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Texas mother and teen speaker urge dignity, belonging for autistic people
Summary
A mother from South Texas and her teen daughter told CDFA employees their familys path to diagnosis and called for listening, dignity and inclusive spaces that do not require autistic people to prove their worth.
Rocio Calderon described years of navigating diagnoses and advocacy for her children, saying acceptance means her children should not have to "prove that we are valuable" to participate in school and community life. She said her family spent substantial effort to secure accommodations and that inclusion requires systemic changes rather than family-level compromises.
Her daughter Ava, a student at Health Professions South Texas ISD and a self-advocate, described earlier misdiagnosis and the relief of an accurate diagnosis. "Every voice deserves to be heard," Ava said, urging listeners to treat autistic people with dignity and to ask individuals what supports they need rather than deciding for them.
