My Journey with Lisha
I met Lisha at Parkside Visalia during a volunteer program called Buddy Break. At the time, I knew nothing about autism—especially nonspeaking autism—or American Sign Language, but still, I felt deeply drawn to help. There was something about the kids, something that pulled at my heart in a way I couldn’t ignore. I was open, eager, and completely unprepared.
Lisha stood out to me immediately. She was tall and incredibly fast, darting from one end of the room and out the door in seconds. Because of her speed—and because I was tall enough to keep up—I was paired with her. At first, I didn’t understand her. She didn’t speak, and I had never encountered someone who communicated in a way so different from what I was used to. But even in those early days, when so much felt unfamiliar, I knew one thing with certainty: she was precious.
When I got hired by her mom to be her respite care worker at their home, I wasn’t supposed to be with Lisha for long. I was only filling in temporarily until her mom could find a permanent female respite care worker. That made sense at the time. But now, more than a year later, I’m still with her—and I’m honored to say that her mom calls me "her guy."
What made me pursue college to learn ASL? The answer is simple: I saw her being left out—not by malice, but by misunderstanding. Buddy Break is an organization built to provide a welcoming, safe, and fun environment for autistic and special needs children. But for Lisha, it wasn’t truly accessible. No one, including me at the time, knew American Sign Language. Without communication, her world was harder, more confusing, and more isolating.
I wanted to change that.
I wanted Lisha to have an equitable experience, one where she wasn’t just present, but fully included. That desire lit a fire in me. I enrolled in school to learn ASL so I could speak her language—so I could help her have fewer meltdowns, express her needs, and experience joy in a way that felt safe and affirming to her.
And that’s exactly what we’ve been doing.