S1 Episode 15- Faye Nehrkorn

We’re so excited to introduce our incredible guest this week, Faye Nehrkorn  

Faye is on the autism spectrum and continues to inspire those around her with her strength, faith, and passion for life. She recently competed in the Arizona Colleen Pageant,  proudly embracing her Irish heritage and shining with confidence on stage  

Her love for God, her culture, and her determination to break barriers make her story one you won’t want to miss. 

Join us as Faye shares her journey, her experiences, and what motivates her to keep pushing forward.  

Tune in to be inspired. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:09

Well welcome back to Mom's Raising the Spectrum. We're so happy you're here with us today. We have a really special guest joining us and we're excited for you to get to know her. She has such a beautiful story and so many amazing experiences to share. I'm gonna pass it over to Amy to introduce her and tell how they're connected.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

Well, Faye, I'm so happy you are here with us today. I love to start by sharing that we met through the Irish Culture Center. So I dance with the Irish step dancers there. And uh Faye is involved in several probably aspects of the Irish Culture Center. And uh we'll talk a little bit deeper about that. Go ahead, go ahead and introduce yourself.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

Hello, and it's Faye Nearkorn. I'm 20 years old and I'm a sophomore at Arizona State University. Woo! Yeah, nice!

SPEAKER_02 1:07

Oh, I can't wait to talk more about that. I love Sun Devils. I'm not a U of A fan, I'm an ASU fan.

SPEAKER_04 1:14

But I'm the U of A fan.

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Yeah. It's okay. I'll let it slide. All right.

SPEAKER_04 1:27

Yeah. So what do you um enjoy doing? Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Well, I like to do patches from what you've seen, and I'd also like to learn more about my Irish heritage. I'm very involved in the Irish Cultural Center.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

That's so awesome. Well, speaking of the Irish Culture Center, you've competed several times at the Arizona Arizona Colleen. Uh, tell us a little bit about that. How many years have you been involved?

SPEAKER_01 1:57

I've been doing it since 2024. Um, I first found out about it when I met uh Mackenzie, the 2023 Colleen at a St. Patrick's Day event. Oh wow. So when I met her, I was like, huh, she seems really nice. I might might want to go like her one day. So three years later, here I am.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Yeah. It's a great organization.

SPEAKER_04 2:22

Perfectly, yeah. And that's what made you decide to get involved in general.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Yeah. Meeting her. And then I met the other contestants. I'm like, hmm, these are like some really nice people. I'm gonna stay around for a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 2:37

Yay. So what say uh were you at like a St. Patrick's Day, um, like the festival?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Yeah, I was yeah, I came to the fair with my dad after we had a church event, and then I following the Colleen on Instagram for a little bit, and then I'm at Mackenzie in person, and she was super nice, and then like I really want to be like her one day.

SPEAKER_02 2:56

Oh, she really is. What's been your favorite part of um being involved with the Colleen experience, Matt Pageant World?

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Definitely meeting all the contestants and getting to know them and becoming a sisterhood.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

And you really get to express your Irish culture or your heritage um through that. Um tell tell the guests a little bit about the Colleen and uh what that, and I don't know if they really consider it a pageant, but it's like a pageant, it's just a little bit different. Tell us about the areas of competition.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

Well, we've uh the day before the colleen, we have it our private and group interviews, and so we have a judging panel of people involved in the Irish community, and we always have a guest judge of a former Colleen. So they take us in for the private interview, ask us some questions based on our questionnaire we filled out, and then we do the group interviews. We do two group interviews. We do each group gets split in half. Okay. They do their own interviews, and then we do a big group interview, and they pos a question to the group and see how we talk with each other.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

Oh, I didn't realize that part of it. I like that. That's totally different. I don't think I've heard another system that does that. Yeah, and then and then the show day, what's that like?

SPEAKER_01 4:22

We get there around 11 to start hair and makeup and final rehearsals, and then we hang out backstage and then get changed around 4:30, and then we sell raffle tickets from five to six during the cocktail hour.

SPEAKER_02 4:37

Kind of gather with like the audience and stuff. Yeah. Yeah. And then when the show starts, um, you each do like a talent, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:48

The introduction first, and then after you all do our intros, we go change the talent, and then we're back on stage. Talent.

SPEAKER_02 4:56

In your introductions, you guys like talk about how uh or like your Irish heritage, like where your ancestors are from or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Yeah, we do our say our name, our age, where we go to school or where we work, and then Irish Heritage, and then we make our sponsors.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

Yeah, I love that. It's so cool because then you get to hear about all the different girls and where you know their history is from. What and then um you do like your talent, and then you do what else do you do?

SPEAKER_01 5:28

We do a um on stage interview where the outgoing Holly asks the questions. That's right. Yeah, that's not easy.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

It's it's a wonderful little, you know, uh system that I I wish I could have competed in, but I was always too old. So bugged. But uh yeah, it's a great group of ladies, definitely. And you get to be involved, um, even if you, you know, don't get that title, you still get to be involved. Because I remember I saw you at the St. Patrick's Day, and you still had your um so your guys is like sashes when you keep as your sponsor, right? Yeah, yeah, which is really cool.

SPEAKER_04 6:10

Oh, that's nice.

SPEAKER_02 6:12

Yeah. All right, Jay, I'll let you ask the next question.

SPEAKER_04 6:16

What has that experience taught you about yourself?

SPEAKER_01 6:21

It has taught me that I'm hmm, interesting question. Right, yeah, take your time. It has taught me that I can do hard things and that I'm able to connect to people, even though they may be different for me.

SPEAKER_02 6:38

Yeah, yeah, that's wonderful. And and you get to see a group of women um just be so welcoming, huh? Yeah, that's great. So do you have um in a favorite event with the Irish Culture Center or just mainly St. Patrick's Day?

SPEAKER_01 6:57

I would have to say our so we do like a bonding day the weekend before the pageant, and so we all meet up, get to know each other, and then we have fun. Oh um, last year we got to go walk around downtown Phoenix and have some. We stopped for donuts. Oh my goodness. We still have both of that, and then Megan, she's like, ooh, the donuts. Yeah, Megan is just I love Megan.

SPEAKER_02 7:28

I know, isn't she? I'm I I just love her. She's got this amazing energy. And then um, oh, I said one. So tell us a little bit about um the Irish Culture Center. I think you mentioned that you are, are you on the board of directors? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Tell us about that. On the advisory board. The advisory members and the executive members have like a one-year term, and then we meet throughout the year for like board meetings and stuff and go over the this plan of events for the year. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 8:07

How did you how uh what made you decide? Or did you decide, or did someone approach you to kind of join that group?

