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In this issue, actress Holly Robinson Peete discusses her 2021 Hallmark movie, Our Christmas Journey, in which the main character is a teenage boy who has autism and is played by actor Nik Sanchez, who is also on the autism spectrum. Peete and her husband Rodney Peete–who was an NFL quarterback, now turned sports talk radio host–have two special needs children: a son with autism and a daughter who was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the latter condition also found in up to 30 to 50% of those with autism.
 
Holly Robinson Peete, who is not only an actress, has also worked with Hallmark as an executive producer and content controller. It was her idea to have a movie on autism with an actor who is also autistic. The Peetes also created The HollyRod Foundation, which is dedicated to raising awareness and providing resources to families that have a loved one who has received an autism or Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis.