Parents of children with autism often struggle with not knowing how to prepare their children to face the world. But what if the world isn’t something to “face,” and instead a place where our kids can learn their own strengths?

That’s the story of Bree Juan, who started BreeSky’s Quesadillas to support her son with autism. “We live in Orange County, and we sell at the stand on 3rd and Vermont,” Bree says in a social media video where she shares her story. “We’ve been able to do the pop-up here in Santa Ana on Sundays, luckily. Hopefully we [will be able] to continue to do so.” However, her main location is at 3rd and Vermont in Koreatown.

After turning to her community for support, and while saving up enough money to buy her own van, Bree has managed to rent a U-Haul to make it to LA because, as she says, “I want to be loyal to LA. That’s where I started.”

More than just a small business.

Every weekend, Bree and her 14-year-old son, Sky, get ready to sell quesadillas. What started small now draws long lines, driven in part by the online community Bree has built.

But this was never only about launching a small business. It was also her way of supporting her son and helping prepare him for a world that might not be ready for him.

“I told him he can do it,” she said. “Just because you have autism doesn’t mean you’re not capable of learning and doing everything.”

Latino children in the U.S. have seen a sharp rise in autism diagnosis rates, now at about 3% (1 in 36 or higher), surpassing white children. This is often due to improved screening. Despite higher prevalence, they face significant barriers, including language barriers, stigma, and delayed diagnosis. They also often present with more severe, co-occurring intellectual disabilities and have less access to specialized services.

This is part of what Bree has had to learn to navigate with Sky.

“For the longest time, I kept him in a shell,” she said. “Now I realize he can do it.”

Her message to other parents raising children with autism is simple: “It’s hard… especially doing it alone… but I feel like everybody can do it.”

According to Bree’s statement to KTLA, Sky helps take orders and process payments, which has helped him develop social skills and become more independent.

Bree and her son have given hope to other single mothers raising children with autism.

Now, Bree and Sky have not only a small business that helps them get by. They have also inspired other families with similar stories. According to KTLA, many of the customers who travel to support them include single mothers and families raising children with autism.

“I wanted to come support,” said Laura, a customer with a grandson who has autism. “We’re supposed to be on a diet, but we still wanted to support her.”

If you want to support Bree and Sky, feel free to donate to their GoFundMe here.

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