Our Stories

Collin is a fun-loving, charismatic person with a beaming smile. He is also an artist and animator, creating content that is wholesome, educational, and entertaining. His goal in life is to help make the world a brighter and more positive place with animation videos he posts on his YouTube Channel. He created his channel in early 2012 and has grown his audience to over 22,000 subscribers. His dedication to animation is proven by his continued desire to learn more about the technique of animating and to apply his creative ability to his work.

James is an avid lover of animals and believes in helping animals big and small. As a child, he grew up on a farm and was surrounded by animals, finding friends in furry creatures. When he met his dog, Cindy, at the local animal shelter he volunteered at, it was love at first sight and they have been inseparable for 10 years.

Many dream of going to college and living on their own, enjoying all that campus life has to offer. Randy, a senior at California State University – Sacramento (Sac State), has made that dream possible. Like other college students, Randy is focused on achieving academic success, considering his career options after he graduates, enjoying life on campus, and attending social events and parties. He is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Communications, with one year left before he graduates in 2021.

There is something to be learned from the youth of today. Caden, a young boy who views being autistic as another way of being human, doesn’t let his youthfulness stop him from educating the community around him. Caden is very honest and immensely welcoming to those around him, especially if he can sense something “different” about a person. Being autistic has increased his empathy and his awareness, allowing him to identify and connect with others who have neurodiverse minds.

John and his mother, Vanessa, have together strived to impact the community through social and fitness programs and employment training with their organization, Fly Brave. John is a long-distance runner, and has non-verbal Autism. He was diagnosed at the age of 2 – when Vanessa was only 22. As a young single mother, she had to manage challenges (such as feelings of isolation and uncertainty) of having a child with special needs. Vanessa says she and John “grew up together,” because of her youthfulness and maturity levels when she had John.

Jackie strongly believes that education has power and she enforces this belief by acting as a teacher for individuals with developmental disabilities. She is eloquent, extroverted, knowledgeable and intent on living her life as “neurotypically” as possible with a diagnosis of autism. She has been successful in her pursuit of her goals, and boasts a very full life attributed to her determination and through the supports and services she receives from Alta California Regional Center (ACRC).

There are many things that make Zach so great, but he prides himself on being a public speaker, a self-advocate, and a man with a vision to inspire others to pursue their passions. This is all evident through his confidence; the way he carries himself, his eloquent speaking and the passion in his voice when he talks about his ambitions. Zach is no ordinary man and he plans to show the world why he isn’t ordinary, and why his voice needs to be heard.