Latest / Where We Rise / 26 | "Autism Rocks" | Looking Beyond the Surface

Transcript

26 | "Autism Rocks" | Looking Beyond the Surface · Where We Rise

0:00
Khalila McCoy: Hey, I'm Khalila McFloyd, and this is the podcast that inspires you to rise with confidence and compassion.
0:08
Khalila McCoy: This is Where We Rise.
0:13
Khalila McCoy: Hi, welcome to Where We Rise.
0:15
Khalila McCoy: It's good to be here with you.
0:17
Khalila McCoy: Last episode, we kicked off our back to school series with a great conversation about adulting with autism.
0:24
Khalila McCoy: April Ratchford helped us understand what happens after the school years, our transition into adulthood, the challenges, the supports, and the hope that comes with seeing autism through the lens of strength instead of deficit.
0:38
Khalila McCoy: Today, we get to continue that conversation in a really special way by hearing from my guest, Sam Mitchell.
0:45
Khalila McCoy: Sam has autism and ADHD and is the host of the podcast Autism Rocks and Rolls.
0:51
Khalila McCoy: In this episode, Sam shares what having autism can feel like, how he found confidence after years of people pleasing, and why kindness, true, real simple kindness, makes the biggest difference.
1:05
Khalila McCoy: I really enjoy talking to Sam and loved his straightforward and honest thoughts, and I know you will too.
1:10
Khalila McCoy: So let's dive into this conversation with Sam Mitchell.
1:17
Khalila McCoy: Hi Sam.
1:18
Khalila McCoy: Thank you so much for coming on the show today.
1:21
SPEAKER_00: Hey, buddy, good to be here.
1:23
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me again.
1:24
Khalila McCoy: Yeah.
1:24
Khalila McCoy: How are you today?
1:26
SPEAKER_00: Oh, not too bad so far.
1:28
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's towards a new week, so see how it goes.
1:33
Khalila McCoy: Right.
1:33
Khalila McCoy: It's always nice to start the week off fresh and no complaints.
1:38
Khalila McCoy: Well, I'm looking forward to our conversation.
1:40
Khalila McCoy: I know that I'm going to learn a lot from you, and you do a lot of really cool things.
1:44
Khalila McCoy: Um, you have your own podcast and then within your community.
1:47
Khalila McCoy: So I want us to just dive on in and tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.
1:56
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so what I do is I run a podcast called Autism Rocks and Rolls.
2:00
SPEAKER_00: It's a podcast about autism and how we cope with daily struggles that you may or may not understand through the podcast.
2:05
SPEAKER_00: It's grown so much.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: I develop sponsors, a board of six.
2:09
SPEAKER_00: I do events in Indians where I'm from, and I do speaking engagements.
2:12
SPEAKER_00: I've spoken all the way up to the top in Canada, to the bottom south in Orlando.
2:17
Khalila McCoy: Okay, so let's start at the beginning with the podcast.
2:20
Khalila McCoy: What made you decide to start the podcast?
2:24
SPEAKER_00: Well, it started I joined my high school's media club, and I just fell in love with it so much, my friend.
2:28
SPEAKER_00: I knew I had to start early and not wait till college because I always believe in starting early, and that's how I found out about podcasting and not to wait till college.
2:38
SPEAKER_00: I decided to start my own podcast, and that was when Autism Rocks and Rolls was born.
2:44
Khalila McCoy: How'd you pick the name?
2:47
SPEAKER_00: I went down through the line of my hobbies.
2:49
SPEAKER_00: Turns out I'm a fan of rock and roll music.
2:50
SPEAKER_00: I've seen ACDC Live, Z Top Live, Rob Zombie Live, Alice Cooper Live.
2:56
SPEAKER_00: It's been fun times.
2:58
Khalila McCoy: Give us your take or your definition of how you would describe having autism.
3:04
SPEAKER_00: The way I would describe autism is it's a different way of thinking because we're very creative, imaginative, outside the box people.
3:12
Khalila McCoy: So do you feel like having conversations is your creative outlet?
3:18
SPEAKER_00: Oddly enough, I thought so, but for the longest time I think.
3:22
SPEAKER_00: No, it's just thinking creative ideas to solve a problem.
3:26
SPEAKER_00: And oddly enough, being on the spectrum, you stink with social cues.
3:31
SPEAKER_00: So when it comes to socializing, I'm great at it.