SPEAKER_01 8:14

It was during the Easter Rising celebration like commemoration last year. Ellen Harrington, she came up to me. She was like, You should be on the board of directors. That's so cool. I thought you felt so honored.

SPEAKER_02 8:28

Yeah. Wow. And then you guys um just kind of what do you guys do as a board of directors for that? Do you like just talk about like different events and how to do things? What's that like?

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Yeah, we talk about different events, like what's going on throughout the year, and like some items that you voted on, which the advisory members aren't voting members, but we can still have your insight on what's a lot going on.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Yeah, that's really cool. Good for you.

SPEAKER_04 9:02

Yeah, and what does being a part of that community mean to you personally?

SPEAKER_01 9:07

It means that no matter your background, you can always find something in common with somebody, and that even if you have autism, you are still accepted and welcomed there.

SPEAKER_02 9:17

That's great. Yeah, and even like with the yeah, the Irish Cultural Center community, it's just it's another big family, huh?

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:25

Yeah. Well, um, you missy, we've got some fun, exciting things to talk about. Um so you just won a title, uh, Arizona Miss Amazing.

SPEAKER_01 9:47

Yay!

SPEAKER_02 9:47

I'll say yes, let's see that beautiful sash.

SPEAKER_01 9:52

So I'm not used to wearing the sash. It's a lot different than Colleen sashes. Oh my god. You'll get used to different yes, not laying right.

SPEAKER_02 10:06

That's all right. And there's that beautiful crown. Oh my gosh. Nice so cute.

SPEAKER_04 10:16

I love crowns.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

Oh, congratulations again. I'm so proud of you.

SPEAKER_04 10:22

Oh man, what made me I still don't believe it.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_04 10:27

Yes. Oh, and what motivated you to compete in in this pageant? The Miss, what is it? Miss Arizona, oh, Arizona.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

Yeah. I saw it on Instagram that they were posting about the event last year. Um, I was still in Colleen the La La Land and still really involved with that program, but this year decided to make a change and try something new. So I signed up for the pageant, and here we are.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

Good for you. And it's so funny. So, uh, listeners, I actually judged this pageant, and I was on my way to go, and I don't know if I told you this, Faye, yesterday. Um, and she won yesterday, you guys. So she's fret like she really just won and is still sinking in. But I was on my way there and I had Sam in the car with me, and she's like, Amy, did you get anyone for your podcast? And I said, Yeah, actually. I said, uh, this wonderful girl Faye reached out to me. I met her through the Irish Culture Center and the Colleen ladies. And I said, you know, I think she would really do great at this pageant. Maybe talk to her about it on the podcast. Because before I went to vote, like I knew it was judging, I didn't want to look and see who the contestants were. I just, because I had a feeling I might know somebody. So I was like, I just want to go in and not know, right? And she's like, Oh, you totally should. And then I sit down in the interview room and we're going through the roster with the judge coordinator of the order that people, you know, the divisions are gonna come in. And then we get to the junior miss division, and I'm like, What? I'm in my head screaming because I don't want to tell everybody else, and I was just like, I can't believe it. It was just, it was um absolutely like just I was blown away. I couldn't believe that you were competing. I was like, Yay! So, how did it feel when you saw me in the room? I was like, oh my goodness, I know someone here. Yeah, did you know that who the judges were? You guys didn't know who the judges were until you walked in the room.

SPEAKER_01 12:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:46

Oh my gosh, it was it was absolutely wonderful. And um you did such a great job. I'm so proud of you. You the interview questions, you answered them so great. And um, MJ, I'm gonna have to show you this video. Oh, you your path, what is it that the um so you did the interview and then when the show begins, you do what is it called, your passion. I don't know, it's like your passion something. It's like talent, but they call it your passion. And um you did this beautiful um sign language um performance of uh This is me from the grave showman, and you moved the whole audience. So wonderful, wonderful job. It was absolutely beautiful. I know me and the the judge next to me, she was like grabbing my arm. She's like, I'm gonna lose it. She's like, I'm gonna lose it. And I was like over here, like, uh, I'm not crying, I promise.

SPEAKER_04 13:57

I'm gonna have to go to one of these pageants.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Yes. If you weren't pro-go, and it was your birthday yesterday, but I was like, oh, maybe I should take MJ, but you might I was so busy, like you might be miserable, but you never know. You never know, right? That's true. Um, and then they did after that, um, you guys did your introductions. Yeah. Yeah. And uh tell us a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Well, that was the first time I kind of did something like that because with a colleen, you have to say your name, your age, your Irish heritage, remember so many things. Yeah, this is like so easy.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

Yeah, and you got you got to you got to get escorted. Was it one of the the men that were helping? Yeah, yeah. So they have like a gentleman that goes and helps like the ladies um walk down the stage, and you get to do a little, like, you know, in your beautiful gown, and then you just introduce yourself, and it's and of course you nailed that a hundred percent. So yeah, I think all the judges agreed, like they we I think we all just knew like you uh were very deserving of this.

SPEAKER_04 15:15

Brightest shining star.

SPEAKER_02 15:17

That's right.

SPEAKER_04 15:19

What was it like when you heard your name?

SPEAKER_01 15:22

I couldn't believe it. I was like, oh my god, what they just said my name? That never happened before.

SPEAKER_02 15:27

I was just gonna ask, have you ever um competed in another pageant besides Colleen? No. Oh my gosh. Oh so I bet that was just um I I could see the emotion and the happiness, and everyone was just like, look at how happy she is, and uh what an amazing moment, huh? Complete shock. I'm like I was recording and I was like, they better call her name, they better call her name. Perfect timing, yeah, it is, it's all in God's timing, right? Things are meant to happen for a reason. Yes, for sure. Yeah, I'll go ahead and let you ask the next one, MJ.

SPEAKER_04 16:21

And what did winning mean to you personally?

SPEAKER_01 16:25

It meant that I've come a long way in my life experiences, and that people finally recognize that.

SPEAKER_02 16:33

Yes, amen. So true. What was your favorite part of the whole experience at Miss Amazing?

SPEAKER_01 16:42

Definitely the dance party on stage beforehand.

SPEAKER_02 16:45

Oh yes, they did an opening number dance party. Me and the doctors are like, why can't we cool if they're enjoying them? It was so cute. They had little lights and uh it just looked like so much fun. We were a little jealous.

SPEAKER_04 17:04

How did preparing uh for the pageant help you grow?

