About Lauren Melissa
Lauren Melissa Ellzey, also known as Autienelle, is a novelist and autism advocate living in New York City. Her identities serve as a central theme in both her writing and advocacy work, highlighting autism, queerness, and Black and multiracial experiences. And each story she crafts has been inspired by her passion for her autistic special interests. Read more...
StreamLine (2024)
Gimmicks and Glamour (2023)
Boy at the Window (2022)
Senior Thesis Award: Creative Writing (2013) - If Women Were Moments
Blue Legs & Other Stories (2011) - "Water Puddles"
Crombie Allen Award for Writing (2011) - "Water Puddles"
Crombie Allen Award for Writing Finalist (2010) - "Dendrophilia"
Merry Sorrows (Un)Happy Endings (2010) - Contributor
Nest Support Project at NYU (2021-Present) - Consultant
Onwumere, D., Patten, K., Murthi, K., Akrofi, N.S., & Ellzey, L.M. (2025). Strength-based frame of reference for autistic individuals. In P. Kramer & J. Hinojosa (Eds.), Frames of reference for pediatric occupational therapy (pp. 437–470). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Ellzey, L.M. (2025). Sensory Safe Environment. In A.G. Brown & S. Cohen (Eds.), The Autism Nest Model: an inclusive education framework for autistic children, 2nd Edition (pp. 115–131). Future Horizons.
Ellzey, L.M. (2025). Race and Autism. In R. Duffus and L. Rivera, Autism, identity, and me: a practical workbook to empower autistic children and young people aged 10+. Routledge Publishing.
Ellzey, L.M. (2024). Review of the book Rules for camouflage, by K. Cronn-Mills. Disability in LIS, 1. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/dislis/vol1/iss2024/
Program for Inclusion and Neurodiversity Education (2021-2024) - Panelist, Presenter, Consultant
Color of Autism (2022-2024), Childcare and Parent Advocacy Trainings - Presenter
Making Mentors (2023-2024) - Coach, Presenter
Kind Theory, Neurodiversity Event (2024) - Keynote Speaker
Autism Camp Australia, Neurodiversity Master Class (2024) - Presenter, Chapter Co-Author
United Nations, World Autism Day (2022-2023) - Panelist
Yellow Ladybugs, Supporting Autistic Girls & Gender Diverse Youth (2023) - Contributor
Reframing Autism (2022-2023) - Presenter
City University of New York (CUNY) Neurodiversity Conference (2022-2023) - Presenter
Inclusion Festival (2022-2023) - Panelist, Workshop Presenter
Stanford University Neurodiversity Summit (2022) - Presenter
NYC Children's Theatrer (2022) - Read Aloud Presenter
Different Brains, Spectrumly Speaking Podcast, Episode 134 (2022) - Guest
Mentra, Living at Intersections (2022) - Panelist
Meaningful Speech, Echolalia Lunch and Learn (2022) - Presenter
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Story-Telling and Self-Advocacy (2022) - Presenter
Pennsylvania State University, Understanding Autism through the Actually Autistic Lens (2021) - Presenter
Out for Undergraduate (O4U) Engineering Conference (2021) - Presenter
HikiApp (2020-2022) - Content Creator
Pima County Health Department, Autism: Education & Equity (2021) - Speaker
Cripple Media (2021-2022), Identity Editor
NeuroClastic (2020-2022) - Contributor
Mentally Where, Talk It Out Newsletter (2021) - Interview
BBC Minute, "What Is Asperger's?" (2019) - Content Creator
AbleZine, Issue 2 (2021) - "Ask Autienelle"