3:34
SPEAKER_00: But podcasting, I find it very unique, and I think it's because I'm in the control of that conversation.
3:40
SPEAKER_00: If I wasn't in control of the conversation, my mind might be finding a way to escape the cage.
3:45
Khalila McCoy: When you are interviewing people, what are some of the your your biggest topics, the things you like to talk about the most?
3:53
SPEAKER_00: Autism is for sure one.
3:54
SPEAKER_00: And then ADHD because I have ADHD and it's affecting me as I've gotten older.
3:59
SPEAKER_00: And then mental health because I think our system in a mental health world is a big joke because there's not enough resources to help people out there.
4:11
Khalila McCoy: I read before um a little bit about you, and it talked about how your mission is to help people accept autism and not quote unquote fix it.
4:21
Khalila McCoy: What do you mean when you say people are trying to fix it?
4:24
SPEAKER_00: They're trying to cure it.
4:26
SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't need to be cured in my eyes.
4:28
SPEAKER_00: I think sure it has its bad days, but we all have bad days.
4:33
SPEAKER_00: But there's some great days that if I was cured from autism, I'd miss.
5:07
SPEAKER_00: Or with autism.
5:08
Khalila McCoy: I love that structured side that you talked about.
5:11
Khalila McCoy: That's something I'm definitely working on myself.
5:14
Khalila McCoy: It's being more structured and organized with things.
5:18
Khalila McCoy: I love how, as you're talking about it, just the confidence that you have in who you are and the abilities that you have.
5:24
Khalila McCoy: Have you always had that type of confidence in who you are, or was it a journey to kind of do it?
5:29
SPEAKER_00: It was a journey, my friend.
5:30
SPEAKER_00: It was a hundred percent journey.
5:31
SPEAKER_00: I was bullying, excluded and all the stereotyping you can imagine.
5:35
SPEAKER_00: I decided I saw that what I was doing was wrong at the end of the day, it was people pleasing.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: And I've come to terms with, in my eyes, people pleasing is a crutch.
5:46
SPEAKER_00: I know a lot of people have their own views on people pleasing, but for me, it was a disaster.
5:51
SPEAKER_00: So I had to change myself in the way I was, and the way I changed myself was I'm gonna try to be who I am.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: If you don't like me, screw you and boo to you.
6:01
SPEAKER_00: I don't care.
6:02
SPEAKER_00: I've heard boos most of my whole entire life.
6:04
SPEAKER_00: Best decision of my life to this day, I feel a lot more at ease with myself compared to when I was eight years old.
6:13
Khalila McCoy: Mm-hmm.
6:14
Khalila McCoy: Did you have other friends that kind of helped you get to that point?
6:17
Khalila McCoy: Were your parents supportive?
6:19
Khalila McCoy: How did you find that confidence?
6:20
SPEAKER_00: It was all on my own.
6:22
SPEAKER_00: It was all on my own.
6:24
SPEAKER_00: Wow, that's pretty impressive.
6:26
SPEAKER_00: I had a good support system.
6:27
SPEAKER_00: It's just with that part in particular with my journey, it was all self-reflection.
6:32
Khalila McCoy: Do you recommend that for others then that it kind of has to be intrinsic, is what you're saying?
6:40
SPEAKER_00: It can be.
6:41
SPEAKER_00: I think sometimes though I could see how parents would help the child with this to help them see that what you're doing, son or daughter, is not working because I get it, you want to make people happy, but not everyone in this world is gonna like you and not make everybody happy, regardless of what you do.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: You could do something 100% right, and there's still be a person saying, Nope, you didn't do it right.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: Right.
7:07
Khalila McCoy: Do you feel like your people pleasing was more of a um you trying to fit in because you felt you were different?
7:14
SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
7:16
unknown: Okay.
7:16
SPEAKER_00: And I know I'm different, but now it's like whatever.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: I don't really care because I think what also too is if you were different back then, kids and children ain't leave you alone.
7:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're different as an adult, they might still judge you, judge you, but they leave you alone.
7:43
SPEAKER_00: And if I had a pick, I mean I'd prefer not you judge me at all.
7:47
SPEAKER_00: But if there was a prefer option, it would be silent judging over out loud, spit it out in your mouth judging.
7:56
Khalila McCoy: I think a lot of people just when they see somebody who's different or something that they don't understand, they don't know how to react.
8:02
Khalila McCoy: So, like you said, they're either just rude or kind of just passive in a way, which either way could be hurtful, right?
