I care so deeply about the Eagles Autism Challenge because this isn’t just a cause to me — it’s my life. It’s my story. Growing up autistic, especially as a girl with no diagnosis, meant constantly feeling like something was “off” but having no words for it. It meant feeling different in ways I couldn’t explain, wondering why things that seemed easy for everyone else felt so overwhelming to me. It’s confusing, isolating, and honestly really painful. That’s why supporting autistic individuals — especially girls and women — means everything to me.

The Eagles Autism Foundation gives something I wish I had earlier in life: hope, understanding, and support. They’re not just spreading awareness; they’re funding research, building programs, and creating opportunities that help autistic people thrive, rather than feeling like they’re always falling behind or trying to keep up.

According to a widely shared UCLA Health statistic, as many as 80% of autistic girls remain undiagnosed at age 18. That number truly breaks my heart. It means millions of girls grow up feeling lost, confused, and misunderstood. It means so many women spend years being told their struggles are “just anxiety,” “just depression,” or “just being sensitive.” It means people like me learn to hide our struggles, mask our symptoms, and pretend we’re fine — even when we’re not.

Girls are overlooked because the diagnostic criteria were built around how autism looks in boys. So instead of getting help, autistic girls get labels: shy, dramatic, weird, emotional, quirky. And we learn to perform “normal.” We learn to act. We learn to shrink ourselves to fit in.

But masking comes with a cost — burnout, exhaustion, and never feeling like you’re allowed to be your real self.

That’s why I’m fighting so hard with this fundraiser.

I’m not just putting up a link and hoping donations come in. I’m pouring my whole heart into this. I’m taking on extra work, doing character events, selling things, reaching out to people one by one, raffling off comedy tickets and signed CDs, and constantly coming up with new fundraising ideas. I’m pushing myself in every way I can because I know what’s at stake. I know what it’s like to go without help. And I don’t want other girls to grow up wondering why they feel so different or thinking something is wrong with them.

I’m doing this for the little girls who already feel out of place and can’t understand why.
For the teens who cry in their room because they don’t know what’s happening inside their own minds.
For the women who finally learn the truth about themselves years later and grieve all the time they lost.
For the girls who are still masking, still misunderstood, still struggling alone.
And yes… for myself. For the support I deserved, and still deserve.

When you donate, you’re helping create a world where autistic girls and women are not overlooked or ignored. You’re helping us get answers, support, and acceptance. You’re helping build a future where we don’t have to hide who we are to feel safe.

Your generosity doesn’t just mean something to the Foundation — it means something deeply personal to me. It means you believe in people like me. It means you care enough to make the world a kinder and more inclusive place.

Thank you, truly, for standing with me and EAF! 

Go Birds!
🦅💚