Miriam’s Journey: Growing Through Creativity, Community and Independence

For Miriam Lopez, the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center (OCCTAC) has been much more than a place to take classes. It has been a community where she has discovered her abilities, built friendships, and begun to envision new possibilities for her future.

Miriam joined OCCTAC’s Early Start program as a toddler and grew up participating in music, dance, and visual arts classes. Over the years, the Center became a place of belonging for her family, including her grandmother, mother Patty, younger sister Elizabeth, and younger brother Elijah.

As Miriam grew, her family began to recognize that she experienced the world differently. Seeking an autism evaluation was an emotional step for Patty. Encouragement from another OCCTAC mother helped her move forward, and she found understanding among families, instructors, and staff who reminded her that she and Miriam were not alone.

For Miriam, navigating communication, social interactions, and everyday responsibilities has been part of her journey toward greater independence. Today, OCCTAC’s Self-Determination Day School Program gives her opportunities to practice these skills, explore her interests, and build confidence at her own pace.

Now, she is putting those skills into action through Mimi’s Butterfly Boutique.

Miriam recently launched this small business venture selling clothing and fashion items through a local thrift shop. She is learning to select and organize merchandise, interact with customers, and take ownership of her responsibilities.

These experiences are meaningful steps toward independence. Miriam is making decisions, sharing her creativity, and discovering what she can contribute to her community.

Her classmates and teachers recently visited Old Towne Orange to support her boutique and celebrate this milestone alongside her.

For Patty, watching her daughter grow into these responsibilities is especially meaningful. Her younger children, Elizabeth and Elijah, now take lessons at OCCTAC, too, giving all three siblings opportunities to share the stage and celebrate their talents together.

The toddler who first walked through OCCTAC’s doors is now a young woman exploring her interests and shaping her own future, with her family and community beside her.

This GivingTuesday, help more journeys like Miriam’s unfold.

OCCTAC offers a wide range of programs serving young children through older adults, creating opportunities for learning, creative expression, and connection at every stage of life.

Your gift helps sustain the programs and supportive relationships that give participants opportunities to discover their strengths, develop new skills, and work toward their goals.

Give today. Help possibility grow at every age.

One Family. Three Generations. A Place to Belong.

This GivingTuesday 2026, help more families grow with OCCTAC.

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