Shakira Austin may be a force in the WNBA, but in her downtime, she is helping champion a cause bigger than basketball by raising awareness for children with autism.
Austin, now 25 and in her fourth year with the Washington Mystics, teamed up with her mother, Jessica King, her aunt, Reedema Rock, and a host of community partners to organize a basketball event this past Saturday for young athletes with autism.
According to the National Autistic Society, autism influences how people experience and interact with the world. It is a lifelong neurodivergence and often disability, and while every autistic person is unique, a diagnosis requires shared differences in how they think, feel and communicate compared to neurotypicals.
It was no coincidence that Saturday’s event took place at James Monroe High School. A standout prep athlete not too long ago, Austin began her high school career there, playing junior varsity as an eighth grader and varsity as a freshman before she transferred to Colonial Forge High School in Stafford County for her sophomore and junior seasons.
“I graduated from Riverdale Baptist in Maryland and played a lot of basketball for legendary coach Boo Williams,” Austin said of her final year in high school and experiences on the AAU circuit.
Advocating for kids with autism came naturally for Austin. She’s the godmother to her 8-year-old cousin, who has autism.
“Some people struggle with understanding autism, but I love it, and my little cousin is the one who sparked that interest for me,” Austin said.
The event began at 11 a.m. and continued until 4 p.m., giving the young athletes who look up to Austin five full hours with the Mystics’ forward, who was named Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year this past season.
Attendees began the day with breakfast and an introduction from Austin, followed by painting foam basketballs with designs matching the “Beyond the Arc” T-shirts worn by participants and organizers.
Rock credited her niece for leading the effort.
“I am very proud of her,” she said. “The kids are enjoying themselves, the parents are happy, and awareness is being brought to autism.”
The young attendees were clearly having fun, and Rock mentioned that discussions are already underway to make this an annual event.
After the painting activities, everyone moved to the gym, where the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft ran one-on-one drills, free-throw contests, and other basketball skill sessions. Attendees also had the option to play dodgeball and get their faces painted.
Fredericksburg native and WNBA standout Shakira Austin held a basketball camp for children with autism on Nov. 9 at James Monroe High School. (Photo by Car’niyah Dunn)
“The kids really loosened up once they got in the gym; they were no longer clinging to their parents,” Austin said.
Aware of the signs of an autism meltdown, Austin, Rock, and King set up sensory rooms, toys, and activities to keep the children happy and engaged.
Understanding the spectrum of autism can be challenging, but Austin has the experience to make a difference, learning from her little cousin and other family members with disabilities.
“My aunts have worked with schools and supported children with these types of diagnoses,” Austin said. “We also did a lot of research before the event, and we have faith that it will help both the kids and the community. The biggest challenge is to never let them get over-stimulated, and that’s where the sensory rooms come in,” she added.
While the kids painted in the classroom and played in the gym, Austin reflected on her time at JM.
“My siblings and I were talking about where we used to sit in art class and reminiscing about all our childhood friends at JM,” she said. “It’s a full circle moment and very nostalgic for me.”
Two families in attendance had previously met Austin at a Mystics game, and both returned to take part in Saturday’s event.
One young girl, Mia, was featured on the event’s flyer, while Nate Fleming, a Pennsylvania resident, brought his three daughters, ages nine, 12, and 15, so they could enjoy time with Austin and connect with other attendees like them.
“We drove about two and a half hours, and I brought everything they needed because I’m aware of my kids’ spectrums,” Fleming emphasized.
Fleming explained that two of his daughters are very tactile and enjoy playing with things like slime, while the other prefers open spaces and doesn’t like being confined.
Also a basketball coach, he was even given the opportunity to take his team to a Mystics game, and his players began sharing Austin’s event on Instagram — an event he himself eagerly anticipated attending.
King and Shawn Singletary, who handles marketing for Austin, explained that while the event was titled “Beyond the Arc,” it was King’s non-profit organization, Humanity Hope Initiative Inc., that spearheaded it.
“Shakira is bringing the community together and using the game of basketball to raise awareness for autism,” Singletary said.
Austin, King, and Rock stayed at JM until 2 a.m., setting up for the event and returned at 8 a.m. to make sure everything was perfect for the kids. Austin said she’s proud of her mother, who had never been involved in an event like this. Austin also said Rock didn’t hesitate to have her nonprofit, I am Royalty Fit For a King and Queen, sponsor the event.
Before the young participants left, they received a medal from Austin and snapped countless pictures. None of the kids wanted to leave Austin’s side as the event concluded.
“This event really came together,” King said. “Autism is close to my daughter’s heart, so this one was especially meaningful for us.”
