Learning to Belong: My Life with Autism

My name is Leena Masarweh, and I was diagnosed with autism at age two after early speech delays and difficulty communicating. Throughout preschool and elementary school, I was in special education and received speech therapy, occupational therapy, playgroup services and support from an ABA therapist who helped me interact with peers. By fifth grade, I no longer needed occupational therapy due to my improved progress. My parents and maternal grandparents were deeply supportive, driving me to appointments, helping with my needs and teaching me about Afghan culture.

Speech therapy helped me make friends despite early bullying. In middle school, I no longer needed ABA, though I still struggled academically and socially. With collaborative classes, speech therapy and extra help, I improved my reading comprehension, made the honor roll all three years, and graduated with a 3.5 GPA despite ongoing bullying.

In high school, I moved from special ed to resource classes. Choir outside of school at Contra Costa Children’s Chorus from 8th grade-senior year of high school and in-school choir as a freshman both helped me manage social anxiety, and I continued receiving classroom support and speech therapy until senior year. I took two AP classes, improved socially and academically and graduated with a 3.6 GPA.

I attended Cal State Monterey Bay from 2012–2016 and used disability accommodations such as notetakers, LiveScribe pens, extended time and tutoring. These supports helped me succeed in challenging classes like remedial math and my capstone. I also worked various jobs, including at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Café, as a Farsi class intern at the Defense Language Institute, and as a balloter for Quality Home Services. These roles helped me grow socially, even when the environments were difficult for my sensory needs. I also volunteered as a student teacher. I graduated with a BA in Humanities and Communication with a concentration in Chicano Studies.

After college, I held several jobs in Monterey as a camp counselor, surveyor, tutor, merchandiser, sales clerk, and administrative assistant, but constant social demands and past trauma from bullying and being misunderstood took a toll on my mental health. I was hospitalized at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) and realized Monterey was no longer home, so I moved back to the Bay Area.

I worked as an ABA therapist for autistic children, which was meaningful, but the pandemic worsened my mental health and physical health issues, leading me to move back in with my parents. After recovering physically, I took writing courses from 2022–2024. Late in 2024, my grandfather developed dementia and passed away in January 2025, which resurfaced grief from losing my grandmother in 2014 and other lifelong traumas. I experienced suicidal thoughts and was hospitalized again at Kaiser Walnut Creek and later at Contra Costa County Hospital. Afterward, I realized I needed the right therapy to help me regulate emotions and manage meltdowns.

I wrote a book, Parisa’s Identity, about an Iranian girl with autism. I’m still discovering my passion, but I’ve made significant progress in social interactions, connecting with Afghan and Iranian communities and improving my Farsi reading, writing and speaking skills.