With many working autistic adults facing unemployment or underemployment, I’ll admit that sometimes finding another autistic adult who is not only working but loves the work they do can be a little bit like finding a unicorn. Luckily, with a little help from Clain Udy, I didn’t have to look very far for my next interview subject!
Tessa McEvoy and I are both freelancers for First Ascent: Autism Career Development. With my flair for the written word and Tessa’s ability to design beautiful and eye-catching graphics that really pop on social media, we make quite the team (in fact, I feel like we should collaborate on a children’s book together!). But Tessa and I have a lot more in common with one another than just being two talented autistic women who happen to freelance for the same person.
We sat down together over a delicious Thai lunch where Tessa told me her story. I discovered she’s a huge fan of Habbo Hotel and Epic Mickey (two games I used to adore!).
RM: So, tell us a little about what exactly it is you do for Clain!
TM: That is a really great question! As an autistic artist, I’ve always been very interested in freelancing, taking commissions, and doing artwork for individuals. For Clain, I help manage his social media. I do promotional graphics such as inspirational quotes along with advertisements. I haven’t rolled out any advertisements yet since Clain is still launching his program. Once the program gets off the ground, that’s when I’ll start running the advertisements. As far as the inspirational quotes, I post quotes that will inspire parents as well as autistic individuals.
RM: I follow you on social media and I really enjoy a lot of your work! You mentioned you were in school at the moment?
TM: I’m actually studying digital design!
RM: Is that something you’re looking to do as a long-term career?
TM: That is correct! Ever since I turned fifteen, I’ve been really interested and fascinated in digital design and gaming art. Especially when I started playing Habbo Hotel and in the game, I’d visit the shops and see all of these really nice, fancy clothes! Of course, I needed a way to earn some money in the game to purchase the clothing. So, I started advertising that I was taking commissions drawing realistic depictions of other people’s avatars! Next thing I knew, I got my first commission to draw an avatar for someone named Daisy, and I got twenty Habbo coins! Ever since then, I’ve been drawing and doing designs for the Habbo Hotel community, the Disney community, the slot machine community, and really just about anyone that needs logos, website design and art, thumbnail art, and social media branding. This includes things like interim posts, edited videos, and so much more! I actually started my career at seventeen years old doing branding for one of the biggest gaming channels on YouTube with over a million subscribers! I can’t say who because of a non-disclosure agreement, but I helped them get them over one million followers on both of their social media platforms. Plus, I do a lot of social media marketing and management. During my time with them, I also discovered my passion for making thumbnails and for video editing, which actually brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction. Unfortunately, because of school and the time commitment they needed from me (eight hours a week), I couldn’t continue working for them. I actually quit back in April, and just tried to have an easy, chill summer. I went to the National Apraxia Conference, and that’s when I started inquiring about digital design internships or social marketing internships with the organization. Unfortunately, they didn’t have either. So, I went to Firefly Autism and events hosted by the Colorado Neurodiversty Chamber of Commerce which is how I met Clain! As of now, I want to continue digital design into my adulthood, but I’d also love to pivot into game design or slot machine design. Either way, I’m in for the ride of my life!
RM: On social media, I’ve seen you use the handle “Slots of Infodumping”. I’m always curious to hear about different people’s special interests, so here’s your chance to go nuts! Tell me where that came from?
TM: Back in 2013, I stumbled across the game Epic Mickey and the “It’s a Small World” clock tower, which is the first boss fight in the game. Getting ready to fight and ready for battle, something about that tickled my fancy and sparked my interest!
RM: It’s funny you mentioned Epic Mickey! I haven’t thought about that game in years!
