Gillis Williams and his ‘Autism Choose Me’ business

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It started in a dorm room in Pullman, Washington. Washington State University student, and current Eugene resident, Gillis Williams, created a TikTok account with the goal of starting up his own business.

While looking for a name, and batting around ideas, Williams took the advice of his dad, who told him that the business had to be one that caused the "pin to drop."

Thus, Autism Chose Me came into being.

Williams was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5 while living in Chandler, Arizona. Growing up, his diagnosis led to a number of challenges, including struggling to focus in class, and trouble connecting with peers, he said.

Over time, and with help from friends and family, he took on a new mindset when it came to being autistic -- something he hopes to share with those like him.

Autism is not a disease. It's not something where you're dysfunctional, or you have serious issues with yourself that need to be fixed," Williams said. "It's a disability; It's my super power."

As his TikTok following grew, so did his business. What started as speaking engagements slowly turned into merch lines, and a pop up store. Initially, Williams began selling clothes on the University of Oregon campus, near the EMU, before moving to downtown Eugene, next to Kesey Square, and then to a vendor spot inside Eugene's City Nights night club.

But even with a possible TikTok ban on the table, and despite two extensions on the initial ban itself, Williams said he's been looking ahead, and aiming to diversify.

"A couple years prior to [the TikTok ban] being discussed, I wanted to grow my Instagram, because my TikTok's good; I've got hundreds of thousands of followers," Williams said. "Now, I need to have a back up plan, and have multiple forms of good content."

On April 2, World Autism Awareness Day, Williams' Instagram account crossed the 10,000 mark.

Starting next week, Williams will tour around Eastern Oregon, speaking at schools about his experience with autism, and encouraging students who are neurodivergent, like him, to embrace it.

"I want to teach kids to accept yourself for who you are," Williams said. "I'm black and autistic, and I'm strong because of it."