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Autism Has a Face

ABOVE: Lynn Clouser is all smiles as her son Marshall, who has autism, delivers a speech at an event. Autism is a developmental disability that affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today. Many people refer to those with autism as being on the “spectrum.” You may have seen or met […]
The post Autism Has a Face first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

April 12, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: Lynn Clouser is all smiles as her son Marshall, who has autism, delivers a speech at an event.

Autism is a developmental disability that affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today. Many people refer to those with autism as being on the “spectrum.”

You may have seen or met someone who has autism, but do you know what autism actually is?

What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), autism begins before the age of 3 years and can last throughout an individual’s life, although symptoms may improve over time.

Having autism or being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is often associated with a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with autism have a distinct set of strengths and challenges, which impacts the way they learn, think, problem-solve, and deal with certain situations. Autism can be extremely challenging for those who have been diagnosed with it, and some individuals even require more substantial support in their daily lives, although that is not always the case. In some instances, individuals who are on the “spectrum” navigate their entire lives independently.

Lynn Clouser with her two children—Marshall (18) and Lauryn (11)

Who is Affected by Autism?

The CDC states that some children show ASD symptoms within the first 12 months of life, whereas in others, symptoms may not show up until 24 months of age or later.

The CDC also states that some children with ASD gain new skills and meet developmental milestones until around 18 to 24 months of age, and then they stop gaining new skills or lose the skills they once had.

According to the CDC, as children with ASD become adolescents and young adults, they may have difficulties developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers and adults, or understanding what behaviors are expected in school or on the job.

They may come to the attention of healthcare providers because they also have conditions such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, which occur more often in people with ASD than in people without ASD.

National Autism Awareness Month

April is National Autism Awareness Month, and it is a time to raise awareness about autism across the country, in conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), which was adopted by the United Nations in 2007, and celebrated every April, to shine the light on autism as a growing global health crisis that needs to be addressed.

Although many people go about their day-to-day lives as if nothing affects them, there are many people who have not been on the “spectrum” themselves but have had to navigate the challenging and delicate responsibility of raising a child who was diagnosed with ASD.

Finding out Your Child Has Autism

Lynn Clouser is a native Houstonian, who was raised in Missouri City, TX. She currently serves as the At-Large #2 Councilmember for the City of Missouri City.

Clouser has had to juggle the responsibilities of managing a career, being a public servant, and raising two children—Marshall (18) and Lauryn (11). Marshall has been diagnosed with ASD.

After her son experienced delayed milestones, like being late to start walking and talking compared to his peers, that prompted Clouser to urge his pediatrician to refer him for further testing with Texas Children’s Hospital-Meyer Center for Autism.

“After months of testing, the child psychiatrist gave me and Marshall’s father the official diagnosis,” said Clouser. “I was already preparing myself for the news and had already enrolled him (Marshall) in speech and occupational therapy, but nothing could prepare me to actually receive the news.”

Clouser recalls vividly falling to her knees and crying in the doctor’s office.

“In that moment, I felt alone on an island,” said Clouser. “The things I remember the child psychiatrist saying were: “It’s not a death sentence. He will need speech and occupational therapy for the best outcomes.” This statement stood out to me, and it is what I share with families that I assist. The doctor stated that she has many families that are in denial, trying various approaches, and some do nothing, believing it will go away.”

Clouser states that the doctor’s telling her that: “Knowing something is wrong with your child and choosing to do nothing is like a form of child neglect” left her empowered to be her son’s voice. She has not stopped since.

Marshall hard at work at his first job at MOD Pizza in Fort Bend County

Motivated to be an Advocate

Clouser states that the first parent who helped her was a mother who was friends with her sister. The mother had already been through what Clouser had been through, and her son was a few years older than Marshall at the time.

“I didn’t know of anyone who had received the autism diagnosis, or back then it was PDD-NOS (Pervasive Development Disorder Not Otherwise Specified),” said Clouser. “My sister connected me to her friend and when we spoke I felt like someone else understood what I was going through, and she truly helped reassure me. She was a wealth of information, recommending valuable resources that worked well for her son and the perfect autism school. I enrolled my son at that school—The Westview School—which was one of the best decisions I could have ever made for him. They emphasized that early intervention was crucial.”

But one thing that Clouser states she heard from the mother that she found interesting was when she told her: “We don’t talk about my son’s diagnosis in the community. We are a part of many organizations and it’s just something we don’t talk about in public. We just tell people that my son goes to a private school in Katy, and we leave it at that.”

