Clyde and Hunter are two autistic advocates who share a passion for advocacy. They advocate for their voices to be heard and to help others’ voices to be heard, including mental health. But becoming an adult doesn’t happen alone. There are a lot of people and a lot of systems involved, and they don’t always agree. Clyde and Hunter look forward to sharing their journeys — how have they been supported, when did they have to speak up, how did they advocate with families, school, the medical system, and friends? They bring their lived experiences and ideas and hope to have a discussion around growing advocates.

Clyde Fruits is a senior at McFarland High School and sings in multiple choirs (Blue Notes, Kitten’s Mitten). He participates in Special Olympics softball and track, plays the piano, and works for both SUBWAY® and the Madison Mallards organization. Clyde hopes to attend UW-Oshkosh and eventually work in the music industry.

Hunter Markle is an Autistic young adult living in Stoughton. He is currently doing some hands-on training to be a certified peer mentor. He loves speaking on autism, mental health and self-advocacy. He enjoys playing games and heavy metal music. He has spoken at numerous conferences.