8:10
SPEAKER_00: It could be hurtful, and I've been on the brunt side because I also have foot and mouth syndrome.
8:16
SPEAKER_00: So I get where they're coming from.
8:18
SPEAKER_00: Because at the same time, while I don't want them to be the spit out judgment, I want at the same time because they're hiding your feelings, and I don't like that.
8:30
SPEAKER_00: I'm a type of person who lets straight it straight.
8:33
SPEAKER_00: You don't like me, you don't like me.
8:34
SPEAKER_00: If you're gonna judge me, judge me, but don't say it behind my back.
8:38
SPEAKER_00: I mean, all in my eyes was I think you stink.
8:42
SPEAKER_00: Okay, fine, move on.
8:47
Khalila McCoy: I think anybody who, I mean, I've only met you for a few seconds and I'm I'm enjoying our conversation and your personality.
8:54
Khalila McCoy: I think anybody at this point who didn't like you right would just be they didn't understand either what was going on in your brain or how you saw the world.
9:03
Khalila McCoy: What would you say to somebody who, okay, they meet you and they can tell, okay, your mannerisms are a little bit different, or like you said, the social interactions harder for you.
9:13
Khalila McCoy: Would you prefer someone say, hey, can you tell me a little bit about what you're thinking or feeling, or how would you want someone to address that?
9:21
SPEAKER_00: Well, let's go back to what you say, or you say you met me for a few minutes and you like my personality and all that.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: Here's my question to you.
9:29
SPEAKER_00: Do you get the sense that I'm dangerous?
9:31
SPEAKER_00: Do you get the sense I'm gonna slash your throat out?
9:34
SPEAKER_00: Do you get the sense that I'm indifferent but am harmful?
9:40
SPEAKER_00: Am I gonna go punch someone in the face?
9:42
SPEAKER_00: I don't think so.
9:44
SPEAKER_00: My that's my point right there.
9:46
SPEAKER_00: Why judge me and kick me out in the streets?
9:51
SPEAKER_00: And I don't mean that meta literally, I mean that metaphorically, if I'm not gonna be a person who's gonna harm someone, that'd be different if I was some Ted Bundy 2.0.
10:02
SPEAKER_00: But I'm not.
10:04
SPEAKER_00: I'm glad to hear you're not.
10:06
SPEAKER_00: Trust me.
10:07
Khalila McCoy: Right.
10:08
Khalila McCoy: Yeah.
10:09
Khalila McCoy: I like that idea.
10:10
Khalila McCoy: Like if someone's not dangerous, they're not threatening you or someone around you, give them a chance to really know who they are.
10:18
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, some stuff in my eyes, I'll be honest, it's just been a controversial view of mine, but I don't care really.
10:24
SPEAKER_00: Um one of the things those on the spectrum do is staring, and a lot of people don't like it.
10:30
SPEAKER_00: My thought is what they do.
10:33
SPEAKER_00: Because in my eyes, that's not harmful.
10:37
SPEAKER_00: Okay, if I stare at you, and I don't, because I do it on purpose, believe me, it's the last thing I do.
10:42
SPEAKER_00: I don't intentionally stare at someone, but if I accidentally stare at someone and I get called out for it, come on.
10:46
SPEAKER_00: Are you bleeding from me staring at you?
10:49
SPEAKER_00: Are you dying if I stare at you?
10:52
SPEAKER_00: Do you have a scar on your knee if I stare at you?
10:55
SPEAKER_00: No, you don't.
10:57
SPEAKER_00: No.
10:58
SPEAKER_00: So let it go, Goldilocks.
11:00
Khalila McCoy: If someone confronts you, are you ever like, I'm sorry, I have autism and that's part of what I do, or do you just kind of just shrug it off?
11:09
Khalila McCoy: Do you feel like I don't need to tell you my whole life story if they're being rude to you?
11:13
SPEAKER_00: It depends.
11:14
SPEAKER_00: It depends on my situation.
11:17
SPEAKER_00: If I was rude unintentionally, it's like, oh crap, yep, I crossed the line, I better go apologize.
11:23
SPEAKER_00: But if I think it need to be said in that instance, no.
11:29
Khalila McCoy: When you're talking to people and somebody asks you, does anybody just flat out say, hey, you know, I know somebody who does the same thing.
11:37
Khalila McCoy: Do you have autism?
11:38
Khalila McCoy: Do you usually share that?