Clouser felt as though she needed to hide the reality of her son’s diagnosis from the world after speaking with that mother, who happened to be the first parent she encountered on her unpredictable journey.

“I walked away from our conversation feeling as though this diagnosis was something I, in fact, needed to hide,” said Clouser. “Fast forward, and once my son started to progress and thrive in this new autism school—in speech and occupational therapy and social skills classes—I knew this was something I couldn’t hide. I felt I needed to let everyone know about his progress, so I could open the door to the same success for other families. Discussing the diagnosis is a personal choice, but for me and my son, his progress confirmed I implemented the right interventions for him at the right time to set him up for success.”

Biggest Challenges on the Autism Journey

Clouser states that there are several challenges on the autism journey, which include:

Financial—Autism is expensive. It’s said that it costs $60,000 a year for a child on the spectrum. Raising her son as a single mom was a challenge financially trying to meet his needs with private school, co-pays for speech and occupational visits, and the like. It was a challenge, but she discovered organizations like Hope For Three early on, who helped them fill in the gap.

Deciding to medicate—Making the decision to put her son on medication for ADHD was a huge challenge. No parent wants their child on medication, but after consulting with his developmental pediatrician and child psychiatrist, they were able to find the right one for him with the least amount of side effects to help him stay engaged during the school day and to get the most of his daily instruction. Finding the right prescription therapy was a daunting journey but ultimately, they found the one that was right for him. Insert lots of patience here!

Puberty—No one prepared her for this phase of the journey. Children on the spectrum often hit puberty earlier than other children so it’s best to start having these discussions and prepare for this season of the child’s life before arriving at that stage. Mental and physical tolls, especially at the beginning and during the teen years, can be a challenge.

Lynn Clouser and her son Marshall press forward as they navigate the autism journey

Best Advice for Parents with a Child on the “Spectrum”

Clouser encourages everyone who has a child on the “spectrum” to do the following:

Find a great support group, and/or families who have been on the journey, to stay in the know about resources.
Find a great developmental pediatrician and child psychiatrist early on in the journey as your child’s core care team.
Help your child find their gift and talent. Do they like fashion? Help them start their own tie company. Do they like pizza? Maybe they can find work at your local pizza restaurant. Are they great artists? Help them sell their art at local arts festivals or make greeting cards and sell them. Get in tune to their affinities and turn those talents into something positive and lucrative for them. Do they like to bake? See where I’m going? We must help them pave their way and set them up for success.
If your intuition is telling you something is wrong, please have your child screened and tested by a developmental pediatrician or pediatric neurologist.
Know that autism is not a death sentence, and yes, your child will be able to do many of the things neurotypical children will, but it will just look different. Be okay with that.
Find ways to regularly give to yourself. It’s something we all preach, whether you have a child with a disability or not. But you will find yourself drowning mentally and physically if you don’t. Take your breaks, vacations, staycations, so you’re not always pouring from an empty cup.
Medication is not a bad thing if recommended by the right provider. Many children on the “spectrum” will have other diagnosis like ADHA, OCD, anxiety, etc., and will need the help of medicinal intervention to function at their best.
The autism diagnosis can be very stressful for the siblings in the home that are not on the spectrum. Stay closely tuned into them and regularly offer support to them in various ways, including being intentional about ensuring they have their own fun time away from the home environment. Offer to provide them with counseling, and/or schedule a meeting with their school counselor about your home situation, opening the door for your child to be able to go see their counselor at school when they feel they need to speak to someone to help them cope with challenges they may not feel comfortable discussing with parents.
Hang in there! They get better as they get older.

Autism Advocacy in Action

Clouser has been on a tireless mission to help others on their autism journey.

Clouser was recently named Director of Marketing and Community Engagement for Apara Autism Centers, where they provide ABA (Applied Behavioral Therapy) for children ages 18 months and up at their centers and in-home programs in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Approximately 6 years ago, Clouser was appointed to the Board of Directors for Hope For Three—a non-profit organization based in Fort Bend County that helps families and children living with autism with resources and financial support. Additionally, she started a support group for caregivers in Fort Bend County, and beyond, called Autism Caregivers Around the Bend, with her friend and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sister Hope Montgomery, who is mother to identical triplet girls who have been diagnosed with ASD. Clouser also serves as a guest speaker on various podcasts, children’s school programs, panels, and at fundraising events to raise awareness and offer words of encouragement and wisdom on parenting a child with autism.

