University of Houston–Clear Lake · World Autism Awareness Day · April 2, 2026
A Global Spark
Celebrating the Autistic Voices Who Led, Created, and Lit Up April 2, 2026
On April 2, 2026, Spark a Spectrum lit up 84 centers across 32 countries. At the center of the University of Houston-Clear Lake celebration was a community of autistic voices,adults and young people whose art, words, presence, and leadership made the event possible. This is their story.
Philip Andrews hosted the global broadcast. Hoang Tien Nguyen opened the day with music from Vietnam. Eilan Aldhafeeri and Hessah Al Hendi advocated from Kuwait. Anjana Johnson welcomed guests. Sherman Easley-Robb, John Martinez, Alex Nguyen, Nicholas NeSmith, and Keith Schaeffer Costin built and supported the event from inside the UHCL Vocational Clinic. Two autistic high school students, Abigail Galindo and Isaac Galindo, coordinated the art and dance competitions. From across the ocean, a teenager named Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke broke another Guinness World Record on April 2 itself, his progress a reminder of why this work matters.
Students from Clear Lake High School's Alternative Academic Special Education class showed up every Tuesday since September 2025 to organize, plan, contribute, and stay through the event itself, practicing vocational skills.
We tell these stories, wherever possible, in their own words. For those whose communication takes other forms, we partnered with families and caregivers to honor their contributions with accuracy and respect. We share these profiles to celebrate individuals, each with their own history, their own skills, and their own dreams for the future.
I am not here to just speak. I am here to be heard and understood.,Eilan Aldhafeeri, Kuwait
At 9:00 PM Vietnam time, Hoang Tien Nguyen opened the Spark a Spectrum 2026 global broadcast with a live melodica performance. Hoang played a piece which he had learned in just one day. His music carried across time zones, welcoming the world into twenty-four hours of celebration, awareness, and autistic leadership.
On event day, the University of Houston-Clear Lake campus became a living map of autistic leadership. Many of the contributors below are members of the UHCL Vocational Clinic team, a working community where autistic adults build real-world skills in real-world roles. The Pathway to Employment Program, open to individuals 16 and older, provides individual and group sessions targeting the skills needed to succeed in the workplace, with particular focus on job-related social skills, supporting participants in obtaining and maintaining meaningful employment. Each of the following individuals brought something the event could not have happened without.
Philip Andrews held the global broadcast together. From Houston, he welcomed viewers in Hanoi, Kuwait City, Lagos, Jos, and dozens of cities in between, connecting the world into a single conversation about autism, dignity, and possibility.
Philip brings the same discipline to a microphone that he brings to his professional life. He is an Enrolled Agent licensed by the IRS and holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas, where he completed his graduate accounting coursework with a 3.6 GPA. In March 2026, he was approved by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy to begin sitting for his Certified Public Accountant examinations. His career path has spanned auditing at Blazek & Vetterling, four years teaching accounting fundamentals as an adjunct professor at Houston Community College, and more than a decade in operational and CFO-function roles where he built internal control frameworks and audit-ready documentation.
His professional focus today is audit readiness, federal tax examination, and regulatory compliance in government contracting, energy, and asset-intensive industries,fields where precision, documentation, and clarity matter enormously. He is building toward a long-term career in regulatory failure analysis. Those same qualities of precision and clarity, paired with the ability to translate complexity for diverse audiences he developed in the classroom, made him exactly the right voice to carry Spark a Spectrum to the world.
Anjana welcomed people as they walked through the UHCL doors. The welcome desk is the first face of any event, and on April 2, she was exactly the right person for it. Anjana has been part of the UHCL Vocational Clinic for over a year. She is not fully verbal, but she is deeply competent across a wide range of administrative tasks: cleaning, decorating, organizing, and keeping spaces ready for the people who use them. She brings attention to detail, reliability, and a genuine care for others to everything she does. She is always in a good mood and a joy to be around. Anjana graduated from high school six years ago and is ready to work. She is currently seeking full-time employment, and any workplace would be lucky to have her.
Nicholas was not present on event day, but his contributions in the months leading up to April 2 were essential. He contributed to the project with public relations tasks and internal communication, as well as admin work. His excellent work ethic and consideration for others shaped the office environment. It was wonderful having him work with us, and we believe any employer would be fortunate to have him. Nicholas is ready for employment.
Keith handled tech support for Spark a Spectrum and was responsible for much of the graphics and flyer design work that gave the event its visual identity. His family was present alongside him throughout, supporting him every step of the way,a reminder that the people who make events happen are often surrounded by their own circles of love and support.
Alex is at the center of what happens when autistic adults are given real work, real trust, and real runway. His history with CADD UHCL is part of a larger story about what work and community can look like when they are built with autistic people, not just for them. His administrative skills, organization, team support, and presence at Spark a Spectrum were a working preview of that larger vision.