SPEAKER_01 17:11

It helped me like take a step back in my life and focus on this pageant and it just helped me be in the moment and not worry about other things that were going on.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

Yeah, and you know what? It takes I've done pageants for 12 years. Sometimes I still struggle with that before a pageant. So good for you, because it's it's not easy. It takes a lot of courage and strength to get out there and and and be vulnerable, right? Yeah, a lot of people don't realize that when we do pageants, it's it's a lot of self-work that you're doing, because you know, you are comparing yourself to the other queens, and it's a lot of mental, you know, struggles, and so um to keep that positivity is sometimes you gotta remind yourself, but yeah, it's it takes a lot of courage. And do you after um so will this uh you next stop is nationals? Are you gonna try to learn nationals? Yeah, yeah, and that's in Chicago, a lot, yeah. How exciting! Have you ever been out of um Arizona?

SPEAKER_01 18:30

Yeah, I've been to Chicago for my uh great aunt's wedding, and then I've been to Colorado a couple times.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Okay, so you've been to Chicago before. How awesome! Yeah, well, um, I know like for nationals, you gotta fundraise and stuff like that. So we'll be happy to promote you and help, you know, um see if we can get any, you know, uh help your way to get you to nationals after your reign is over. Do you feel like you would um go back to calling or try another system? Do you feel like your pan pageant journey is over after this?

SPEAKER_01 19:10

Or I might go back to calling for another year. Yeah. Because um Megan is gonna try it for the Rose of Trulie, and I want to do it with her. Oh, yes. We started our calling journey together, so I started with her, so I want to end with her kind of. Yeah, that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

So there's another uh pageant called the Rose of Trulley, yeah, yeah. And so it's a lot like Colleen. Um, I feel like it's a little bit bigger level, right? Of a pageant. Um they have same thing with Colleen, right? You guys have a national pageant in Ireland, both both of them do. Just La Rose. Just La Rose, but uh, does Colleen get to go to Ireland or no?

SPEAKER_01 19:56

Yeah, for like a uh vacation trip.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

Okay, but yeah, but the uh Rose of Trilli, they compete at Nationals in Ireland, right? Yeah, that would be so exciting. I know. I was like, why? Why did I have to find out about this when I ate when I was too old?

SPEAKER_04 20:14

Uh that's on my bucket list going to Ireland.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

I know, mine too. That's so bummed. That's one place I think I think that was a question I asked you in the interview, right? I asked her and I because I knew what the answer was gonna be. I was because we have a list of questions, and uh, it was one of them's like, if you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why? And uh I asked her that because I was like, I knew what her answer is gonna be, and I couldn't wait to see you light up about it. So uh yeah, I know I I really want to go to Ireland too. We were supposed to go for our honeymoon meet my husband, but the pandemic hit. So we couldn't go internationally, but maybe one day. Yeah, it's never too late. Hey, if she eventually does the uh, you know, if she does the other pageant, the rose and goes and wins and goes to Ireland, it maybe it'll just be an excuse.

SPEAKER_03 21:12

Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

Okay, we're coming with you.

SPEAKER_04 21:17

Well, not I hear of oh, you have such a strong sense of who you are, and a lot of that is rooted in your faith. I saw on your Instagram that you describe yourself as a child of God, and we love that.

SPEAKER_03 21:34

We're children of God too. Would you like to share a little bit about your faith?

SPEAKER_01 21:41

Well, I'm a Methodist and I've been going to the same church since I was a little kid with my grandparents. Um kind of like my family. Most of them have watched me grow up and they helped raise me.

SPEAKER_02 21:54

That is wonderful. Since so at that sp that church is just probably so special to you.

SPEAKER_03 22:00

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Yeah. Another family, extended family. Did you get to tell any of them about you uh competing?

SPEAKER_01 22:08

My grandma posted on Facebook yesterday after I won. So everyone this morning is like coming up to congratulate me.

SPEAKER_02 22:14

Yay. Oh. And what does your faith mean to you in your everyday life?

SPEAKER_01 22:21

It means that I always have someone watching me no matter where I am. And I've always helped someone helping me through hard times. And I always know where to go in if I need help. Oh. Love that.

SPEAKER_02 22:33

See, do you see what I mean, MJ? Like her, like her interview questions. I was like, dang! Like, she's got it.

SPEAKER_04 22:44

It's like I got some goosebumps. I'm like, she's ready.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

You just you blow me away, Faith. You're just um so strong. And uh yeah, you just you continue to blow me away as more as I get to know you.

SPEAKER_04 23:00

How has your faith helped you through challenges?

SPEAKER_01 23:06

It's helped me realize that even people in the Bible with the challenges, and it's okay to have hard times, and you can always go to God for help and for answers.

SPEAKER_02 23:17

Yeah, that's so true. I know my faith has helped me through and MJ as well, through um our challenges with our autistic kiddos, because there's days where they're really, you know, really hard. And um and I'm sure Faith, you can probably relate like why, like why why do I have to have these struggles and stuff? But I feel like he's got a purpose and plan, right? And I see for you, he's got definitely a purpose and plan for you to inspire so many other women and little girls. You're gonna be a grateful model for little girls to look up to you and see, you know, how like you are so strong and you know um proud, and I'm sure you probably advocate for yourself and autism, and God's got a good plan for you, I can tell. And uh, what brings you peace when things feel overwhelming? I would say my dog. Oh do you have a therapy dog?

SPEAKER_01 24:30

She's not she's more like a lap, like an emotional support lap dog. We didn't really train her, but she just started naturally attacking to my disability. And I was thinking I've been thinking about trying to get her to be a friend to be a service dog. Yeah. Autism.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

You totally should, because then, you know, if you need her, if you like go somewhere um on a plane, like maybe to nationals, you know what I mean? I don't know if the national pageant would allow that, but um I'm sure they understand like a lot of a lot of people with special needs might have therapy dogs, service dogs. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

We got her from a family friend. Well, it's a long story. So apparently the person we got her from was the brother of my grandma's friend from church, and we didn't know that until a couple weeks after we got her. Oh, what a small world, huh? She's a little chihuahua mix and she's so full of energy. Oh so full of life.

SPEAKER_02 25:30

But she knows when you need her. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, it's so special. Well, if you need any help, you know, if you want to try and um get her to be a service dog, we can reach out to our connections and see if we can help you in any way. I think it's so beneficial to have her like official because um, especially if you really feel like that, you know, she really helps you. So it's important, and a lot of people don't really understand that. And um, because not every um individual on the spectrum will need a dog, like some of them don't even want a dog to touch them, you know, but then some also need them.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

So you just you don't never know. You really people think like service dogs are meant for like you know, the blind or PTSD, but think about it, like PTSD is could or like or epilepsies. I don't know, but like if they have PTSD, it's because they have anxiety and all these things that are triggers. Well, same thing with autism, right? I know sometimes I wish I had my dogs with me when I went somewhere. Someone just to hold on, you know what I mean, to for that support. What's her name?

SPEAKER_01 26:46

Peanut. Peanut. Oh my god. Yeah, she's a little like peanut she's like a little peanut head, so they need a peanut.