TM: They actually have a new one coming out called Epic Mickey Rebrushed! So going back to slot machines and the clock tower, what was really amazing is just the way the goofy, grinning head moved, and it just sparked a huge glimmer of joy in me of seeing it! Maybe there was something about the geometrical shapes, or maybe it was the art style. I’ll never know. Welcome to my life! But for at least two years, I was in love with the clock tower! The joke was, “Oh Tessa! Why couldn’t you fall in love with Tinkerbell? Why did you fall in love with the clock tower?!” Fast forward to 2015, my special interest in the clock tower starts dwindling, and here comes slot machines! By this time, I already have an award-winning web comic called Space Cadet that’s in full-swing. It’s about a girl named Jess who aspires to go to Mars. It teaches girls about STEM and space along with scientific and mathematical concepts. Now here I am trying to contend with my very first web comic, and slot machines! And keep in mind that at this point, I’m fifteen or sixteen years old. So, you know what I do? I go by the alias Simon Cleath! I chose Simon Cleath because if you rearrange the letters, they spell “slot machine”.
RM: Now that’s clever!
TM: Thank you! But here’s the catcher: you wanna know how I got into slot machines? As my interest in the clock tower was dying, I started getting into vintage Chuck E. Cheese arcade games. And when I say vintage Chuck E. Cheese, I mean how it was back in the 1980s! So I started looking into arcade games developed by Bay Tek, Incredible Technologies, and BMI gaming! In 2016, my family goes up to a timeshare in Winter Park. Of course, for us, it was a free hotel, so who would want to pass this up? So, we went to this beautiful luxury resort, and of course there was the biggest, best real Bay Tek! It’s this giant, amazing arcade machine! I took a photo of the machine, and next thing I know, I’m researching the heck out of it, and I was fascinated by it! I stumbled upon this beautiful IGT s2000 double-diamond slot machine, and it was love at first sight! It led me to an article about gambling addiction, and what about slot machines are so addictive. This actually led me to start researching gambling addiction for my advanced-placement art class! You know what’s ironic? As I’m working on this, I’m literally falling in love with slot machines! The graphics, the shapes, the reels, everything is so beautiful about them! So fluffy, so gorgeous! I love slot machines so much! They’ve stuck with me since I was sixteen and now, I’m twenty-four going on twenty-five!
RM: Switching gears just a bit, let’s pretend you had your dream job. If anything were absolutely possible for you, what would you be doing and who would you be working for?
TM: My dream job would be making slot machine cabinets and slot machine graphics, and I’d be working for International Gaming Technologies or Ainsworth. As a matter of fact, I’m working on my senior thesis which involves making the slot technician’s job more efficient and reducing the downtime of a machine on the casino floor.
RM: What are some things you’d like to see employers do to create a more inclusive work environment for autistic employees?
TM: That question is more loaded than a baked potato! So, let’s go! Number one, please be mindful when an employee isn’t sure they can stay at a place long-term. I’ve actually had employers tell me that they don’t think anyone else will hire me because I’m disabled. Number two, once the employee leaves, do not harass them on social media if they provide you with constructive criticism on Glassdoor. If something doesn’t sit well with me, I’ll provide constructive feedback on Glassdoor or Google Reviews in the hopes that future neurodivergent employees will have a better experience than I’ve had. A third thing I’d like employers to do is to please make it so that I am able to take breaks when I need to. Let me eat and drink at my desk if I have to. Sometimes I need a quiet place to cry if I need to, especially if I’ve been given negative feedback or if something is frustrating me. I find it very unproductive and very unrealistic when a coworker or manager says you should never cry at work, not even in the bathroom!
RM: On the flipside of that, let’s think about the work you’re doing for Clain. What ways would you say your current employer is fostering a positive working environment for someone with autism?
TM: When it comes to Clain, he’s one of the nicest, most genuine employers I’ve ever had! He gives me the flexibility to decide between texting and calling, and he doesn’t expect an instantaneous response. He also doesn’t overload my plate, and if he has extra work for me, he lets me know a few days in advanced so I can prepare for the additional workload. I’ve also got to say that he’s very matter-of-fact and to-the-point. If I need clarification on something, he’s happy to give it to me without making assumptions or jumping to conclusions. If something isn’t working, he never tells me “You’re wrong for doing it this way”, but he offers me constructive criticism and a chance to do better.
RM: Do you have any advice to autistic adults looking for a job?
TM: To be very honest, this is a very tricky job market. It takes a lot of patience and I highly recommend getting your resume reviewed. Also, be up front with the manager about any accommodations that you need early on.