Alex is currently seeking full-time employment in retail, and he is ready to bring that same reliability and team spirit to the right opportunity.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and brought that foundation with him to everything he contributed at Spark a Spectrum. His administrative skills, organization, and steady presence made him a valued member of the team. John is currently seeking employment in data entry, remote or in person, and any employer looking for a dependable, detail-oriented team member would be fortunate to have him.
Sherman graduated from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Serious Games and Simulations and a 3.5 GPA. He builds worlds in Unity, Unreal, Godot, Blender, and Maya, and tells stories through gameplay, 3D animation, motion graphics, and virtual reality. His path runs from Del Mar College to UHCL, and from student projects to a growing professional portfolio in a field that still has real room for autistic creators. Sherman brings precision, imagination, and a quiet confidence to his work.
Abigail is still in high school. That did not stop her from coordinating art at a global event. She helped shape what the event looked like and what it felt like,the visual language, the energy on the floor. Young leaders are not a future promise; they are a present reality, and Abigail is one of them.
Isaac coordinated the dance competition with quiet confidence and real commitment. He helped lead the creative side of the event alongside Abigail, his peers, and the contributing students from Clear Lake High School. He carried real responsibility, and he carried it well.
Eilan Aldhafeeri is an autistic woman in Kuwait, two months away from completing her degree in pharmacy. She is co-coordinator of Spark a Spectrum Kuwait and the creator of the Kuwait event Instagram page. On April 2, she stepped onto the world stage as a self-advocate who knows her own mind. Her cat Nala joined her on camera.
Her message began: "My name is Eilan, and I am an autistic woman. Today, I am not here to just speak. I am here to be heard and understood." She spoke about stigma, inclusion, masking, and the right to be understood correctly,not fixed, not hidden, but understood.
Hessah Al Hendi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Translation and is a trilingual advocate, fluent in Arabic, English, and French. She has two papers currently awaiting publication, examining the intersections of linguistics, diglossic communities, and neurodivergence. She has volunteered at the Kuwait Center for Autism and is pursuing a master's and PhD to advance research bridging linguistics, neurodiversity, and inclusivity. On April 2, she stepped onto the world stage as a self-advocate, speaking about autism in Kuwait and bringing attention to the realities of stigma, understanding, and inclusion within her community.
Some of the most powerful contributions to Spark a Spectrum 2026 came from autistic young people in Nigeria whose talents have grown for years, often without the platforms that would let the world see them. Three of them,Shaun, Kosi, and Kanye,are part of a larger story about visibility, opportunity, and what becomes possible when gifted autistic individuals are given a stage. Kosi and Kanye share a common Nigerian last name, Okeke, but they are not related. Each has his own story.
Shaun is 20 years old and brings a quiet, original creativity to everything he makes. He is gifted at craft work, transforming simple materials,including plastic bags and other recycled items,into detailed cars, animals, and human figures. He works with patience and attention to detail, carefully shaping each piece until it reflects what he has in mind. He is also drawn to music, particularly the piano. Some people lead by doing. Others lead by being. Shaun is both. His presence in the Spark a Spectrum story is a reminder of why this work matters: there are talented autistic young people whose abilities deserve recognition, structure, and the chance to grow. With the right support and structure, Shaun has the potential to grow his creativity into something much more meaningful and impactful.
Kosi created the Spark a Spectrum logo. The image that traveled to 32 countries, lit up 84 centers, and carried our message to the world was his. Beyond Spark a Spectrum, Kosi is the founder of Magic King Creations (magickingcreations.com), a studio of unique handmade art and colorful craft work built on his own creative vision. His portraits and sculptures, his dreams of opening an art gallery in Anambra state, and his journey toward independence are part of a bigger story we look forward to continuing to tell. Kosi is not just creating art; he is building a path toward independence, with a clear vision for expanding his work and creating opportunities for others in the future.
Kanyeyachukwu, known to many as Kanye, is a 16-year-old non-verbal autistic artist, cyclist, and advocate whose international recognition has become a touchstone for what is possible. He has been painting since the age of four and has used art and sport ever since to communicate, break stigma, and tell the world that, in the title of his own record-breaking artwork, "impossibility is a myth."
Kanye now holds two Guinness World Records. His first was set in Abuja in April 2025. His second, certified during the "Ride for Autism" campaign, recognizes him as the youngest person to cycle 100 miles. He set off from Enugu and, on April 2, 2026,World Autism Awareness Day itself,arrived in Lagos, where he was received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Lagos House, Marina. Kanye was not present at UHCL, but his finish line was ours too,we watched his arrival in real time, celebrated together, and felt the weight of what he had accomplished. Kanye's success keeps us motivated.