Clouser is happy to report that her son is thriving on the “spectrum”, while playing on the school’s special needs basketball team, soccer team, working a paid job, finding his love for fashion, and now looking at colleges.

Clouser believes that the biggest misconceptions that people have regarding autism are that:

Parents should feel embarrassed or not disclose their child’s diagnosis.
Individuals on the spectrum can’t and won’t be able to work or go to college.
Parents did something wrong, that’s why their child was diagnosed with autism.

“Although I was never in denial, my son’s father was for many years,” said Clouser. “Oftentimes, denial from one or even both parents can delay the early intervention that is recommended for the best outcomes for the child. Denial is a phase of the grief process, but you must not remain there. I always go back to the words that our child psychiatrist told us: “Knowing something is wrong with your child and not doing something about is like a form of child neglect.” Early intervention is crucial and necessary. Allow yourself to grieve, but don’t stay stuck there.”

Autism Resources Available

Relative to resources, Clouser wants parents and caregivers to know about the following resources:

Hope for Three: Hopeforthree.org
Know Autism: KnowAutism.org
Apara Autism Centers: AparaAutism.com
Autism Speaks: AutismSpeaks.org
Stacy Badon: Autism4home.com
The Perfect Connection: PerfectConnection.org
Various Support Groups on Facebook: Autism Caregivers Around the Bend, Autism Moms of Houston, Black Autism Moms of H-Town, Autism Dads Social Club, and Autism Moms are Beautiful.

The post Autism Has a Face appeared first on Houston Forward Times.

The post Autism Has a Face first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Black Artists in America, Installation Three Wraps at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens

TRI-STATE DEFENDER — With 50+ paintings, sculptures and assemblages, the exhibit features artists like Varnette Honeywood from Los Angeles, whose pieces appeared in Bill Coby’s private collection (before they were auctioned off) and on “The Cosby Show.” Also included are works by Alonzo Davis, another Los Angeles artist who opened one of the first galleries there where Black Artists could exhibit.

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2026

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By Candace A. Gray | Tri-State Defender

The tulips gleefully greet those who enter the gates at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens on an almost spring day. More than 650,000 bulbs of various hues are currently on display. And they are truly breathtaking.

Inside the gallery, and equally as breathtaking, is the “Black Artists in America, From the Bicentennial to September 11” exhibit, which runs through Sunday, March 29. This is the third installment of a three-part series that started years ago and illustrates part of the Black experience through visual arts in the 20th century.

“This story picks up where part two left off,’’ said Kevin Sharp, the Linda W. and S. Herbert Rhea director for the Dixon. “This era is when we really start to see the emergence of these important Black artists’ agency and freedom shine through. They start to say and express what they want to, and it was a really beautiful time.”

With 50+ paintings, sculptures and assemblages, the exhibit features artists like Varnette Honeywood from Los Angeles, whose pieces appeared in Bill Coby’s private collection (before they were auctioned off) and on “The Cosby Show.” Also included are works by Alonzo Davis, another Los Angeles artist who opened one of the first galleries there where Black Artists could exhibit.

“Though [Davis] was from LA, he actually lived in Memphis for a decade,” said Sharp. “He was a dean at Memphis College of Art, and later opened the first gallery in New York owned and operated by black curators.”

Another featured artist is former NFL player, Ernie Barnes. His work is distinctive. Where have you seen one of his most popular paintings, Sugar Shack? On the end scene and credits of the hit show “Good Times.” His piece Saturday Night, Durham, North Carolina, 1974 is in this collection.

Memphis native James Little’s “The War Baby: The Triptych” is among more than 50 works featured in “Black Artists in America, From the Bicentennial to September 11” at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, the final installment of a three-part series highlighting the impact and evolution of Black artists through 2011.

The exhibit features other artists with Memphis ties, including abstract painter James Little, who was raised in a segregated Memphis and attended Memphis Academy of Art (before it was Memphis College of Art). He later moved to New York, became a teacher and an internationally acclaimed fixture in the art world in 2022 when he was named a Whitney Biennial selected artist at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

Other artists like Romare Bearden, who had a Southern experience but lived up North, were featured in all three installments.

“During this period of time, he was a major figure,” said Sharp. “He wrote one of the first books on the history of African American art during a time when there were more Black academics, art teachers, more Black everything!”

Speaking of Black educators, Sharp said the head curator behind this tri-part series and Dixon’s partner in the arts is Earnestine Jenkins, Ph.D., an art history professor at the University of Memphis, who also earned a Master of Arts degree from Memphis State University (now UofM). “We began working with Dr. Jenkins in 2018,” he said.

