Rachel McCowan of Oregon entered a 2024 t-shirt design contest for the Second Annual Autism Walk in Salem, Oregon and won. She is pictured wearing the design.
The name of the artwork is “Autistics, Arise!”
Oregon’s Autism Society sponsors the annual event. Rachel’s design won over hundreds of entries, and she will enter it again this year.
Rachel is the daughter (ushi tek) of Shawn and Michael McCowan, granddaughter of Sandra Okema Williams and great-granddaughter of origional Choctaw enrollee, Georgia Riddle.
In a sign displayed at the event, Rachel explained why art is so important to her.
“Talking has always been difficult for me. I may not always be able to speak well, but I can still communicate through my art. I have Auditory Processing Disorder(APD) and Autism (ASD), but I express myself through my cartoons to convey a meaningful message to my audience. Sometimes, difficult messages can be shared more easily with non-threatening cartoon figures, especially for young people. As a cartoonist, I like to use my ideas, gifts and talents to show God’s work in me through me.”