Mia is our Person Of The Year!!
Mia is our Person Of The Year!!
Autism Society of Washington – 2025 Person of the Year
We are excited to announce that our 2025 Person of the Year is Mia Olivares.
About Mia
Mia’s Autistic journey began when she was diagnosed at age 5. Now 17, she has worked incredibly hard to navigate a world that can sometimes be confusing and unkind to Autistic and other Neurodivergent individuals.
Mia discovered both confidence and joy in running. Introduced to the sport by her parents, Joel and Viviana—who compete in half marathons, marathons, and triathlons as a platform to promote Autism acceptance and inclusion—Mia’s early race experiences were filled with anxiety and sensory challenges. Over time, she developed coping strategies, perseverance, and pride in her accomplishments.
Today, Mia has completed multiple road races, triathlons, and two Ragnar Relays. Through running, she discovered empowerment, community, and courage—enough to join her high school cross-country team, where she continues to thrive.
When asked what running means to her, Mia shared:
“I enjoy running because it makes me feel strong, gives me confidence, and helps me to make friends, which is fun.”
Mia and Team Autism Advocacy Warriors (formerly Team Autism Ohana) have been our biggest fundraisers for several years. We are so honored and proud of her continued dedication and the positive impact she and her family have made in promoting Autism acceptance and inclusion.
Mia embodies strength, inclusion, and the spirit of our community—a true inspiration and role model.
Congratulations, Mia!
We are also proud to share that total donations for 2025 reached $5,750, up from $4,075 in 2024.
Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make this year such a success for our community.
If you missed out on donating during the race, you can still contribute using this link:
Donate via PayPal
All donations made here will be added to Mia’s total.
Mia’s Run 2025
Mia and her Team were our biggest fundraiser last year! We are so thankful for Team Autism Advocacy Warriors!!!
Mia Olivares, Age 17
About the Fundraiser
On July 11-12, a group of 12 athletes will take on the challenge of the Ragnar Northwest Passage Relay, a 200 mile run from the Blaine, WA border crossing, straight through to Langley, WA. Each athlete will run an average 17 miles over the course of 36 hours. The team’s name is Autism Advocacy Warriors and they are running in support of Mia, a 17 year old who was diagnosed with Autism at an early age. Their motivation is to promote Autism Acceptance, empower and support Neurodivergent individuals and also to raise money for the Autism Society of WA. The runners of Team Autism Advocacy Warriors are Mia Olivares, Viviana Olivares, Joel Olivares, Corina Marin, Briana Marin, Alyssa DeGuzman, Rylea Moss, Mike Buffo, Juan Mejia, Carlos Lopez, Karl Hoffman, Henry Louie and Peter Dauenhauer. To further promote the cause, they have made team shirts and magnets (which in true Ragnar tradition, they covertly stick on to the other team’s vans). Their team is excited to help promote Autism Acceptance and to raise money for the Autism Society of WA and the many individuals that the organization directly benefits.
About Mia
Mia’s Autism journey began when she was diagnosed at age 5. She is now 17 and has worked very hard to learn to navigate a world that can at times be confusing and unkind to Autistic and other Neurodivergent individuals.
Mia has found confidence and joy in running. She was introduced to running through her parents, Joel and Viviana who began competing in half marathons, marathons and triathlons as a platform to promote Autism acceptance and inclusion. Mia’s first experiences at her parent’s races were filled with anxiety and sensory challenges. Over time, Mia learned to cope with these challenges and began participating herself. To date Mia has completed several road races, triathlons and has completed two Ragnar Relays! Through running Mia gained confidence, a sense of empowerment and enough courage to join her high school cross country team where she has flourished. When we asked Mia to tell us in her own words what running means to her she said, “I enjoy running because it makes me feel strong, gives me confidence and helps me to make friends, which is fun!” She is proud to be able to help others with Autism and is happy that running has helped to open several doors for her.
When: July 11-12, 2025
Road Northwest Passage Team Races
Blaine, WA to Langley, WA
The course:
Blaine to Langley
From the Canadian border to Whidbey Island, this road relay is a journey through iconic landmarks and stunning coastal views. Relish in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest as you run from forested trails to the sea with your team
Click here for more info on the event and course!
