Kate Swenson, founder of Finding Cooper’s Voice, launched her website in November of 2014 in secret from her living room. She knew something was different about her son. She knew she was sad and confused and that it was a lot harder than it should be. She also knew she didn’t want anyone else to ever feel this alone in their feelings. She searched for a safe space, both online and in person, and couldn’t find one. So, she created one. Her writing speaks to the secret world of autism, the day-to-day wins and struggles and the joy that comes from it. Today her community, both virtual and in-person, consists of over 1.5 million people.
She has been called honest, polarizing, raw, and gritty and her relationship with her son has been described as breathtaking. She has created a safe place for families of children with disabilities to come together and share the unique joys and struggles that make up their lives. She publishes daily content written by special needs parents along with her own writing and videos.
In 2021, during the heart of the pandemic, Kate co-founded a nonprofit called The More Than Project that brought free mental health counseling to caregivers in need. Since its launch, her focus has turned to in-person retreat like events for hundreds of female caregivers twice a year to come together to laugh, cry, share, and learn.
In April of 2022, Kate’s first book, Forever Boy: A Mother’s Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy was published. This book has proven to speak to all audiences – it’s not only an honest, inspiring journey relatable to any family with autism in their lives, it’s also an eye-opening look for those who don’t. Forever Boy was a USA TODAY and WALL STREET JOURNAL bestseller, was featured on NBC’s The Today Show, and was picked by Amazon at best of the month pick: Nonfiction. Since the launch, Kate has launched her public speaking career and brings listeners into what she calls The Secret World of Autism. Kate’s next book, Autism Out Loud, will be released in April of 2025.