Sharp explained that it takes a team of curators, registrars, counterparts at other museums, and more, about three years to assemble an exhibit like this. It came together quite seamlessly, he added. Each room conjured up more jaw-dropping “wows” than the one before it. Each piece worked with the others to tell the story of Black people and their collective experience during this time period.

One of the last artists about whom Sharp shared information was Bettye Saar, who will turn 100 years old this year. She’s been working in Los Angeles for 80 years and is finally getting her due. Her medium is collages or assemblages, and an incredible work of hers is on display. She’s married to an artist and has two daughters, also artists.

The exhibit catalogue bears some of these artists’ stories, among other scholarly information.

The exhibit, presented by the Joe Orgill Family Fund for Exhibitions, is culturally and colorfully rich. It is a must see and admission to the Dixon is free.

Visit https://www.dixon.org/ to learn more.

Fun Facts: An original James Little design lives in the flooring of the basketball court at Tom Lee Park, and he makes and mixes his own paint colors.

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Grief, Advocacy, and Education: A Counselor Reflects on Black Maternal Health

SAN DIEGO VOICE & VIEWPOINT — Last month healthcare leaders, birth workers, and community members gathered to honor the legacy of Charleston native Dr. Janell Green Smith, a nurse-midwife and doctor of nursing practice who died in January from childbirth complications. She had participated in more than 300 births and specialized in helping Black women give birth safely.

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1 week ago

March 24, 2026

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By Jennifer Porter Gore | Word-In-Black | San Diego Voice and Viewpoint

In 2024, the number of U.S. mothers who died as a result of pregnancy or childbirth dropped compared to 2023. But while slightly fewer Black mothers died that year, they still had three times the mortality rate of white women.

South Carolina’s rates of maternal deaths outpaced even the national rates. In fact, the state’s overall rate of maternal deaths between 2019 and 2023 was higher than all but eight states and the District of Columbia.

Last month healthcare leaders, birth workers, and community members gathered to honor the legacy of Charleston native Dr. Janell Green Smith, a nurse-midwife and doctor of nursing practice who died in January from childbirth complications. She had participated in more than 300 births and specialized in helping Black women give birth safely.

Her death shocked the community and her colleagues who are determined to address concerns about Black maternal health. The event also covered the importance of protecting mental health during grief and of men’s role in solving the maternal health crisis.

As both a therapist and a father, Lawrence Lovell, a licensed professional counselor and founder of Breakthrough Solutions, discussed ways the event’s attendees could process their grief over Green Smith’s death. He also shared ways male partners can advocate for women’s maternal health during pregnancy and childbirth.

Lovell spoke not just as a therapist but also as a father whose own family had briefly crossed paths with Green Smith. The event, he said, emerged organically from a moment of collective mourning.

Despite the grief, “it was still, like, a really beautiful event, a much-needed event, and it almost felt like we were all giving each other a collective family hug,” says Lovell.

His connection to Green Smith, Lovell says, was brief but meaningful during his wife’s pregnancy with their second child. Green Smith was practicing at the same birthing center where they had their child. She began practicing in Greenville a short time later.Even that short connection carried significance for Lovell, given the small number of Black maternal health professionals.

Lovell did not initially plan to become a mental health practitioner; he chose the career path after graduating from college, when someone suggested he consider psychology. His interest deepened when he noticed how few Black men work in mental health.

“Being Black man and playing football in college, there weren’t a lot of people that look like me talking about mental health,” says Lovell. “[I wanted] to give people that look like me an opportunity to work with someone that looks like them.”

Working with Expectant and New Parents

Lovell often counsels couples preparing for parenthood by, helping partners understand what a successful pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery look like. That often means helping women manage postpartum depression.

As a man, Lovell says, it’s “humbling” that a woman “just trusts me enough to work with me through their pregnancy or their postpartum recovery.”

In his work, Lovell has noticed how few men understand pregnancy before they experience it with their partner. Because early pregnancy symptoms are often invisible, he says, men may underestimate how much support a mom-to-be actually needs.

“Sometimes they may not realize they don’t know much about pregnancy and what to expect in those three trimesters,” Lovell says. “I tell a lot of the men that just because you can’t see [she’s pregnant] doesn’t mean that she won’t appreciate your intense support in that first trimester.”

Education about pregnancy and postpartum recovery, he says, can change how men support their partners.