Since September 2025, seven students from a special education class at Clear Lake High School have joined UHCL every Tuesday through Helping Hands, the vocational program led by Dr. Lerman and the CADD team. They organized materials, prepared the space, assembled event packets, supported event logistics, and built toward April 2. They were contributors; their work appeared in the materials, the setup, and the spirit of the day.
Mrs. Kailey Macik, the Teacher Education and Training (T.E.T.) teacher at Clear Lake High School, brought approximately fifteen of her future educators to UHCL alongside the special education class. They stacked chairs, organized materials, built signage, supported the music, art, and dance competitions, and helped wherever help was needed, staying through the event itself. They showed up as allies: not as a lesson plan, not as community service points, but as young people learning what it looks like to work alongside autistic peers. These are future teachers. The classrooms they will one day lead are already being shaped by what they learned at Spark a Spectrum 2026.
Three local institutional partners joined at UHCL on April 2, each bringing service to autistic adults, young people, and their families.
Samuel Garcia, MSW, LCSW, LCDC, Instructor and Psychotherapist with the Center for Transition Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and Tiffany Castenell, LMSW, staffed a booth offering information and resources on transition-age medical care,the often-underserved stretch between pediatric and adult healthcare that so many autistic young adults and their families have to navigate alone. Connecting families with a clinic built for exactly that transition is the kind of practical support that makes a difference long after an event ends.
Dr. David Fray, DDS, MBA, Professor at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, brought his team to autistic adults with a generous mix of hands-on care: oral health consultations, free brushing-technique demonstrations, personalized advice, and gifts. Dr. Fray's work is part of the Texas Collaborative Care Project, supported by the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities. Dental care is one of the most commonly inaccessible forms of healthcare for autistic adults, and seeing UT Dentistry meet people where they were,with patience, expertise, and warmth,was exactly the kind of practice the broader field needs more of.
Samantha Pulse, Director, and Venssa Dondiego, Office Supervisor, of KidsU at the UHCL Center for Educational Programs (College of Education), brought their team to host activities and gifts for children, making sure the youngest visitors to Spark a Spectrum had a space that was theirs. Samantha's year-round work building inclusive, hands-on learning experiences for children across the Greater Houston region,through KidsU summer camps, the Hawk STEAM Academy, the Literacy Clinic, and the annual STEM Conference,made her presence on April 2 feel like a natural extension of what she already does every day. Her booth was full of energy and joy, and the gifts went home with families as small reminders of a day built for them.
Thank you to the student workers in the CEP,Yocheved Martinez, Natalie Ramirez, Trevor Engler, and Alexis Johnson,who have supported the vocational program and students not only on the day of the event but continuously throughout the years.
To Samuel, Tiffany, Dr. Fray, Samantha, and the teams behind them: thank you for showing what inclusive community looks like in practice.
Spark a Spectrum 2026 is the platform. It was built so autistic adults could lead, create, broadcast, teach, and dream out loud,not as recipients of awareness, but as the people generating it.
Let's spotlight the people behind the scenes: Dr. Dorothea Lerman, Chair of the Behavior Analysis Program and Director of the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at UHCL; the Behavior Analysis graduate students coordinating the vocational clinic, Annie Jones and Diana Mendoza; and volunteer students Aaliyah Hamilton, Audrey Wilbanks, Chris Thomas, Elizabeth Beeman, Emad Farjo, Trinh Nguyen, Helena Merritt, and Chloe Adeniyi.
Philip held the world together on the broadcast. Hoang opened the global day with music. Eilan stood in Kuwait and demanded to be heard and understood. Hessah brought three languages and two pending papers to the conversation about how we talk about neurodivergence. The Clear Lake High School students showed up and helped throughout the event. Anjana welcomed guests. Nicholas, Keith, John, Alex, and the Vocational Clinic team built what made the event possible behind the scenes. Abigail coordinated the art. Isaac coordinated the dance. Sherman builds worlds in 3D. Kosi's art carried our message around the globe. Shaun reminded us why visibility matters. Kanye inspired us. We make the possibilities.
Clear Lake High School, Alternative Academic Classroom Special Education Class (7 students),Mrs. Meghana Yelluru, Teacher, and Mrs. Sarah Pu, Paraprofessional
Baylor College of Medicine Transition Clinic | UT School of Dentistry, Dr. Fray | Center for Educational Programs, UHCL | Clear Lake High School General Education Crew, Mrs. Kailey Macik, T.E.T., and her 15 students
Dr. Dorothea Lerman | Loukia Tsami | Annie Jones | Diana Mendoza Lara | Aaliyah Hamilton | Audrey Wilbanks | Chris Thomas | Elizabeth Beeman | Emad Farjo | Trinh Nguyen | Helena Merritt | Chloe Adeniyi
In this story, we highlight individuals based primarily in the United States, with upcoming blogs exploring Spark a Spectrum efforts in Africa and Europe.