Clarissa Hinshaw

Being neurodiverse (autistic) has made made me more detailed and thorough in my work. It has also increased my critical thinking ability in evaluation and provided a different perspective that most neurotypical people don't think of. It has also helped me to fight for diversity in representation and support for marginalized groups. Here are some examples from my service in AmeriCorps: 1) While serving with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I took the initiative to launch a specialty program matching LGBTQ+ youth with affirming adult mentors. 2) During my time with TRACEs Central Oregon, I coordinated with my supervisor to make events more vegan friendly by sourcing and providing some plant-based options. 3) When serving at Up2Us Sports, I spoke up about my experience of being picked last and ostracized from sports activities in physical education and encouraged them to think about how to make their programs more inclusive for children with disabilities.