Teaching Advocacy in the Delivery Room

Another major focus of Lovell’s counseling is preparing men to advocate for mothers during labor.

“Helping men understand what pregnancy looks like: what delivery is going to look like, and what are the realistic expectations that I should have of myself in postpartum,” he says.

Lovell encourages partners to be honest about their expectations for what will happen during delivery. He helps them prepare for the big day by discussing the birth plan and knowing how to quickly recognize problems. Clear communication, he says, prevents misunderstandings.

He regularly trains men to ask their partners detailed questions about their expectations during and after pregnancy. Advocacy in medical settings can be especially important and requires attention to details the mother may not be able to address.

“It’s always important to fine-tune things and truly understand what helps your partner feel most supported,” Lovell says. “Instead of guessing, you should ask.”

Lovell recalls a moment during the birth of his first child when he had to take that role.

During the delivery, “I felt like something wasn’t as sanitary as I’d like it to be,” he says. “I asked, ‘Hey, can you switch those out? Can you change your gloves?’”

Lovell has a succinct but powerful message he regularly shares with clients’ families, and he shared it with attendees at last month’s event.

“Just to believe women,” he says. “I’ve worked with different couples, and sometimes I’m not really sure that there’s enough empathy from the men.”

That includes how women express pain.

“If a woman says, ‘my pain is at a nine,’ just because how you would express yourself at a nine is different than how she’s expressing herself at [that level] doesn’t mean you shouldn’t believe her,” he says.

Empathy, he says, can change outcomes far beyond the delivery room.

“We’ve got to believe women when they’re talking about their experiences and their feelings and their pain,” he says. “I think there’s a lot that we can prevent if we empathize better.”

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Future of Florida’s Black History Museum in Limbo

JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS — A proposal sponsored by Tom Leek, a Republican from Ormond Beach, has now passed the Senate in back-to-back legislative sessions. But the House version, filed by Kiyan Michael, a Jacksonville Republican, did not receive final approval in either year, effectively stalling the effort.

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1 week ago

March 24, 2026

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Jacksonville Free Press

Plans to establish a long-awaited Black history museum in Florida are once again on hold after legislation needed to advance the project failed to clear the state House for a second consecutive year, despite repeated approval in the Senate.

A proposal sponsored by Tom Leek, a Republican from Ormond Beach, has now passed the Senate in back-to-back legislative sessions. But the House version, filed by Kiyan Michael, a Jacksonville Republican, did not receive final approval in either year, effectively stalling the effort.

Under Florida law, identical or similar bills must pass both chambers before heading to the governor’s desk. Without House approval, the legislation has been unable to move forward, leaving the project in limbo. Long journey, contested location.

The proposed museum, formally known as the Florida Museum of Black History, has been years in the making, with lawmakers and community leaders framing it as a long-overdue institution to preserve and showcase the state’s African American heritage .A central point of contention has been the museum’s location. St. Augustine — widely recognized as the nation’s oldest city and a site deeply tied to both slavery and early Black history — emerged as the leading contender. Supporters argue the city’s historical significance makes it a natural home for the museum. However, competing interests and regional considerations have fueled debate, slowing consensus among lawmakers.

While the Senate-backed measure has consistently advanced, the lack of alignment in the House has underscored ongoing divisions about how and where the project should take shape.

The holdup in the Florida House appears to be less about opposition to the museum itself and more about a combination of procedural bottlenecks, unresolved structural issues, and lingering disagreements over how the project should be formalized and governed.

Despite the legislative setbacks, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has publicly voiced support for the museum. Speaking last month during the unveiling of a statue of abolitionist Frederick Douglass in St. Augustine, DeSantis said the project would move forward “one way or another,” signaling an intent to see the museum built regardless of legislative hurdles.

The anticipated museum has already cleared several hurdles. St. Johns County signed an agreement last year with Florida Memorial University to use the land that once housed its campus last year’s legislative session netted $1 million in funding for St. Johns County to work on planning and design for the museum. However, its anticipated that a million $3 million is needed.

Still, without statutory approval to finalize key components — including governance, funding mechanisms and site selection — the project remains largely conceptual.
With the House bill failing again, the timeline for the museum’s development is unclear. Lawmakers could revisit the proposal in the next legislative session, but any further delays risk pushing the project back several more years. Advocates warn that continued inaction could stall momentum for a museum many see as critical to telling a fuller, more accurate story of Florida’s past. For now, the effort remains paused — caught between political support at the top and legislative gridlock within the Capitol.