SPEAKER_02 26:55

Is she on do you have pictures of her on your social media at all? Yeah, yeah, okay. Okay, I'll see. I might I might. I'm not sure. Okay, if not, then just send us one because I want to see.

SPEAKER_01 27:08

Oh my goodness. I can actually grab her right now if you want me to. Sure, why not? In the other room. Okay, go for it. Let's see her. Where's Peanut? I want to see her. There you are.

SPEAKER_00 27:29

Hi, I can't see you. Let's go see my friends. You're famous. That's fine. You're famous, little girl. You're gonna be famous, Peanut. Yes, happy dog. All right, here she is. Oh my goodness!

SPEAKER_02 27:50

She's so she's so cute, she's so like like fluffy and awesome.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Oh Pappy on it, so yeah, Pappy on that.

SPEAKER_02 28:05

Yeah, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 28:06

Oh happy baby.

SPEAKER_02 28:10

She needs a little crown herself. Get her a little one, you know.

SPEAKER_04 28:19

Halloween, I'm gonna be a pageant dog.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

Yeah, you totally should.

SPEAKER_04 28:25

Yeah, she'll hate that though.

SPEAKER_02 28:27

Oh, okay. Not every dog likes those. Or maybe get her like a little like shirt or something. Does she wear shirts?

SPEAKER_01 28:35

Yeah, she wears sweaters sometimes when it's cold.

SPEAKER_02 28:38

Yeah, we can get a little shirt. Get her a little shirt made that says like like a puppy queen or something like that.

SPEAKER_04 28:45

Yes, this is my pageant dress.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

Yeah, this is my pageant dress. There we go. A little tutu. She's a really good dog. You can keep her there with you while we finish. No, it's okay.

SPEAKER_01 29:02

She's one sleeve anyway.

SPEAKER_02 29:04

Oh well, bye, Peanut. Or not.

SPEAKER_00 29:09

She's on her leg. Yeah. Oh.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

When I work and I'm in like a call, my dogs are always right there, like, what's going on? What's going on? I would be a part of it too.

SPEAKER_01 29:22

What? Hey.

SPEAKER_02 29:25

Oh sweet. Okay, we're gonna move on forward.

SPEAKER_04 29:29

Yeah, we'll go on. Yeah, we're gonna move on to some autism topics.

SPEAKER_02 29:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 29:36

Growing up, were there any challenges you remember facing?

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Well, not growing up, really, but when I got into high school, like around my senior year, I had a counselor who was trying to get rid of my accommodations because I was doing so well. My grandma had to fight her to keep them so I could graduate. What? She's like, oh, she's doing so well, she doesn't need the accommodations. My grandma was like, She's doing so well because she has the accommodations. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 30:04

Yeah, that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 30:06

Did you be doing that well if I had didn't have accommodations and frustrating?

SPEAKER_02 30:10

Yeah. Did you uh grow up here in Arizona?

SPEAKER_01 30:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:14

Yeah. Um how was do you feel like uh elementary school or junior high? Did you um did you gravitate towards like a certain subject that you really liked? Or um how was like learning? Was that any challenges like processing the uh learning aspect of like the classes and the subjects and the lessons? Or do you feel like really I had some really good teachers growing up? Oh wonderful. That always makes the best. That makes the biggest difference is having really good teachers there who understand or um are just compassionate and caring, right?

SPEAKER_04 31:01

Yeah, yeah, makes all the difference.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

Yeah, yeah. Did you go to um did you like struggle with going to like football games, school dances? Were those two like overstimulating or anything for you?

SPEAKER_01 31:14

I never really went to football games, but um my first two years of high school, I was on the R O T C program. Nice!

SPEAKER_02 31:30

Yes, she did, and guess what, Faye? Me and MJ went to the same high school. It's crazy, right? We were four years apart, but yeah, isn't that pretty cool? What high school did you go to? Chandler. Oh, Chandler, okay, Ratha. Chandler good high school. I'm not surprised that you felt like you had good teachers. I've heard good things.

SPEAKER_01 31:55

Yeah, it was good for a little bit, and then something not so good happened my junior year, but oh, well, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02 32:04

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:05

You know, a friend um from middle school passed away on campus.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Oh yeah. Oh, that's heartbreaking. I had a we had someone pass away our senior year. It's it's not easy when they're that young, right? It's like oh they can't join you in in fulfilling their life of and achieving their goals and well, you know, it was probably hard, and um hopefully you had people to lean on and support you through it. Did the school provide like uh counseling support through the city?

SPEAKER_01 32:41

Yeah, they brought into the brought the crisis team in the day after. Uh all the teachers were like, hey, it's okay if you miss class, like we get something bad happen, and if you need to walk out, we'll let you. That's good. But some of the other teachers was like, we don't care, like something bad happened. Oh well, let's focus on getting work done.

SPEAKER_02 33:02

You know what? There are some that just don't care. I had a government teacher who I had um I had a really bad like kidney infection, and I was pale, I was miserable. I showed up to my dance um like auditions for like our uh the elite team or whatever. My dance teacher was like, go home. You need some rest. My government teacher is like, why did you where were you? Blah blah blah. And I'm like, it just goes to show, right? Not everyone is as compassionate and caring in this world, and those people are just all right, live your life that way, whatever.

SPEAKER_04 33:44

I don't need you in my life. Ask who is it? But we're not gonna do that. But I think I know. Oh, that's oh, that's funny, tiny dog. As an adult now, um, what are some things that can still uh feel a little challenging?

SPEAKER_01 34:09

Um probably uh advocating for myself and trying to get like when I started college, I had to go through a whole process just to get accommodations. And sometimes they deny people accommodations.

SPEAKER_04 34:23

Oh man. Oh my gosh. Are they allowed to do that? Yeah, that's what I'm wondering.

SPEAKER_02 34:30

Like, um, by like accommodations, do you mean like um uh are you not like they're not allowing you to bring in like noise cans and headphones or like fidget toys or like they have like for if you have the accommodations, like you're allowed to be in a separate room.

SPEAKER_01 34:48

They have people who have the accommodations in the same room and then and get extra time on tests. Yeah. Like embedded into the system.

SPEAKER_02 34:55

Right.

SPEAKER_01 34:55

But I heard that some people don't even try to go through the disability office because they've had friends get denied accommodations.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

Oh that's terrible.

SPEAKER_01 35:06

There's no reason why anyone should be denied that if you can, you know, if you do you have to like go through like a test or you have to like have paperwork like stating your diagnosis and why you need certain accommodations.

SPEAKER_02 35:22

If you have a doctor with a dot or like a diagnosis from a medical professional, it's like what the what is the issue?

SPEAKER_04 35:29

Right, especially if there's like a record like this for what I've been on, you would think that they would accommodate that.

