I'm autistic and makes sure that if the music got too loud or if I'm overstimulated, I can just go outside to recoup. Kayla's friend Angel helps out with the parties and understands my autism too. She works for a company that provides services for autistic people.

Other Halloween parties can be a bit tamer for those who have special needs

Just this last Thursday, the coaches of the Special Olympics delegation that I'm in, Des Moines Metro Champions, hosted a party at Adria's house. Adria is the founder of the delegation. There was Halloween trivia, a costume contest and a fashion show. My best friend Katie and I were barefoot at the party.

I had a great time at both of those parties. And while there were times when I got a bit overwhelmed by some parts being too loud, everyone understood and let me have my breather space. Even though I portrayed Dracula, his sensitivity to sunlight, garlic, and of course the cross is nothing compared to how sensitive I am to loud noise. But I've gotten better with it over the years.

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween.

Disability Employment Month

 October is not just spooky month, it's also Disability Employment Month. Unfortunately, not many people who have disabilities have jobs due to factors such as discrimination, stigma, and barriers to employment. In 2024, the employment ratio for those with disabilities was 22.7% compared to 65.5% for those without.

As someone who's autistic, I know that it can be hard to find places that are willing to hire people with disabilities. I'm fortunate to have worked for a company that values inclusion for the past ten years. A few other friends who have disabilities have jobs too whether it be full time or part time. If you're autistic or have any other special needs and are looking for a job, just know that other places are willing to hire you if you look hard enough, and if anyone discriminates you, stand up for yourself and have friend to back you up. I know it's not easy but I want to let you guys know that I believe in you.

And to those of you with disabilities who have jobs, I hope you guys inspire other people with disabilities that they can get that job they want too. If the world allows more people with disabilities to get hired for jobs, we can be on the way to a more inclusive world.

Barefoot and autism Halloween

 This blog post is all about both autism and being barefoot for Halloween.

If your looking for tips and tricks for Halloween for people on the autism spectrum, the best way to start is the teaching story All About Halloween to teach autistic children what to expect around Halloween. You can add pictures and text to the story to personalize it too. Scary things can be overwhelming to those with sensory needs. For costumes, be aware of special interests for costumes like their favorite characters. Be aware of sensory issues for the costumes as they might itch, smell, or be uncomfortable. Don't use costumes that are challenging for sensory experiences and try a larger sized costume so kids can wear their own clothes underneath. Explain that if a friend is wearing a mask or face paint, it's still their friend underneath.

For trick-or-treating, use teaching stories to explain what trick-or-treating involves. Use nonverbal trick-or-treat signs if your child is nonverbal. If your child doesn't want to go out at night, go earlier in the evening. And just like with other kids, trick-or-treat in your neighborhood, go with friends and neighbors, ask a grownup your know to go along, check out all treats before eating them, carry a flashlight if you go at night, and for autistic people use sensory toys, headphones, or ear plugs.

The next part is barefoot costumes at Halloween. If you love being barefoot and want to go barefoot with your costume, this YouTube link has ideas for barefoot costumes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMWa-qXJcD0

Of course, some costumes are barefoot already like the Flintstones, Elsa from Frozen, or Tarzan. But if you want to have your costume be authentic and barefoot, use body paint to cover your feet so they'll go with your costume. For example, a skeleton can use grey paint to paint the bones on your feet, green paint for the Hulk, and so on. I'm going to be a barefoot vampire for this Halloween party fundraiser put on by Adria and Taylor of the Des Moines Metro Champions delegation for Special Olympics Iowa. There'll be a costume contest with prizes too so wish me luck. My best friend Katie's going to have a barefoot costume too.

Fall season

 The fall season is among us. That being said, it's been warm enough for me to go on barefoot walks still. I enjoy the feeling of fall leaves crunching under my bare feet. My best friend Katie and I went on a barefoot walk over the weekend after bowling and it was fun; it was a bit of practice for Special Olympics as well.  It was a short one because it was a hot day and I had a busy weekend.

That being said, if it's warm enough this fall where you're at, take advantage of getting outside while you can. Enjoy the bonfires, hikes, football, and fun time with the family.