Pinellas County artist partners with Foot Locker for autism acceptance campaign

LARGO, Fla. - A Pinellas County artist is partnering with Foot Locker to create "Be Kind" shirts as part of a special Autism Acceptance Month campaign, and they just went on sale. 

Dane Capo, who has autism, said his goal is not just to spread kindness, but to spread awareness that people with autism are capable and hirable.

With a paintbrush, palette and acrylic paint, inspiration flows from Capo's mind to his canvas. Inside his gallery in Walsingham Road in Largo, you'll find vivid paintings of Salvador Dalí, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, David Bowie, Albert Einstein and Marilyn Monroe, just to name a few.

Though his vibrant works have sold for thousands, if you ask him, he's still looking for work. 

"I don't have a job, and I'm unemployed, not working," Capo said.

Capo was diagnosed with epilepsy at 10 months old, then, autism at age 5. The first time he picked up a paintbrush at 16, he recreated Matisse's self-portrait. While art comes naturally, employment at age 26 has not. He's interviewed 150 times.

"I always feel sad when people don't hire me," Capo said.

"He had a job interview last week at a local food store doing stocking for their produce department, and they didn't hire him," said his mother, Krista Capo.

Things took an exciting turn when Gamut Management, which represents people with disabilities, reached out to Dane Capo. They connected him with Foot Locker's "Be Seen" campaign in honor of Autism Acceptance Month.

"We went up and did the photo shoot for the Foot Locker t-shirt campaign," Krista said. "He got paid to model."

Wednesday, shirts with Dane's original artwork and message of "Be Kind" went on sale, worldwide.

"We are thrilled," Krista said. "We're asking everybody to absolutely buy the shirt. We need the representation. We want it to sell out. This is a big opportunity for him."

It's an opportunity not only to spread art, but awareness. A recent CDC study analyzing 2018 data found that 1 in 44 8-year-old children have been diagnosed with autism.

"This campaign has given us the ability to be seen, to have him be seen as capable and competent," Krista said.

To Dane, being "kind" means seeing those with autism as hirable. 

"I always want those benefits of getting dental vision, health coverage," Dane said.

While he's celebrated victories since moving from California to Florida in 2020, such as getting into USF's Learning Academy, moving into a house, making it one year seizure-free and teaching his first art class, his sights are locked on getting a full-time job.

"Employment would offer that peace and make his life more whole," Krista said.

Dane's family hopes "Be Kind" can go from two words to many actions. You can find Dane's "Be Kind" shirt for sale at: www.footlocker.com/product/spectrum-designs-autism-dane-t-shirt-mens/0002-MEN.html and https://www.champssports.com/product/spectrum-designs-autism-t-shirt-womens/0002WMN.html.

Dane's original "Be Kind" art is also being sold on mugs, cards, scarves, and bags.