Posted on 08/02/2022 by Evolve in Blog
Jaylen Arnold was born on 28th August 2000.
When he was 2 years old, he began with symptoms of Tourette’s. He got the diagnosis when he was aged 3. When he was 4, he was diagnosed with OCD, followed by a diagnosis of Asperger’s when he was 8.
After he was diagnosed, he was bullied by his peers for being different. He found that the anxiety he suffered as a result of the bullying worsened the symptoms of his disabilities. In response to bullying, he wanted to fight back with words and experienced – rather than with fists or name calling. Jaylen had suffered at the hands of bullies in school due to his disabilities making him an easy target.
Jaylen wanted to encourage misguided youth to do right, instead of wrong. At the time it seemed like an impossible task, but with the help and guidance of friends and family – Jaylen did not want to give up. This is what led to him founding the Jaylen Challenge Foundation.
Over the past 10 years, Jaylen has spoken to over 185,000 students across America, sharing his experiences of bullying and encouraging his peers to practice tolerance, encourage self-worth and speak out.
In 2017, Jaylen was the only American to ever receive the Princess Diana Legacy Award.
