Meet Alex Astrella

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alex Astrella . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alex below.

Hi Alex , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Through my grade school years and even during early college, I definitely struggled to find an identity for myself. I constantly was reinventing myself every year trying to “fit in” and be accepted. At the time though, nobody except my family and relatives knew about my Autism diagnosis. I was constantly living on the line between being wanted to be accepted as normal and also wanting to express my true, inner weirdness (which I’ve found out is who I really am!).

During college, I finally started to peel away at the layers that helped me reveal my true purpose on this earth. By telling people about my autism diagnosis, I was able to be comfortable in my own skin. I also knew that autism didn’t define me, but was essentially my own superpower. Utilizing this superpower, I began to dive into the world of film and special education, where I knew my strengths lied.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I was born in 1996 and was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when I was 2 years old in Los Angeles, CA. I was/am high functioning, which meant that I wasn’t in Special Education classes, but I still always felt kind of out of place growing up. Through adolescence and adulthood, I came into my own and instead of dismissing my disability, I began to embrace it. Embracing my disability not only led me to becoming happier, but it also allowed me to pursue my passions of filmmaking and giving back to the autism community that helped me blossom into the person I am today.

I am proud to say that I now own my own production company, Blu Star Productions, and have my M.Ed. in Special Education from Vanderbilt University with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. The most exciting part of what I do is that I use my knowledge of documentary filmmaking to make an impact in the Special Needs community. Most of my films highlight stories that represent underrepresented communities, and recently almost all of my work has focused on creating stories that push the boundary in the autism space. My newest film, “Free Play” depicts the power of middle TN’s largest all-inclusive playground which brings children with and without disabilities together in a common space. The film I am currently working on, “Extraordinary Character,” documents a neurodivergent theater troupe’s school tour across 10 different middle schools in San Diego, CA.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
For me, resilience is something that has always helped me overcome obstacles along the way. With my autism and diagnosed depression, I have dealt with a lot of adversity in my life. Remembering how far I have come, and knowing what I still have to accomplish helps me persevere-even in the hardest moments. In addition, I think seeing how much more independent I have become over the years has been something I am very proud of. From being scared to go out on the weekends to living alone across the country for three years, independence has allowed me to fully flex my creative muscles. And lastly none of this would have been possible without the knowledge my parents imbued upon me. I have them to thank for nearly everything and am forever grateful. They have always supported both my endeavors in filmmaking and special education, and without that support I doubt I’d be talking to y’all today.

For people still early on their journey, I think resilience is one of the most crucial keys to success. At so many points along my own journey I was on the brink of giving up, but powering through was so worth it. At some points the weight of the world might feel immense, but I promise when you make it to the other side, you’ll be proud of what you overcame.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
Enrolling me in applied behavior analysis at 3 years old to help with my autism. I know it can be an area of controversy, but the tools I gained from this experience helped me acquire the foundational tools for the success I experience today. Had I not gone through applied behavior analysis for 5 years, I don’t think I would have the passion to give back to the autistic community that I have now. And that passion really fuels my life. Applied behavior analysis also taught me so many lessons that I still carry with me into adulthood; in fact, some of the strategies I didn’t fully comprehend as a child became more prevalent and useful as an adult.

The list could go on and on for how my parents have positively impacted me, but applied behavior analysis treatment is definitely at the top of the list.

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Image Credits
Caleb McLaughlin, Malcolm Coffman

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