11:41
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, I'll share.
11:42
SPEAKER_00: I'm the first guy to tell you it.
11:44
SPEAKER_00: But I also know it comes with the consequence.
11:47
SPEAKER_00: I mean, the men, I may say autism, they might be uh freak out, treat me like a child, or run away.
11:54
SPEAKER_00: But at the same time, in my opinion, it's the truth.
11:57
SPEAKER_00: The truth is I have autism.
11:59
SPEAKER_00: Sorry, you got to live with it.
12:01
Khalila McCoy: You talked about like your um the social interactions, the staring.
12:06
Khalila McCoy: What are some other daily challenges that you face that people might not realize?
12:14
SPEAKER_00: Well, some people I don't think realize uh the anxiety.
12:17
SPEAKER_00: It can be very crippling.
12:19
SPEAKER_00: And that's why I don't drive.
12:21
SPEAKER_00: Literally, it's because of the anxiety.
12:23
SPEAKER_00: I mean, when we're driving down the road, a great example.
12:26
SPEAKER_00: Um, we actually went to a fancy uh steakhouse in Indianapolis.
12:30
SPEAKER_00: And I don't know if you visited Indianapolis, but it's a big city and it's a big town.
12:36
SPEAKER_00: Well, we're getting out of it, and that that's not the problem.
12:40
SPEAKER_00: The problem is someone's merging, and when I a vehicle is right beside on the left or the right, I freak out because in my mind, I'm thinking worst-case scenario, they're gonna veer too much, and next thing you know, and we're driving off into the ditch.
12:59
SPEAKER_00: And most of the time it doesn't happen.
13:01
SPEAKER_00: I understand that, but in my mind, it's like anxiety.
13:06
Khalila McCoy: I didn't know anxiety was um something that would be part of autism as well.
13:11
SPEAKER_00: Well, there's a lot of co-concurring conditions with autism.
13:13
SPEAKER_00: There's an ADHD like mine, there's OCD, Tourette's bipolar.
13:19
SPEAKER_00: I always like to say the autism is the steak.
13:22
SPEAKER_00: You usually have fries that come along with it.
13:26
Khalila McCoy: I like that.
13:28
Khalila McCoy: Do you have different coping strategies that you use when either like that anxiety takes over or you're noticing that, like you said, you're doing something physically that you know you can't control, but it comes to mind.
13:41
Khalila McCoy: What do you do?
13:43
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I get away from people.
13:45
SPEAKER_00: I think my parents know where I'm left alone, you better leave me alone, or you will get told some pretty nasty work.
13:54
Khalila McCoy: So it's kind of like being by yourself, you kind of recenter and get your energy back together.
14:01
Khalila McCoy: Essentially, yeah.
14:02
SPEAKER_00: I would that's a great way to say it.
14:05
Khalila McCoy: Do you have different routines throughout the day or things that you do that kind of help you stay focused most of the time and keep that anxiety part away?
14:15
SPEAKER_00: I try to, but I think with routine and with the nonprofits that in particular, it comes day by day because nonprofits, one day you're busy and then one day you're not busy.
14:28
SPEAKER_00: And then as much as I'm looking for a job right now, believe me, I am trying that.
14:33
SPEAKER_00: I haven't settled yet, but hopefully I will.
14:35
Khalila McCoy: What type of job are you looking for?
14:38
SPEAKER_00: Pretty much anything at this point.
14:40
SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, though, something with broadcasting or maybe a part-time one where I can work on the children's arcades there.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: A couple popped up there yesterday.
14:49
SPEAKER_00: That'd be kind of fun in my eyes.
14:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
14:51
SPEAKER_00: And because I'm a kid at heart and I actually don't mind children.
14:55
SPEAKER_00: Fun fact about me.
14:57
SPEAKER_00: I'm surprised with that because I have the temperament for children.
15:02
SPEAKER_00: Believe me, I'm very surprised with it.
15:04
SPEAKER_00: However, when it comes to electronics, that's a whole new ball game.
15:07
SPEAKER_00: But on another note, broadcasting, as I said earlier, and just something that is, in my words, monotonous that a third grader could do like a cart boy at Walmart.
15:17
SPEAKER_00: I would have a cart boy at my local Walmart, but I'm not dealing with the harsh winters.
15:22
Khalila McCoy: Yeah, I don't like the cold.
15:24
Khalila McCoy: I don't blame you.
