Episode 82: Antonio Tolson - AJ and The Cool Kids

When two great minds come together, the results will be even greater. This is the case for Antonio Tolson and Dr. Tonya Arnold.  The pair has teamed up to raise awareness about autism and educate others about what the condition is all about, and how it affects families.  

 

     Antonio is a native of Washington, DC.  He moved to Charlotte, NC, in 2013, and would eventually marry the love of his life, Tonya.  Together, they share one son, AJ, who was diagnosed with autism in 2019.  “It all started with a lady from the AVA Clinic. She told us that our son has autism, good luck, and then walked out of our home,” he says.  Antonio shares that moment left him and his wife speechless, but he realized that he needed to do something about his son’s diagnosis.

    

   In response to his son’s diagnosis, they launched a nonprofit organization, AJ and The Cool Kids.  Some of the services provided by their organization include Occupational and Speech Therapy to their clients. They also conduct an annual walk at the Caramont Health Center in Gastonia, NC, during the first week of April.  They also conduct an annual gala during the first week of August.  “We try to give other families as much support as possible and let them know that life isn’t over just because their child has autism.”

 

     Dr. Tonya Arnold is originally from Greensboro, NC.  She attended North Carolina A&T State University and later transferred to Winston-Salem State University. There, she was commissioned into the US Army as a Second Lieutenant, serving for a total of 22 years.  She retired in 2015 and moved to Charlotte, which allowed her to be closer to her mother’s side of her family, and also experience what it’s like to live in a big city.  In Charlotte, she began working on her Masters in Public Administration.  She says, “Since being in Charlotte, when compared to living in Greensboro, and being active in various community service-based organizations, including working with small businesses and being in the military, I’ve noticed that our nonprofit doesn’t get the necessary amount of funding and equity that most other businesses receive. I believe a lot of it is due to what has been coined “the hustle”.  What I am trying to do with businesses and nonprofits, for-profits, and community-based organizations, is to make sure that they are legitimate, operationally sound, and are in compliance on the federal, local, and state levels.”  Additionally, in her capacity, she initially began working as a consultant from a pro-bono perspective. Dr. Arnold has worked with sororities and with the Ben L. Smith High School Alumni Association in Greensboro. She is also a member of the Cobra Sports Foundation.  “In these roles, I have been able to understand processes,” she says.  She also has a media and publishing arm with her brand.  With this, she gives opportunities to others to share their stories, which are relevant to them; their history and struggles told from their perspective.    

 

     Amazingly, with all that she has done, Dr. Arnold created a consulting business, Arnold Consulting Group.  She says that Antonio has greatly inspired her.  “Antonio and Tonya have allowed me to work with AJ and The Cool Kids for nearly four years.  He soon shared some visions he had with me.  I listened and asked him if he ever thought about writing a book.  He was open to the idea, and we met a few times to discuss the structure of what the book would be, until the idea became a reality,” she says.

 

     The book, A Father’s Voice, Raising A Son with Autism, is about Antonio’s son, AJ, but it also reaches fathers who have children with different disabilities and disorders.  A soft launch was held in March of this year. During that event, Antonio shared what the vision and intentions are for the book, and he also realized that a workbook should accompany it.  

     

     Since publishing his book, Antonio’s schedule has become very busy.  He has been interviewed and made appearances on several television stations in Charlotte.  He has been a guest on a podcast and is scheduled for a few others. During the month of July, he will attend an Autism Dad Weekend event in Atlanta, GA.  On August 8th, they will host their annual gala and most significant fundraising event, themed Under The Cherry Moon.  It will be held at Caramont Health Park in Gastonia, NC.  In September, he’s been asked to speak at The Autism Strong event, called Field Strong that will take place in Charlotte.  

 

     “Things are moving.  I am a person who puts high expectations on myself.  I do not like to do things halfway.  I can’t thank Dr. Arnold enough for pushing me to write the book.  I always wanted the book to mean something to me, and not just for the sake of being an author.  I have learned since writing the book that there are a lot of men and fathers who feel like me, but just didn’t know how to express themselves,” Antonio says.

 

     To purchase a copy of A Father’s Voice, Raising A Son with Autism, please contact Antonio directly.  You may also find it on Amazon and Kindle.  To purchase tickets to attend their gala and to learn more about AJ and The Cool Kids, please visit their website.

 

www.ajandthecoolkids.org

 

www.huamimagazine.com