Even caregivers need a caregiver. This belief drives Oluwakemi (Kemi) Barrow’s mission to support caregivers of individuals with autism – a mission that has taken her across continents and transformed the lives of many individuals. Through her tireless work, Barrow has become a beacon of hope for caregivers, helping them navigate the often-overwhelming journey of supporting loved ones with autism.
“There is so much you can’t control as a caregiver,” Barrow said. “But you can choose to give love and acceptance. I’ve worked with children with severely maladaptive behaviors, but if they feel loved and accepted, they can turn around and flourish. The autism caregiver’s journey is challenging, but it can be deeply transformational for both parties if you have the right mindset, approach, support, and tools.”
Barrow’s journey into autism care and advocacy began with personal experience. As a mother, she was determined to find solutions for her own child who was diagnosed with autism. Yet, she quickly realized that the resources available to families like hers were limited, and the path forward was unclear. This realization sparked her desire to create change, not only for her own family but also for others facing similar challenges.
In Fall 2025, Barrow will begin her doctoral studies in applied developmental science at Colorado State University’s College of Health and Human Sciences. Barrow is a wife, mother of two, teacher, entrepreneur, and the recipient of the Graduate School’s prestigious 2025 Land-Grant Fellowship. This fellowship recognizes outstanding incoming graduate students to CSU who demonstrate excellence in academics, scholarship, and community service. For Barrow, this recognition is a step forward in her lifelong mission to support caregivers of individuals with autism.
Barrow’s Land Grant Fellowship award offers an estimated $27,750 nine-month stipend and covers two semesters of tuition fees. This prestigious fellowship is one of the most competitive awards offered by CSU, with only two incoming graduate students receiving partial awards to help cover their tuition fees. The fellowship will allow Barrow to continue her important work, focusing on the development and implementation of support systems for caregivers who often feel isolated and underappreciated.
Building support where it’s needed most has always been a core tenet of Barrow’s work. She grew up in Nigeria, where autism is deeply stigmatized. In her home country, children with autism rarely receive the education they deserve and are often excluded from society. When Barrow’s first child was diagnosed with autism, she found herself feeling lost. As a teacher, she was accustomed to seeking answers, but there were very few resources or role models available, and public understanding was limited.
Determined to provide a better future for her child, Barrow and her husband turned to the internet for research and connected with other parents navigating the same journey. But when she enrolled her daughter in school, Barrow faced a harsh reality: the teacher didn’t engage with her child at all. The educational system was not prepared to support children with autism, and schools offering special support were almost nonexistent.
Undeterred, Barrow embarked on a mission to change the system. She traveled to South Africa and later to the United States to receive specialized training in educating children with autism. Armed with new knowledge and skills, Barrow returned home to Nigeria and founded the Thoughtful House Autism Center in Abuja. The Center redefined what was possible for children with autism in Nigeria, providing specialized programming for youth severely impacted by autism and helping them transition into mainstream schools.
But her work didn’t stop there. Barrow’s commitment to improving the lives of individuals with autism extended beyond her own center. Through Autism Walks, she began conducting community outreach to raise awareness about autism and offer resources to caregivers, teachers, and community leaders. Every year, Barrow and her team choose a new community to target, bringing together educators, religious leaders, and families to train them on how to best support autistic individuals. These efforts have led to stronger, more informed communities and greater inclusion for those affected by autism.
Caring for caregivers has become one of Barrow’s primary focuses. Over time, she realized that much of her work was spent counseling parents who simply wanted to speak to someone who could relate to their experiences. Many caregivers feel isolated, overwhelmed, and unsupported, and Barrow recognized that more needed to be done to help them.
“A lot of research has been focused on people with autism, which is so important,” she said. “But we don’t talk enough about how to support the people who support them – the caregivers, the educators, the siblings, the relatives. Many of them feel isolated and overwhelmed.”
This realization prompted Barrow to seek further clinical training in order to better address the needs of caregivers. When her family moved to the Caribbean, Barrow seized the opportunity to study for a master’s degree in counseling psychology at the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago. Her research focused on improving the well-being of caregivers, especially for those affected by autism.
Now, Barrow is pursuing a doctorate in applied developmental science in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University. Her current research interests center on developing, implementing, and evaluating therapeutic interventions for people with autism, across all ages and functioning levels. In particular, she is committed to finding low-cost, practical solutions that can support caregivers – solutions that will work not only in well-funded systems but also in communities around the world where help is often hard to find.
The Land-Grant Fellowship will allow Barrow to focus entirely on this critical work. Her research is not only important for individuals with autism but also for caregivers. Supporting caregivers is essential for ensuring that individuals with autism receive the care and attention they need. Whether you are a caregiver now, will become one in the future, or ever need one yourself, supporting caregivers ultimately supports everyone. With Barrow’s continued work, there is hope for better systems of support that can ease the burden on those who give so much of themselves to help others.
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