15:26
Khalila McCoy: Let's go back real quick to you saying you're surprised that you have a heart for children.
15:30
Khalila McCoy: Why does that surprise you?
15:33
SPEAKER_00: Because I can be very impatient.
15:35
SPEAKER_00: I am most of the time not impatient, but when my temperament hits the lid, I'm done.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: And you know when my temperament hits the lid, because when my temperament hits the lid, it's turning into a Gordon Ramsay 2.0.
15:51
Khalila McCoy: Hey, I understand that kids can try your patience, and sometimes they do it on purpose.
15:56
Khalila McCoy: So it would take some practice, but I think anybody who works with kids, right?
16:01
Khalila McCoy: You told me your mom's a teacher, I'm sure she'll tell you the same thing.
16:04
Khalila McCoy: It takes a lot of practice.
16:05
Khalila McCoy: Some days are better than others.
16:09
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, trust me.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: There are a lot of days where I think she has lost her bananas some days.
16:14
SPEAKER_00: And I think what it is in general is children and pets in general are trying to learn.
16:23
SPEAKER_00: With electronics in particular, they can't learn.
16:27
SPEAKER_00: And in my eyes, that makes me mad.
16:29
SPEAKER_00: But children and dogs, you're telling to sit, stay.
16:33
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
16:34
SPEAKER_00: It's like humans.
16:34
SPEAKER_00: We have to learn.
16:35
SPEAKER_00: Right.
16:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you're totally right.
16:38
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you don't come out of the woo knowing not to put your elbow on the floor when you're at a fancy restaurant.
16:47
Khalila McCoy: That's something that you have to take time with, you have to learn, you have to experience all those things.
16:52
Khalila McCoy: Now you talked about wanting to get into the broadcasting world, but with your podcast, you've already done a lot of interviews, right?
17:01
SPEAKER_00: Yes, ma'am.
17:02
SPEAKER_00: I've interviewed 12 professional wrestlers, some are comedians, actresses, and America's got talent contestants, but there's a lot of varieties as well.
17:10
SPEAKER_00: Some people just have an inspiring story, some people are just really good nature human beings.
17:20
Khalila McCoy: What have been some of your favorite interviews that you've done?
17:24
SPEAKER_00: Oh, the one with Mick Foley for sure, because that was my favorite wrestler as I gotten older.
17:30
SPEAKER_00: And then I would also say the ones where our full circle moments.
17:36
SPEAKER_00: I mean, one of the guests, Brad Lokely, at the time when I felt like the worst when I was trying to find out that people pleasing.
17:43
SPEAKER_00: One show I could watch was True TV Presents Rose Dumbest, and guess who was on that show?
17:49
SPEAKER_00: Brad Lokley.
17:50
SPEAKER_00: And I got to see him a lot through my television screen.
17:54
SPEAKER_00: Now he's interacting with me via computer.
17:59
SPEAKER_00: What kind of movie would you consider that, man?
18:02
Khalila McCoy: That's amazing.
18:03
Khalila McCoy: When you talk to the people in your interviews, what is usually your focus topic?
18:10
SPEAKER_00: Well, usually, as you can tell, I speak a lot about autism, but I'm also very relatable as well.
18:15
SPEAKER_00: So sometimes I've been asked about the traveling, sometimes I've been asked about music, sometimes I've been asked about mental health, professional wrestling, because I have a lot of knowledge on that topic since I've studied it my whole entire life.
18:29
SPEAKER_00: So with varieties, then it depends on what the podcast wants to speak on.
18:36
SPEAKER_00: With my interviews in particular, I dissect people.
18:39
SPEAKER_00: So with you, for example, I would dissect clearly being a teacher, but then I would also dissect more about you.
18:46
SPEAKER_00: Like, for example, when I hope to God this isn't true, but let's say I learned about you through a previous interview, you got into a boating accident.
18:54
SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm gonna dive into that topic pretty darn big.
18:57
SPEAKER_00: Right.
19:00
Khalila McCoy: So when you say like you want a job in the broadcasting, do you want to continue your podcast?
19:05
Khalila McCoy: Would you love for that just to be your full-time job?
19:08
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
19:09
SPEAKER_00: It's just that the financials aren't there, unfortunately, but maybe one day they will.
19:14
SPEAKER_00: I just gotta live in the now that would take one day at a time.
19:16
SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately, right now, that is not the case.
