Holly Robinson Peete and Michele Kong champion resources for those with autism

[0:00] April marks Autism Acceptance Month, and two organizations are coming together to provide [0:05] social and sensory resources for the autism community as they continue their mission [0:09] to highlight the needs for those impacted. ABC News Live Prime anchor Lindsay Davis spoke to [0:14] the women leading these organizations, actress Holly Robinson-Pete of the Holly Rod Foundation [0:20] and Culture City co-founder Dr. Michelle Kong. Take a look. Holly, let's start with you. Both [0:26] of you are mothers of sons with autism. What made you all decide to merge your foundations in order [0:33] to have more of an impact? Well, when my son was diagnosed in 2000, I didn't see a lot of people [0:41] advocating. I didn't certainly did not see organizations like Culture City. So we started [0:47] Holly Rod Foundation, but what I noticed is that we were just better together. We're just stronger [0:52] together. Our missions are a little bit different, but at the end of the day, we know that change [0:57] needs to be made for our kids and other people's kids. So when I met Michelle and her amazing [1:04] husband, Julian, I just was like, these are my people. I know that Culture City has now partnered [1:09] with FIFA for this year's World Cup to provide more resources for those with autism. So tell us [1:15] what those resources will look like, for example, at the World Cup. Yeah, well, you know, when you [1:20] go to an event such as the World Cup, sometimes for some of us, it can be a little bit overwhelming [1:25] where the crew is not there. So we're not there. We're not there. We're not there. We're not there. [1:27] The crowd is a lot. The noise is a lot. It's really bright. And really what you need is [1:31] just a little space to pop off to to calm down. So we provide training into understanding [1:39] of what it means to have an invisible disability, what it means to have a different neurobiology. [1:44] And then layered on top of the training, we provide tools and resources such as a noise [1:48] cancelling headphone, a sensory bag that has all the different things, Koji, which [1:52] is a communication app that you can just download on your phone. And for some spaces, a sensory [1:57] room. And this is one of the reasons why, Lindsay, I was so excited to connect with her, because when [2:02] my little boy, who is the son of a quarterback, was at the Super Bowl that our team was playing in, [2:07] he was on complete sensory overload, melted down completely. And I have a photograph that I showed [2:15] Michelle of him sitting outside this stadium in Houston, grabbing his head like this, because we [2:20] had to go on the parking lot. Now imagine this was 2004. If we had a sensory room for him to go in, [2:26] the experience would have been so much better. Yeah, it would have been so much better. And [2:27] it makes so much sense that a lot of people are not aware of. And that's the next thing I wanted [2:33] to actually ask about that shift from autism awareness to acceptance. Yeah, yeah, we're there. [2:40] I mean, when we started World Autism Awareness Day, it was interesting. We would we knew there [2:50] needed to be more awareness, certainly in 2000 when RJ was diagnosed. But now in 2026, it's it [2:56] is still about awareness. [2:57] Yeah, it's still about awareness. And I think that's a really important thing. Because there are a lot of people still don't know what autism is. But the acceptance is very, very important. And another A is important action. Because we got to make things happen for our children. And for as they become adults, mine is an adult now, who was told he would never have meaningful employment. And obviously, you know, that story he does, he works for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's killing the game, as he would say. But you know, he still has his issues. And I'm so happy to say that Culture City is installing a sensory room at Dodger Stadium. [3:27] Yes, we are. Yeah, I think that's really important. And this story, I think, is really important, because when you talk about it, it's not just about the one thing that is important. It's the fact that people don't understand what it means to live. Where do you come from? Where do you come from? What are your legacy? Where do you come from? What are your qualities that you share with your kids? What do you see yourself as? And I think that's a really important thing. And I think that's really important. And that's what we're visible at the moment. Which is very, very important. Yes, it needs to be everywhere. Yes, to be everywhere. And you mentioned that you're kind of 25 years into the game, what made you decide to found the hollyrod foundation with your husband? We started because of Parkinson's disease, ironically enough, my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's in just when he was only in his 40s. And we didn't see any Parkinson's organizations or anyone really advocating [3:57] much like Parkinson's, autism is very expensive. There's a lot of inequity with black and brown [4:04] children. And we knew we had to be the spokespeople for that. Dr. Kang, how much would you say, [4:10] how much progress have we made and how much more is there still left to do? [4:15] I think we certainly have made progress, but there's still a lot to be done. Because if you [4:19] think about it, even just like your family story and our story, there's so many elements that are [4:25] similar in how the diagnosis was given and how families are still told even today of, [4:32] here are the things that, here's the diagnosis, and here are the things that you are not going [4:36] to be able to do. And what is so important is to really understand that when you have a disability [4:44] like this, it's a lifelong journey. And it doesn't just impact that individual, it impacts the entire [4:49] family unit. But when you have a disability that's invisible, it truly is an [4:55] action. [4:55] And it made us realize that access is not just about ramps and railing. Access is about being [5:03] able to say that I belong and I can go there. My neurobiology may be different. My social, [5:10] my sensory, my communication profile might be different, but it's okay. It's okay. And there [5:18] is a way that we can be together, whether it's Parkinson's, whether it's autism, we can be [5:24] together. [5:24] Yeah. Both of you are making sense. [5:26] You have such profound impact. So thank you for the work that you're doing. Dr. Michelle O'Connor, [5:31] Holly Robinson-Pete, thank you so much for joining us today. For more on both of these [5:35] organizations, visit hollyrod.org and culturecity.org. Culture City with a K.