SPEAKER_02 35:39

Another thing in this world that needs to be better.

SPEAKER_04 35:44

I think we need to get someone on the podcast from there or ASU, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:50

ASU has a big autism research um program. So I'm wondering, you know what I mean? It's just like you would think that that would be no issue. But yeah. You just never know. And what is uh something people uh misunderstand about autism that you wish they knew?

SPEAKER_01 36:15

Same. I had this experience with a roommate in college. She thought that just because I had autism, I was the exact same way as her brother who'd autism, and she treated me like a kid. She was like not the nicest person, and stuff happened, she got kicked out of the door, but that's a whole nother story.

SPEAKER_02 36:36

Well, it's so true. Not two people are the same. No, it's just like autism is called the spectrum for a reason. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 36:45

If someone's having the spectrum, they might need they might still need support. And if they're like a bit lower in the spectrum, they can still do things that other people can do. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 36:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:55

And then what what may um, you know, like one person uh loud noises may bother them, and then another person that might be fine, but textures freak them out, and the other person textures don't. So it's like I always I specialize in Alzheimer's and dementia, and I used to say the same thing, not two people with Alzheimer's and dementia look exactly the same. So learning that and really becoming you know more involved in the autism world with my son, same thing, you know, and we're all human, we all have different characters and traits, and just because if someone's on the spectrum, they still have their own personalities, right? Yeah, and you deserve to be uh treated just as such, as your own personality, your strengths, and then honor your challenges, right?

SPEAKER_04 37:50

Yeah, and what folks you feel most supported by others.

SPEAKER_01 37:56

Um them like understanding that I might have a hard time with noise and stuff, and like taking me aside. It was uh last year's Colleen. I went to the after party the first time, and it was so loud. My friend Tony, she realized I was having a hard time with the noise. She's like, Hey, I need to come outside with me really quick. I gotta ask you a question. So she took me outside, and we were sitting down, and then she was just talking me down from my panic attack. Yeah. Her sister is on the spectrum too, so she recognized the signs, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:31

That's so wonderful to see, you know, that someone noticed that and helped you because you can get to that point where, like, yes, it's bothering me, but people will think, oh, well, then just walk out, but it's not that easy because you're already at that point where you're overstimulated, right? So I'm so glad someone was there to help you out. And what are some strengths that uh you are most proud of yourself?

SPEAKER_01 38:58

Definitely being very understanding and like always being nice to people because you never know what they're going through. And it's important to always be nice. And some of my hardest times I've gotten through, my friends helped a lot by like listening and talking to me and making sure I'm okay. My friend Megan didn't notice I wasn't at the after party this year. She texted me asking if I was okay. And I just you're like so happy. Yeah, yeah. She realized I wasn't there and wanted to check up on me.

SPEAKER_02 39:34

Yeah. And I knew like as soon as I met you, I knew you were just a light that uh this world everyone needs to see, and um yeah, I know there's probably so many people that are proud of you, so I'm glad to hear you're proud of yourself. And I'm I bet you are so proud of yourself for taking this opportunity, right? Because it's not easy.

SPEAKER_01 40:01

Being in the page world's not easy, so uh congrats on the Miss America pageants. I've had friends compete in them, and they're like, it is so crazy.

SPEAKER_02 40:12

Like it's that's one I told myself I would never do.

SPEAKER_01 40:15

I didn't keep doing it, and then like, oh no, I heard too many bad stories about it.

SPEAKER_02 40:20

I did USA um 11 years ago. I aged out, and then they, you know, now they have it like open age. I don't know if I could ever go back to that because it's just it's a whole other ball game. It's very competitive. Um you've also built independence through uh your work, your goals. Tell us, uh, do you currently work somewhere?

SPEAKER_01 40:51

No, I just uh left my job a couple of weeks ago. Oh no. Where did you work? I was working at a special needs day program. It just started to get too much emotionally and physically because I was having some health issues, and I just had to take a step back.

SPEAKER_02 41:07

Those special needs day programs can be overwhelming for anybody to work at. So that's props to you because that's definitely not easy. Um, what made you decide you wanted to like go work in that kind of environment to help others?

SPEAKER_01 41:28

Yeah, I wanted to help others. I don't wanted to be like a mentor to them and show them that they're capable of doing hard things.

SPEAKER_02 41:36

Yeah. Well, I'm sure you probably made an impact for some while you were there, but you know, um maybe that's just not the right fit for you, huh? Well, God will have God will have placed something right for you, huh? And you're probably pretty busy with school. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, tell us a little bit about um ASU. What are you taking there?

SPEAKER_01 42:02

I'm taking social work. Wow. Yeah, I'm getting my degree in social work right now. And then I'm planning on doing a double master's in social work and then in ministry. I'm planning on being a hospital chaplain. Oh my gosh. I just started the process and talked to I just talked with my pastor last week to get the process started. And so I have an orientation in June to help like discuss what like what schools they have offer and what the process is like. So don't match me with a mentor.

SPEAKER_04 42:50

That's for you. Amazing. Right. I know wow, that's I know. I'm just blown away. It's like, okay.

SPEAKER_02 43:02

You I love that you got you know vision and goals for yourself and you're getting there.

SPEAKER_04 43:08

Yes, for sure. What do you enjoy? Um, I guess most about doing that at ASU.

SPEAKER_01 43:17

I enjoy because I'm online. I enjoy having flexibility to do take classes or whatever. Like I can go to Texas to visit my sister, and I can still be able to do my classes and not miss anything.

SPEAKER_02 43:27

That's awesome. So you said you go to Texas with your sister?

SPEAKER_01 43:32

Yeah, she lives in Texas, and I was planning to visit her over the summer. Oh working that out. Oh good.

SPEAKER_02 43:40

And so um being uh a minister for a hospital, um, do you have like a particular uh hospital that you have in mind or like a hospice or what kind of I might look at going to like a children's hospital, like um

SPEAKER_01 44:01

Maybe children or uh St. Jude. They do so much to work with kids with cancer. Yeah. Also, you would like to cancer.

SPEAKER_02 44:10

You'd like to go somewhere else in Arizona? Maybe. Maybe. The sky's the limit, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 44:17

For sure.

SPEAKER_02 44:19

Well, my son is a cancer survivor. So the ministers that were at Phoenix Children's came in a couple of times, and that really brought like having them and then my pastor to really in that scenario really brought me closer to my uh relationship with God. Because you know, in that moment it can go one way or the other. And having that support meant the world. So you are going to um you're just gonna help so many families. I can see it now.