19:19
SPEAKER_00: But with broadcasting, I still got a part-time job at being 97 at a local radio station as a board operator.
19:26
SPEAKER_00: It's just unfortunately not enough to make ends meet where I can move out on my own, which is ultimately the end goal.
19:33
Khalila McCoy: Yeah.
19:34
Khalila McCoy: When you think about like going into the world for like jobs and things like that, what are some things that you feel like the public just doesn't understand, or even um companies don't understand about hiring somebody with autism?
19:49
SPEAKER_00: They don't understand us in general because there's 85 people on the spectrum, 85% of people on the spectrum who are unemployed.
19:56
SPEAKER_00: And that's a big problem right there in my eyes.
19:59
SPEAKER_00: People are missing chances because of a society that won't take them in.
20:03
SPEAKER_00: It's not fair nor right.
20:06
SPEAKER_00: It's injustice.
20:07
SPEAKER_00: And I shouldn't have to go around to HR companies saying, here's what you should do.
20:12
SPEAKER_00: It's common sense most of the time.
20:14
Khalila McCoy: So you feel like you're having to educate them about how they should treat you and how to hire you instead of them doing their own research.
20:24
SPEAKER_00: Yes, ma'am.
20:26
SPEAKER_00: But I also don't blame them because the online world treats it like it's a death sentence and it's not.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: They're looking at the wrong information.
20:34
Khalila McCoy: Yeah, I do think oftentimes we see, you know, we hear the word autism and we think about the negatives versus the positives and the beauty behind it.
20:44
Khalila McCoy: Like I know, for example, like I told you I'm a school teacher, and there is a boy with autism at our school, and he has perfect pitch, and the music teacher always raves about him.
20:53
Khalila McCoy: And we, you know, I've heard him sing before, and it's just awesome.
20:56
Khalila McCoy: Or there's another kid in our school who has who has autism as well, and his math abilities are off the charts, and I'm always so impressed, and he'll come into the classroom, and I think it's great for the kids to see that as well.
21:09
Khalila McCoy: Like he has this great talent and ability, and he's not just you know that diagnosis of how his brain works, because all of our brains function differently.
21:18
Khalila McCoy: So I agree with you.
21:19
Khalila McCoy: I think society just needs to open up more and see the positives as well.
21:27
SPEAKER_00: They really do need to, or this world for us will not be tolerable for those with autism inventionally.
21:35
Khalila McCoy: Now, are you part of a group or anything with other people who have autism that are working in your community to make a change?
21:44
SPEAKER_00: No, we worked with them though a lot of times.
21:46
SPEAKER_00: We worked with a local ABA therapy place called Unlock the Spectrum in Bloomington, Indiana.
21:52
SPEAKER_00: They're sensational.
21:53
SPEAKER_00: Then we work worked with a lot of companies as well.
21:56
SPEAKER_00: Um, Harley Davidson in Bloomington, Indiana.
21:58
SPEAKER_00: We get to do an A.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: Motorcycle poker run for our events.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: For not for our event, but for our nonprofit.
22:08
SPEAKER_00: And they've always been generously enough to give us the front yard of their location.
22:15
SPEAKER_00: And then also with event venues, we work with them as well because we have a gala every year in April.
22:21
SPEAKER_00: So am I hearing you have your own nonprofit?
22:25
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
22:25
SPEAKER_00: Okay, I didn't know that.
22:26
SPEAKER_00: Tell me more about that.
22:28
SPEAKER_00: Well, on the nonprofit side, we have a board of six, and the way we keep our doors open mainly is through events and speaking engagements.
22:36
SPEAKER_00: What's your nonprofit called?
22:40
SPEAKER_00: Autism, Rocks and Rolls Corporation.
22:42
unknown: Okay.
22:42
Khalila McCoy: Nice.
22:43
Khalila McCoy: And if somebody wanted to support or learn more about that, how would they find out more about your nonprofit?
22:50
SPEAKER_00: You can give us an email at info at autism rocks and rolls or Google me, your search engine optimization.
22:54
SPEAKER_00: Don't search my name though.
22:56
SPEAKER_00: Search Autism, Rocks and Rolls because if you do Sam Mitchell, you'll get a basketball player.
23:00
SPEAKER_00: But Autism Rocks and Rolls is the right accurate SEO option.
23:03
Khalila McCoy: Is the Sam Mitchell that comes up the basketball player?
23:06
Khalila McCoy: Do you know is he any good?
