AJ Dome: Manhattan woman overcomes challenges of autism to advocate for others

Feb. 7—Angela Chapes said when she began writing for Autism Parenting Magazine a couple of years ago, she wanted to share her experiences with others to make the world better for people who live with disabilities.

"Nothing should stop them," Chapes said. "If you put your mind to it, you can do it."

Chapes, 40, is a Manhattan native who lives with autism and associated anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She said she was diagnosed in her mid-20s.

"I think it's more common to get a later diagnosis," Chapes said. "They didn't know as much about autism back then, and people may slide by because they just seem more normal, but they may have a disability and you may not know it."

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, describes a broad range of conditions usually characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech or nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism affects about one in 44 children in the U.S.

Chapes said while autism and how it affects people is becoming more understood by the scientific community and the general population, it's still important to treat those with autism with respect.

"There may be different levels of autism, but we're all people," Chapes said, "and we can have our own strengths and own goals and accomplish all sorts of things at our own levels."

The nonprofit organization Autism Speaks states on its website that signs of autism typically appear in children by age 2 or 3, and each person with autism develops a "distinct set of strengths and challenges" because of a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Chapes told The Mercury she was a "troubled child" who created chaos everywhere she went.

"But I had a mom who loved me, who cared about me," Chapes said, "who believed in me and never gave up on me. If she hadn't believed in me, I would've probably been in juvenile hall or something."

In a blog post for The Art of Autism website from 2021, Chapes wrote that she was mean to her father and brothers growing up. She would "break things, tear out my hair, talk about the same thing over and over again and have temper tantrums."

"I overcame those obstacles because my mom was always there to guide me," Chapes wrote. "She held me together."

Chapes' mother, Lou Ann Chapes, died in 2013 after battling dementia. It was during that "really down" time for her that she met retired educator and local volunteer Tom Ruzicka through the Manhattan-based mental health organization Morning Star, Inc. Ruzicka said Morning Star helped Chapes "come out of her shell."

"I was at a low point in my life," Chapes said. "I lost my mom, and I was in a dark hell hole. I found Morning Star, and I started to grow. I started communicating and finding I had skills I never knew I had."

Morning Star is a peer-run organization, which allowed Chapes to gain work experience while receiving mental health support. She quickly went from a client of the agency to an employee, overcoming an issue with mathematics to learn bookkeeping and payroll. She's helped write grants, newsletters and compile survey reports. Today, Chapes is the assistant director and peer support leader for Morning Star.

She also serves as a peer support specialist for Pawnee Mental Health Services in Manhattan, a position she's held since last January. Additionally, Chapes is a member of the nonprofit educational group Toastmasters International, which allows people across more than 14,000 regional clubs to enhance their public speaking and leadership skills via hour-long club meetings.

"Through Toastmasters, I found that I wanted to write," Chapes said. "So, I found all sorts of blogs and I just sent stories in, and they got published."

Though she has no children, Chapes began to submit articles to Autism Parenting Magazine as an advocate for herself and others who may share similar experiences with autism and other mental health differences.

"It's an outlet I can explore my feelings, what's in my brain, and hope that what I think can inspire others," Chapes said.

Chapes' advocacy through writing garnered her an award from Autism Parenting Magazine as a top supporter of people living with disabilities.

"One of the things she's told me is that being an advocate is really just letting other people know how important they are as individuals," Ruzicka said. "When I first met Angela, she could not look either myself or anybody in the eye and talk to them. She has grown so much in her confidence."

Chapes said she never thought her life would get better as she got older, but it did, thanks to support from her mother and mentors like Ruzicka.

"Anybody can be an advocate for themselves," Chapes said. "For me, advocating for myself means always asking questions. ... That's how you get better, that's how you know you're growing. Always ask questions."

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