SPEAKER_01 44:55

My grandpa um does therapy dog work. He um used to volunteer at the children's hospital in Mesa. Oh and he would bring the dog and they would be so happy. But there was this one girl that he met with cancer. Uh he visited her a couple times. When he came back the next month, she was gone. He didn't know what happened to her. And then a couple months later, she found him in a dog show. And he said she said that having the dog visit really helped her.

SPEAKER_02 45:29

Oh, it's amazing. Wow. I bet that made him just so happy to see that she was well and hearing that. Oh, that's wonderful. Alright. Yeah. Well, we'll go on to the next topic. MJ, I'll let you get that started.

SPEAKER_04 45:55

Yeah, well, next we'll talk about services and support. And what kind of services or support have helped you the most?

SPEAKER_01 46:04

Well, in about like fifth or sixth grade, we found this really good center that works with people with autism. It was an Awutuki. They taught me so much about how to like make friends, how to like read people's emotions and body language, and how to interact with people.

SPEAKER_02 46:25

Do you remember what that was? Because no, it was uh complex in Awutuki.

SPEAKER_01 46:30

Okay. We found it through our therapy office at the time.

SPEAKER_02 46:35

Wow. That's incredible because that is so that is well needed. Um, you know, because that's one of the things to have like a coach help you through those things just will benefit you growing up and through life. And well, that probably explains why I feel like you are um so well, you know, you're able to have those conversations and just goes to show how those types of services and support can really make your future so much brighter and open so much more doors for you.

SPEAKER_01 47:09

Yeah, and early intervention is really helpful too because a lot some people don't get diagnosed until later on in life, and so they're like already like maybe like in their 50s and they're trying to find services, it's really hard.

SPEAKER_02 47:23

It's hard. So were you diagnosed when you were younger?

SPEAKER_01 47:26

Yeah, my dad got diagnosed when he was an adult and he's still struggling.

SPEAKER_02 47:31

Oh it's so hard, but you know, that that generation, especially your dad's generation, it wasn't a common thing for people to get diagnosed, and there was probably no help. Yeah. Well, hopefully you seeing you and uh all the things that you do, um hopefully that you know he can learn from you as well, right? And how did you um well do you get like uh do you remember if you were on like DDD and got like speech there and like OT, anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 48:11

I had OT and speech through school. My elementary school had a really great special needs pro special ed program, and I had some really great special speech therapists and occupational therapists.

SPEAKER_02 48:22

Oh good. That's wonderful. I'm glad I'm glad to hear that because they make the biggest difference in the world too. And I always praise them for everything that they do because it's not easy.

SPEAKER_01 48:34

I do a lot of good work, yeah. Yeah. The place I was working at also they offered services to the members and they had all the therapists in the same building, so they have to like go out and community and find resources because it is so hard. If you don't know where to look, it's so hard to find resources.

SPEAKER_02 48:54

It is. Luckily nowadays it's it's a little bit more out there and available, but you know, I'm sure when you were younger, uh it wasn't, you know, it's already evolved so much in the eight years, you know, that my son's been alive, I can't imagine what it was like 15 years ago, probably way far behind than it is now.

SPEAKER_03 49:20

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 49:21

Yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_04 49:24

What advice would you give someone trying to find the right support?

SPEAKER_01 49:29

Don't give up. Even though it feels like it's not gonna happen, keep on trying, you're gonna find help and support. And it's good to rely on your family members too, because they're going through it with you. And it's important to like lean on them. And if you're struggling, ask them for help because they know you really well.

SPEAKER_02 49:52

Right. It's it's we always say it takes a team to um it takes a team, it takes family and support to really just help each other and especially the individual um that has autism. It's um takes a village, right?

SPEAKER_04 50:11

The whole village.

SPEAKER_02 50:12

Yes. And talking about family, um, I saw your dad and grandma at the pageant. They are the sweetest. Uh, to see their excitement um and just joy and how proud they were of you on stage was uh amazing. Uh tell us a little bit more about them.

SPEAKER_01 50:38

Well, um, I was raised by my own grandparents because my um parents weren't able to take care of me and my sisters, and um my grandma is my biggest support and biggest cheerleader. She's always there, she's always advocacy, she's always advocating for me growing up, and she's tried her best to get services for me and my sisters, and it was hard. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 51:05

She I could tell. Uh I just wanted to give her, I give her a little hug, and I was like, I just want to give you a big ol' hug. She just she seems like just the sweetest, sweetest woman.

SPEAKER_03 51:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 51:18

And she was so proud of you. I I think I got emotional seeing her get emotional and you watching you get emotional. It was just a trigger.

SPEAKER_04 51:30

Yeah, that would be me. One person starts crying, everyone starts crying. You said you have sisters. How many other siblings do you have?

SPEAKER_02 51:43

I have two older sisters. Oh, they're older. Yeah. So one of them is in Texas, is the other one here?

SPEAKER_01 51:51

Yeah, she's here. She's just working a lot.

SPEAKER_02 51:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 51:54

We talk almost every day though on the phone. So it helps.

SPEAKER_02 51:59

Oh, that's so great. All right. Any of your other sisters of your sisters are they on the spectrum as well, or no? They have um ADHD and ADD. Okay. So it's kind of part of the spectrum. I feel like that's starting to become more part of the spectrum. So that makes sense of why you're saying like how your grandma was advocating for you three and getting you services. Man, what a remarkable woman. That can't be easy. So actually, three, three ladies definitely put her through a hard time, three of us. Are you guys close in age or no? No. Okay, so you guys didn't try to steal each other's. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 52:45

Yeah, they're a year apart, and then I'm the baby.

SPEAKER_02 52:48

Aww. Do you have any uh favorite memories together, like growing up and traveling or anything like that?

SPEAKER_01 52:58

Um well, since my grandpa was in dog shows, we went on a lot like a lot of trips. Um, one time we ended up in Colorado, actually, and we got to do right while we river rafting.

SPEAKER_04 53:13

Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_01 53:14

What? That was fun, the three of us. Crazy!

SPEAKER_02 53:18

That's brilliant.

unknown 53:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 53:21

There's no way I could do that.

SPEAKER_01 53:24

Like hearing you say we're in Girl Scouts together too, so so we have a lot of good Girl Scout memories.

SPEAKER_02 53:31

Oh, I loved Girl Scouts. I had so much fun.

SPEAKER_01 53:37

You really get to learn a lot on a cruise for spring break one year. Where'd you go? I went to Entonada.

SPEAKER_02 53:45

Oh yeah, that one. That's a fun cruise. That's a fun little cruise, right?

SPEAKER_01 53:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 53:50

Yeah. Not when there's like a group of 20 kids on a ghost cruise. Wow, I bet that was kind of chaotic. How did you deal with that? Was that being on a cruise ship with a bunch of other people? I imagine there was a lot of like um overwhelming situations for you.

