Mickey has a thing about cats. He talks about them. He purrs and meows like them. He collects stuffed animal cats and he makes a lot of cat-based puns. But when he visits a cat shelter, maybe to take home a kitten of his own, his mother finds out Mickey is actually scared of the real thing, which is more unpredictable than he's comfortable with. But his cat patter serves a purpose.

What is it like to be autistic? Hear straight from the source, as people across the spectrum share their thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Donald Triplett's community has embraced him all his life, since even before autism was a recognized diagnosis -- setting an all too rare example of acceptance by an entire community.

Del Parks' mom Stephanie is studying the challenges faced by people of color when the system fails to deliver accurate diagnoses of autism.

For children on the autism spectrum, bullying at school is all too common, and leaves lifelong scars. Amy Gravino shares her own painful memories.

The workplace: a challenging environment for many people on the spectrum, even when they have unique skills employers would value. Mickey McGuinness keeps trying.

Jonah Lutz is an autistic man whose challenges are so profound that society tends to look away, rather than celebrate his differences in TV dramas and movies. Yet at least 30 percent of people on the spectrum live with challenges of a similar degree. His family is his main support system.

A mother tracks down the first person ever diagnosed with autism, now an elderly man living in rural Mississippi, to learn if his life story holds promise for her own autistic son. Her journey exposes a startling record of cruelty and kindness alike, framed by forces like race, money and privilege – but leads to hope that more communities are learning to have the backs of people on the spectrum.