These are all names you likely know – Toni Braxton, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Rosie O’Donnell, Rodney and Holly Robinson-Peete. What you may not know is they all share THIS in common – each of them is living with a child who is autistic.

And when we say ‘autism’, what do we mean? You’ve likely heard people say things like “he/she is on the spectrum”.  Autism According to the Centers for Disease Control Autism is Autism spectrum disorder or ASD. The disorder refers to a wide range of conditions that may include challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. And it is not uncommon. The CDC says autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children and 1 in 45 adults in the United States today. We plan to delve into this topic today Autism – Living On The Spectrum.

GUESTS -

Tonya Tolson – Mother of 7-year-old AJ who is autistic. She and her husband learned of his autism when he was 18 months and that is when their fight to manage the disorder began. They started their own nonprofit organization, AJ and the Cool Kids was born in April 2022. 

AJ And The Cool Kids

Cecilia Cruse–Talley – An early intervention specialist with the Howard County Infants and Toddlers Program in Maryland. She’s been in special education for 26 years. She has her Masters in Special Education-Early Childhood Intervention from Johns Hopkins University.

Annette Addo Yobo– newly crowned Miss Texas and a history maker. She is the first immigrant–born and first Ghanaian to win the title. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas. While competing in the pageant, she wanted to use her platform to raise awareness of autism. Annette’s younger brother, Andrew was diagnosed with autism when was 4 years old.

These are all names you likely know – Toni Braxton, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Rosie O’Donnell, Rodney and Holly Robinson-Peete. What you may not know is they all share THIS in common – each of them is living with a child who is autistic.
And when we say ‘autism’, what do we mean? You’ve likely heard people say things like “he/she is on the spectrum”.  Autism According to the Centers for Disease Control Autism is Autism spectrum disorder or ASD. The disorder refers to a wide range of conditions that may include challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. And it is not uncommon. The CDC says autism affects an estimated <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/ss7202a1.htm">1 in 36 children </a>and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9128411/">1 in 45 adults</a> in the United States today. We plan to delve into this topic today Autism – Living On The Spectrum.
GUESTS -
Tonya Tolson – Mother of 7-year-old AJ who is autistic. She and her husband learned of his autism when he was 18 months and that is when their fight to manage the disorder began. They started their own nonprofit organization, AJ and the Cool Kids was born in April 2022. 
<a href="https://ajandthecoolkids.org/">AJ And The Cool Kids</a>
Cecilia Cruse–Talley – An early intervention specialist with the Howard County Infants and Toddlers Program in Maryland. She’s been in special education for 26 years. She has her Masters in Special Education-Early Childhood Intervention from Johns Hopkins University.
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/annetteaddoyobo?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==">Annette Addo Yobo </a>– newly crowned Miss Texas and a history maker. She is the first immigrant–born and first Ghanaian to win the title. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Dallas. While competing in the pageant, she wanted to use her platform to raise awareness of autism. Annette’s younger brother, Andrew was diagnosed with autism when was 4 years old.

Living, working, and thriving in Charlotte, NC for 30 years, host JD (Janine Davis) is a passionate advocate for all people and organizations that celebrate the Queen City.   


The Charlotte Community Connections podcast spotlights those who are making a difference in the greater Charlotte area. From area non-profits to healthcare initiatives and local leaders to startup entrepreneur, we'll learn the diverse ways we can work together to strengthen our community.  


Interested in being featured on Charlotte Community Connections or have a suggestion?  Drop us a line at janine.davis@bbgi.com.


Make sure to subscribe to the Charlotte Community Connections podcast.  New episodes drop each week.

Living, working, and thriving in Charlotte, NC for 30 years, host JD (Janine Davis) is a passionate advocate for all people and organizations that celebrate the Queen City.   
 The Charlotte Community Connections podcast spotlights those who are making a difference in the greater Charlotte area. From area non-profits to healthcare initiatives and local leaders to startup entrepreneur, we'll learn the diverse ways we can work together to strengthen our community.  
 Interested in being featured on Charlotte Community Connections or have a suggestion?  Drop us a line at <a href="mailto:janine.davis@bbgi.com">janine.davis@bbgi.com</a>.
 Make sure to subscribe to the Charlotte Community Connections podcast.  New episodes drop each week.

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