SPEAKER_01 54:10

Yeah. I had well, my cousin was there too, so we had a group of us. Um we had some really good co-leaders. One of them I still see all the time on campus, and she's like my second mom.

SPEAKER_02 54:23

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 54:25

She's watching me break since I was seven. And I talk to her all the time. She's one of the security guards on campus. Oh, that's so great. Whenever I see her, she gives me a hug and she's always asked how I'm doing. It's so I like my day.

SPEAKER_02 54:40

I can't what a way, like, just another way that shows like God's working in so many wonderful, mysterious ways to have that line up for you and have her there, right?

SPEAKER_01 54:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:53

Wow. Now your dad said you said your dad does dog shows, so did he have a certain breed. Yeah.

unknown 54:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:59

Or your grandpa, did he have a certain breed that he would uh? What was that? Springers. Oh gosh, I've always wondered what that was like. That's so cool. Oh yeah, he's starting over again.

SPEAKER_01 55:14

We're getting new new puppy in May, so fun!

SPEAKER_02 55:19

Have you ever um gone to the the big one on Thanksgiving? No, no, gosh, that one's intense.

SPEAKER_01 55:29

We watch it all the time that way for the parade.

SPEAKER_02 55:35

Yeah, same thing, tradition for me. I watch the parade, eat my breakfast, and then you know, start getting things ready and the dog show's on while I'm you know making things. I'm like, I'm watching the dog show, and me and my husband are like, which dog? Oh, it's gotta be that dog. You know, I can't imagine that you guys are probably even you know more into it. And then it sucks that sometimes they don't show every single one, but they can't. Yeah, you know, because you see them lined up and like, oh man, I would like to see that dog.

SPEAKER_04 56:06

I have to watch the highlights.

SPEAKER_02 56:09

Yeah, yeah. We have a corgi, and so we're always rooting for the corgis when it gets to the herding breeds. Ridiculous.

SPEAKER_04 56:22

And what do you enjoy most about spending time with your family?

SPEAKER_01 56:28

Um, definitely like getting some time to just relax and talk about our days. And we always we have this tradition of watching NCIS every Tuesday. So we've been doing it since I was a little kid. And Tuesday night for that show. Watching, we're on the TV watching NCIX.

SPEAKER_02 56:48

Nice. I'm obsessed with that show. So my friend Emma, uh, hopefully you can meet her someday. Um, she came over Friday and spent the night because she wants to compete and miss some, she wants to do amazing next year. Oh, you saw her at the pageant. So yeah, she loves NCIS as well, and there's a board game. Oh my god. I'm gonna try to find it and send it to you because it's like oh my god. We're on episode like five, they have different like episodes, and you have to figure out like solve the case. Isn't that pretty cool? Right? I think you and your family would probably love that. I'll have to try to find it for you. But I heard I'm not caught up on the season yet, but I heard some sad news. Mm-hmm. I heard director Vance died.

SPEAKER_01 57:42

Yeah. Oh man. From what the actors said, they were planning on doing it like five years ago. Right.

SPEAKER_02 57:51

I I thought he was gonna like he almost died, right? When he got home. A couple times. Yeah. So uh man. But when um Ziva left, oh my god. I know. Did you watch the Tony and Ziva? Yes, I did. They need to make more of it, like bring it back. I know. I'm like, are they to do another one? Oh we could talk main CIS for a long time. We'll we'll say that for another day. But I love that show too. It's so fun to have like you know, shows to watch. Like my husband saying he loves like a routine of things, and every night for dinner we're catching up on a show. Are there are there any other like uh crime shows that you like to watch?

SPEAKER_01 58:41

My grandpa will not watch a firefighter show because he's a firefighter, he's like, this is so unrealistic, so you can't have it on around him. I bet.

SPEAKER_02 58:50

I bet I know a lot of firefighters too, and they would say the same thing. Like, these shows are a joke.

SPEAKER_04 58:57

Well that's good to know.

SPEAKER_02 58:59

Yeah, I don't think I've ever watched a firefighter show after I dated one. So I'm like, I never watched any of those fire shows afterwards because if you haven't been to like a firehouse, you don't quite know, but like spend a day there and you'll see it's like totally different. Did you get to do a lot of ride-alongs growing up?

SPEAKER_01 59:21

No, he was retired by the time. Yeah, he yeah, he he got us, so yeah. He used to volunteer at the fire museum in Phoenix.

SPEAKER_02 59:31

How cool that that museum is really awesome. Yeah. You have Kai uh MJ, you should probably take Kai there one day. He might like all the fire trucks and stuff.

SPEAKER_04 59:42

Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure. It's so funny. Years ago when we took him to like the big vehicle uh events that they do for the autism. He was so afraid of how big the vehicles were. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:57

I think they don't realize how big they are, huh? Yeah, yeah. One more question about your family. What does a perfect day with your family look like?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:09

Um, we had it a while back. We were at my aunt's house for a family reunion. We had my great aunt there, her husband, my uncle, my dad, everyone was there, and we were playing a game. We love board games. Oh my sister is so competitive, though. I love her to death, but some people are.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:30

Yeah. What kind of board games do you guys like to play? Like Monopoly. Oh nice. Do you like uh different themed Monopoly games?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:41

Yeah, like during COVID, they brought like a house divided one. And oh my god, we could not stop playing it. What what is the house divided?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:51

What does that mean?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:52

Like it's like sportsing no like politics.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:56

Oh, gotcha.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:59

I thought that was interesting.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:04

That can bring some tension, right? Do you like Clue? No, I haven't even played it, but it's my favorite board game. If you like like mysteries and crime, like true crime, it's one of my favorite.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:20

Definitely a must play for the true crime people.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:25

Yes. And people always laugh because it's been my favorite game growing up, always.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:31

Just imagine having like a game night where you guys all dress up as someone as clue and then eat.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:40

I know that would be. They do that. Uh there's lavender farm in Chandler. They have stuff like a clue night.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:46

Oh, I always wanted to go to the lavender farm. Oh, they we've gotta do that. We gotta do like a like a pageant day there there. Wouldn't that be fun? And grab Jojo to do photos. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:04

Oh, she did my senior photos for graduation. Oh. And they used the photo for this episode that she took. Yay!

