Autistic people are underemployed regardless of educational attainment. Making Mentors pairs autistic students from CUNY and NYU with autistic high school students. It seeks to help autistic high school students transition into college and/or the workforce, as these types of transitions can be difficult for autistic people. This abstract is written by three mentors at CSI:

• My name is Kenny. I am a mentor for Making Mentors. Becoming a teacher was something I wanted to do before joining Making Mentors, but I doubted my ability to succeed. I gained support and confidence through Making Mentors, as I was able to work with others who can relate to my experience as a neurodivergent individual. Being a mentor is rewarding because I am on the autism spectrum so I know what these kids go through. Through interacting with leaders of Making Mentors, I became more confident and developed coping strategies.
• My name is Lela. I am also a mentor. I struggled to find a job that would suit my needs. For me, social interactions are incredibly draining and I tend to get overstimulated. Despite the exhaustion that results from social interaction, when engaged with a topic of interest, my energy level is maintained. This exception is the key to my success. When I spoke with Louis from Making Mentors, he told me that instead of trying to find a job that fits, I should take a hobby I enjoy and turn it into a career. Louis' advice was invaluable, as I'm not sure I would have discovered this on my own. The connection between neurodivergent folks is undeniable. Growing up,
• I, Victoria (also a mentor), found out I had autism when I was 15. I met Louis and Rita who helped me see that I am good at mentoring high school students. I love being a mentor; I would like to be a mentor as a career. I would also like to work with children and help them reach their potential.

We all have differences and that's what makes us great. We issue feedback forms to mentors and mentees at the end of each session which ask how they felt about the session, something they liked, something they would change, and an overview of what was discussed. We will review the feedback to recommend modifications and track if improvements help. Our work can help address the cycle of unemployment for autistic individuals.

Additional Presenters: Lela Fluker, Victoria DeSantis