Meet N'Kobe T.

Advocating and making a long-lasting difference in the autism community through the inspiration of his brother.

N'Kobe T.

If I had to share any message with the autism community, it would be that I aspire to have the courage you all exhibit daily, and I am here as an advocate and as a friend until stories like my brothers are a thing of the past.

At just 23 years old, and currently a student at the University of Baltimore, N’Kobe Turner is pursuing a degree in business with a specialization in entrepreneurship. However, his passion extends well beyond the classroom. Inspired by his older brother, JR, who is on the autism spectrum, N’Kobe felt a strong sense of responsibility to create meaningful change within the autistic community. He wasn't satisfied with merely being a student with a business; he wanted to honor his brother and give back to him in a way that would positively impact others.

N'Kobe Headshot 2

Growing up, N’Kobe always admired his brother for his unique perspective and resilient spirit despite his challenges. He vividly remembers the heart-wrenching moments when his brother would sit alone at lunch because other kids were unwilling to befriend him or when adults would wrongfully yell at him for simply being himself. Despite this, he also saw his brother be comfortable being on his own, diving headfirst into his passion for art.  

These experiences shaped his understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with autism and ignited a passion within him to advocate for change.

N’Kobe’s commitment to autism awareness crystallized after a discriminatory incident where his brother was wrongfully banned from a grocery store for "making people uncomfortable" and "acting weird." When the staff later discovered he was autistic and apologized, it highlighted the urgent need for increased understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity. He took this experience to heart and made it his mission to raise awareness and support for individuals like his brother.

This journey led N’Kobe to establish Grandma's Southern Pies, a health-conscious dessert company that sells organic and gluten-free pies. His business is a tribute to his brother and a platform to effect change within the autistic community. 

We had the privilege of sitting down with N’Kobe to learn more about his advocacy and initiatives supporting the community. Learn more about his journey in this Q&A: 

Tell us more about Grandma’s Southern Pies.

Grandma’s Southern Pies is a health-conscious dessert business that manufactures organic, gluten-free, and vegan dessert pies and soon-to-be cookies so that consumers can satisfy that sweet tooth while still adhering to the guidelines of their diet. But this company has a bigger mission than just selling desserts. It started due to an incident with my autistic older brother. He’s experienced his fair share of bullying and discrimination because of his condition. Still, it came to a head when he got banned from a store for, in the store employees' words, “acting weird” and “making people uncomfortable,” all for being different. After they found out he was autistic, they apologized, but the damage had already been done. From that day, I made it my mission that, in everything I do, I would help to spread autism awareness so that stories like my brothers could be shared and not replicated. So, for every product we sell, we donate to Autism Speaks. As we grow, we plan to hire autistic individuals to help create our packaging and new recipes. 

What has been the impact of this project on your community?

The impact of this business on the community comes down to the stories we have been able to share and the support system we have created for individuals/families affected by autism. We have been able to connect with so many people in the community with children, siblings, and spouses who have autism, and we have been able to provide them with advocacy that brings them peace of mind. I remember talking to one of my professors about this business; she nearly broke down in tears. She said that she had an autistic son who had been fired from his job unjustly and that it was difficult for her son to be able to figure out what to do next at this stage of his life. I connected with her over my shared experience with my brother. I explained how I was speaking at various business events to spread autism awareness by telling my brother's story and that I would love to share her son's story as well. She was so overwhelmed with joy that someone saw her and her son's struggle as essential and that we genuinely wanted to highlight his experience. He, along with my brother, are also going to be among the first autistic individuals that we plan to hire in the coming year. 

N'Kobe 2

What does being a community supporter of the autism community mean to you? 

Being a community supporter of the autism community means I can support people like my brother in a more significant way. I no longer must watch as people walk by my brother at the lunch table - I can speak with people and change their perspective on autistic individuals. It means I can help create job opportunities through my business. It means that I must listen to the struggles of the autistic community and spread awareness throughout the general community. It means I must be the change I want to see in my community. It means that people like my brother can count on me to support them.

We have been able to donate thousands of dollars to amazing autism awareness organizations, such as Autism Speaks, to contribute to the global spread of autism awareness. Spending this past year advocating for my brother and hearing stories of people in my community, whether at my college, business conferences, or even family events, has taught me that the first step to awareness is a community committed to supporting autistic individuals. And the only way to build a community of individuals committed to supporting those individuals is by sharing the stories of those affected and highlighting how we, as a community, can improve how we treat autistic individuals.

What is the message that you would like to share with the community?

If I had to share any message with the autism community, it would be that I aspire to have the courage you all exhibit daily, and I am here as an advocate and as a friend until stories like my brothers are a thing of the past.

 

The story shared above represents the experience, views and perspectives of the individual(s) highlighted. We aim to share stories across the spectrum and throughout the life span, but the information provided on our website is not a recommendation, referral or endorsement of any resource, therapeutic method, or service provider and does not replace the advice of medical, legal or educational professionals.