SPEAKER_02 1:02:12

So Jojo's a previous uh Colleen Queen. Uh as soon as I met her, I was like, oh my god, this girl's great.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:20

Now she's a counselor at ASU, so good for her. Do you get to see her at all at ASU? She's on the downtown campus in Phoenix.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:28

Oh, gotcha.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:29

Cool.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:31

All right. Well, we just have a few more um questions and we'll be wrapping this up. Yes. All right, MJ, I'll let you lead on.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:42

Uh, what are some changes you would like to see happen in the autism community?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:48

I would like to see like more support being given by like the government and stuff because it's a really hard thing to go through, and a lot of people don't understand it. And if we had like more funding and more support, it would help bring awareness to autism. Especially for adults, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:03:11

Yeah, for young adults, also like the young adult um age is the most has struggles with the most because you know, some you can't live independently, but then you're too young to live like either they want to place people in like Sis Living, but you're too young. Like, there's just that's a common thing I'm hearing. There's just not enough um support. There's tons of support for little kids, and then though, you know, we're still growing. I mean, and changes are just coming, you know, in different areas, and uh it's come a long way, but still has a long way to go. Huh?

SPEAKER_04 1:03:55

Yeah, it's definitely pretty new. It's not new, but it's new enough.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:01

Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Faye, what are some goals and dreams that you have for your future besides uh work-life, like personally?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:15

Honestly, I want to travel the world a lot. Like, I've I haven't been outside the US. I don't want to see how different countries treat autism and like how their accommodations and support are.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:28

I love that. That's amazing. I know. Because it's it's not just here, you know. Um I don't have you ever watched uh Love on the Spectrum.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:38

Yeah. Love that show.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:39

We're obsessed. Um, but like, you know, it was so cool that the first season was in Australia, you know, and so to see um, you know, I'm starting to see more on social media and news of individuals all over the world. And so you're right, like it'd be amazing to see what it's like where they're at.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:02

For sure.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:03

Yeah, that'd be really cool. Well, I would love to hitch a ride and if you go anywhere, I'll sneak in your suitcase. So I'm just kidding. I know. Uh traveling the world is definitely something that I feel like people should do at least once is go to a different country. Maybe it'll be Ireland first, right? Hopefully. We'll see. Right? It'd be I have you ever met or heard of anybody like from that's in Ireland that's on the spectrum? No. Let's find one.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:42

Right. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:44

I wonder out there.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:45

One of the former Colleens is on the spectrum. Kelsey, she was a 2018 Colleen, I believe. Kelsey Redhead Kelsey.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:52

Yeah. Yeah, she did uh other pageants too. I didn't realize she was on the spectrum. Wow. I got to meet her briefly, she was amazing. She's beautiful. She is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:02

She um does the sashes for the Colleen.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:05

Oh wow. Well, yeah. I can't. She's like posts videos of her like making like all kinds of stuff. And she's also MJ, she's like a a queen at the Renaissance. Right. I love the Renaissance. Or that the or the mid the medal medieval uh dinner ticket.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:22

She was the queen at medieval times and now she goes to the Renaissance circuit.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:26

Yeah. She does all kinds of amazing things.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:30

But yeah, what I should have done yesterday.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:34

Ah, the all the run fair is here, huh?

SPEAKER_04 1:06:37

Well, I think it ended on the 29th. I think medieval times is is that's it's here to see.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:45

Yeah, you know what, MJ? That's what we're gonna do together. Yes, that's what we're gonna do together. Yay! So our birthdays are so close together. We're like, we're gonna do something together that's fun. Just us two. That's what we're gonna do. I'm excited. But you know what? Uh yeah, maybe you know, Faye, maybe you could help us with this. Um, for maybe next March we could try to find someone in Ireland that's on the spectrum and they could come on. I mean maybe you can help us, and maybe you could help us interview them. That'd be kind of cool, huh? Yeah, yeah. I think Kira might know some people. Oh, yeah, of course Kira would. So uh Kira's uh is she the uh what's her title at the Culture Center? I don't remember. Yeah, but she's uh like a program director or something like that. She does a lot of the events and programs there. Yeah. All right. We could talk about Ireland all day too. Have you thought about coming and dancing?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:49

I tried it for a couple months and then it just doesn't for me.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:52

Yeah, it's not for everybody. It's hard. I started late, I'm a little old, so I'm like, I can't do a whole lot.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:04

I might come back when like school's gotten like a lot late when I back.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:09

Yeah. Well, if you would like want me to like teach you stuff before you join, I can got kind of help you a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:19

And what makes you proud of who you are today?

SPEAKER_01 1:08:24

Definitely how I've helped people and being able to talk about my autism journey and maybe helping people understand that just because they have autism does not mean that they cannot be like on podcasts, they can't be do pageants, and they can't do hard stuff. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:48

Preach it, girl, yes. And if you could give encouragement, um, which you kind of already mentioned uh on the spectrum, um what else would you like to say to other individuals that um are nervous about you know getting out of their comfort zone or trying new things? What's some encouragement you could give them?

SPEAKER_01 1:09:12

Tell them to like find a group of people that are so accepting and welcoming. Like for me was a calling in program. Without them, I would not have been able to do this pageant because if I didn't meet them, I don't know about pageants and I wouldn't be as um like have a strong sense of self and be able to put myself out there on stage.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:32

Yeah, it's amazing what one that taking one little step out of your comfort zone could just open so much for you, right? You just never know where the world's gonna take you.

SPEAKER_04 1:09:48

All right, well, Faye, thank you so much for sharing your story with us today. It wasn't great.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:56

Yes, you are incredible, and um I can't wait to watch your journey as Arizona Miss Amazing, junior miss, right? Junior Miss Amazing, and uh watch you just uh grow and be out there in your community. Oh, with this new title, is there if you could do one like event or speaking engagement with your title, what would it be? Definitely want to do the Austrias Festival in Chandler. There's an autism festival in Chandler? Oh, the Austrias Festival? Yeah, that happens in March or February, didn't it just pass?

SPEAKER_01 1:10:40

Yeah, it's late March, late February, early March. Okay, so next year, right? And then there's also a uh car show that my grandpa's volunteer organization puts on for autism. And it's called a Rev Up for Autism. It's through positive friendship. Wow. It's a bunch of like um sports cars and race cars. Yeah. Really fun to go there.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:05

My son would love. Let's when is that? Do you know? It's like in December. Nice. Okay. Well, let's stay connected about that. That we we'd love to be a part of that as well.

unknown 1:11:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:19

Like I said, I'm so excited for your this next chapter of your life. You're just gonna flourish and um shine with that beautiful smile, and you're just I can't wait. All right, anything else you want to say before we wrap up? Thank you for having me. Of course. I'm so glad you reached out. Thank you so much. All right, thank you for sharing your heart and your story. Um, you're gonna make a great impact for others. So thank you. All right, well, let's say bye to everybody. Bye. We would like to give a shout out to our graphic design sponsor, MySpot Design. Do you need a standout graphic design or seamless website solutions for your brand? MySpot specializes in custom logos, promo materials, plus professional website design and ongoing maintenance. Elevate your online presence today. Reach out at contact at myspot.design or go to myspot.design for more info. Thank you so much, owner Lindsay, for helping us out. We appreciate you.