23:08
SPEAKER_00: No, I don't know who the heck he is.
23:09
SPEAKER_00: All I know is he plays basketball on the slam dunks.
23:12
Khalila McCoy: Hey, maybe you should reach out to him and you guys can collaborate or something.
23:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it might be Yeah, we might, but the audience might get confused on what Sam was speaking about about or what Sam's speaking in particular.
23:26
Khalila McCoy: Well, when you think about reaching the world, can you share with me, like if there was one thought that you would want to leave people with and make sure that they really truly understand and thought about the next time they meet somebody either different from them or somebody with autism, what would that be?
23:44
SPEAKER_00: I think this is a verse of wisdom.
23:46
SPEAKER_00: I think it's a truth on life, my friend.
23:47
SPEAKER_00: If the world could be nice and not act so stupid, I think we get along so much better in this world, don't you think?
23:54
Khalila McCoy: Yes.
23:55
Khalila McCoy: I agree with you.
23:58
Khalila McCoy: What do you think is the easiest way to show kindness to somebody?
24:03
SPEAKER_00: Help when in need or make your day by just doing something nice for them.
24:08
SPEAKER_00: Give them your grocery cart just because you want to.
24:12
SPEAKER_00: Not because you're obligated to.
24:14
SPEAKER_00: Right.
24:14
SPEAKER_00: It's the little things that make a big difference.
24:18
SPEAKER_00: Yes, ma'am.
24:19
Khalila McCoy: Well, Sam, thank you.
24:20
Khalila McCoy: Is there anything else that you want to make sure you say to the listeners or that we talk about?
24:25
SPEAKER_00: Well, you can find me on autismrocksandrolls.com that has a lot of my information, a lot, in particular a TEDx talk I did called Sold Structure.
24:33
SPEAKER_00: It was why those on the spectrum need structure.
24:35
SPEAKER_00: That was the main topic of the talk.
24:38
SPEAKER_00: And it has all the events, speaking engagements, and what else I do.
24:43
Khalila McCoy: Can people reach out and have you speak at an engagement that they have?
24:47
Khalila McCoy: Yeah.
24:48
Khalila McCoy: Oh, yeah.
24:48
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I got my contact information on the website.
24:51
SPEAKER_00: Just go to the contact page, it should be there.
24:54
Khalila McCoy: Yeah.
24:54
Khalila McCoy: Okay.
24:55
Khalila McCoy: Well, Sam, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me and sharing a little bit about your world.
25:00
Khalila McCoy: And I will definitely put all of that information in our show notes and follow along with all the great things you're doing.
25:07
SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you, buddy.
25:08
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate your time.
25:12
Khalila McCoy: Talking with Sam was great.
25:15
Khalila McCoy: Listening to him didn't just teach me more about autism, it genuinely inspired me.
25:22
Khalila McCoy: Sam embodies what it means to embrace who you are, work to build a life around your strengths, and challenge the world to do better.
25:30
Khalila McCoy: He shows us that confidence isn't about being understood by everyone.
25:35
Khalila McCoy: It's about deciding who you are is worth showing up as every single day.
25:41
Khalila McCoy: And that is a message for all of us.
25:44
Khalila McCoy: Sam reminds us that rising isn't about achieving more or checking off bigger goals.
25:49
Khalila McCoy: Rising is about showing up better for ourselves, for others, for the people who move through the world differently than we do.
25:57
Khalila McCoy: Imagine what our communities would look like if more of us lived that way.
26:01
Khalila McCoy: If we live with kindness, curiosity, and respect instead of assumptions, impatience, and fear of what we don't understand.
26:09
Khalila McCoy: As you go into this week, I hope you carry Sam's message with you.
26:14
Khalila McCoy: Embrace who you are, honor your strengths, make room for others to do the same, and challenge the world to do better.
26:25
Khalila McCoy: That's how we rise.
26:28
Khalila McCoy: If you'd like to know more about Sam's nonprofit or check out his podcast, I've linked both in the show notes for you.
26:35
Khalila McCoy: Below his information, you'll see ways to connect with me.
26:38
Khalila McCoy: Drop me a line and let me know your takeaway from today's conversation.
26:43
Khalila McCoy: And until next time, I hope you take a moment to listen a little louder to yourself, to the people you love, and to the things that connect us in ways we sometimes forget to notice.
26:55
Khalila McCoy: I'll meet you back here next time.
26:57
Khalila McCoy: See you bye.