Katie Oswald didn’t have a name for it until she was in her 30s. She knew social situations could be overwhelming. She realized her unease prevented her from finishing college for many years after high school. But why was it happening?
For Oswald, her autism diagnosis was a new beginning. Today, as founder and executive director of Full Spectrum Agency for Autistic Adults, she’s helping thousands of others find their place through independence and community building.
Thanks to hundreds of events and meetups each year, both in-person and online, Oswald has created a life-changing resource both for her community and herself.
“Being autistic is just a different way of being,” she explains. “There are unique challenges with it. Some may think of the acting performance in ‘Rain Man,’ and for some it can be like that. But in general, we all share some differences in how we communicate and how we present in society. We tend to take in a lot more details of our surroundings and often need more time to process our thoughts. It can be off-putting for people who aren’t used to it.”
The Full Spectrum Agency is driven by understanding and support. Their programming is autistic-led and designed in partnership with community members to meet their evolving needs.
“We help each other through many things,” she says. “It could be someone who finds a particular task difficult and needs a buddy. That could be helping them start the laundry simply by being there for accountability. You can’t believe the positive effect it can have.”
Oswald’s work and advocacy in Michigan and beyond has created a home for many. And as she recalls her college days, she credits MSU for making her feel at home.
“I had people behind me, and another important part was living on campus,” she says. “I had never really been fully independent, and Michigan State was welcoming and wanted me to succeed.”
Campus housing was just the beginning: Oswald has gone on to travel the world. “I participated in study abroad programs at school, which had me going as far away as Russia,” she says. “I realized that I loved to travel and now I’ve been to every continent. There was a time where I never could have imagined that.”
It makes sense that her organization also has international reach. Though based in Ann Arbor, participants stretch as far away as Europe.
“What I keep hearing is how it helps people to not feel so isolated,” she says. “We have events such as tabletop meetups for people locally, we have pot-luck picnics and go to a Tigers game once a year, but technology has allowed people from all over to connect. When people get together, the feedback is that it feels like an important chance to hang out with friends.”
Oswald now speaks at events, helping to dispel myths and raise awareness about autism.
“I am inspired by the community, and I want to inspire as well,” she says. “We can do so much, but sometimes we just need to go about things differently. There isn’t anything wrong with that. Where maybe once someone was seen as rude, now more people understand they are just trying to navigate the best they can. I’ve come far myself—and much of it has been with the understanding of others.”
By: Eric Butterman