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Illustration by Mark Harris / Source: Tempest McDonald
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When autistic kids grow up, Chapter 2: “You need to go to college”
With just a high school equivalency degree and struggling as a single mother, Tempest McDonald is forced to shift her priorities.
By
Brady Huggett
11 June 2026 | 1 min read
In Chapter 2 of “When autistic kids grow up,” after her stint as a semi-professional pool player and the birth of her son, Tempest McDonald goes west to start her belated journey through higher education.
Read the transcript. Listen to Chapters 1, 3, 4 and 5.
High school: While on a psychedelic journey in her teenage years, Tempest McDonald realized she needed mentors.
All images courtesy of Tempest McDonald
Paired up: After moving to California to attend Citrus College, McDonald met Fikriye Ozmerall (front), an artist.
In it together: McDonald’s son, Avis, was born in Atlanta; she dedicated her Ph.D. thesis to him.
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