Gil's Sweet Abilities

09/09/2026

Back to some of our regular content....

Gil and his buddies, Sam and Brayden did some autism training with LASD MET and Autism Interaction Solutions.
For over 10 years we have been a part of this life-changing training.
The boys enjoy speaking with officers and 1st responders about their individual struggles and what things they enjoy and what helps them when they are escalated.

07/07/2026

Celebrating my 5th year on Facebook. Thank you for your continuing support. I could never have made it without you. 🙏🤗🎉

07/05/2026

07/03/2026

UPDATE! (Last one for a bit)

AS many of our friends and loyal bakery customers know, Gilly, was recently banned from participating in the Special Olympics USA Games.
This adverse action was taken against him after he experienced an involuntary autistic sensory meltdown—a neurological flight-or-flight crisis—triggered by extreme stadium crowd noise at an event.

We want to formally update our community that our family has officially filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

We have explicitly waived any request for Gilly's reinstatement, as our trust in their environment is completely broken. We are instead seeking systemic changes to ensure that no other neurodivergent athlete is ever punished for a biological manifestation of their autism.

Currently, SOSC management has notified us in writing that they will refuse to release Gilly’s incident reports or witness statements to our family without a legal subpoena. While they choose to withhold transparency from a mother and father, they will soon have to hand those files over to federal investigators.
Thank you to everyone who stands with Gilly and supports Gil's Sweet Abilities. We will keep you updated as the federal investigation moves forward.

💙🧩

07/02/2026

Advocacy, Not a "Smear Campaign"

Beyond the Bakery: Why We Are Fighting for Systemic Change (DOJ Complaint Filed)

As many of you know from the recent news coverage on FOX 11 Los Angeles, Gilly was recently banned from the Special Olympics USA Games after experiencing an involuntary sensory meltdown triggered by extreme stadium noise.

We started Gil's Sweet Abilities on a foundation of true inclusion. We know firsthand that autism isn't always picture-perfect; it comes with complex sensory needs that require patience, de-escalation, and real accommodations.

When an organization built for individuals with intellectual disabilities enforces a rigid "Code of Conduct" that treats a biological panic response as willful misconduct, the system is broken. To make matters worse, the local chapter has withheld all written incident reports from our family, denying us basic transparency.

We have decided we do not want Gilly reinstated into an environment that shatters our trust. Instead, we are fighting to protect the next athlete.

Today, we officially filed a formal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division (Confirmation #797007-GRB). We are demanding systemic policy reforms, the implementation of mandatory sensory de-escalation training for all staff, and a complete overhaul of how behavioral crises are handled.

We are simply sharing our perspective to advocate for a more supportive world. Thank you to our incredible community for standing by Gilly and supporting our mission—both inside and outside the kitchen! 💙

06/28/2026

Wishing Jeannette aka J-Licious a very Happy 50th Birthday 🎉 she’s the best mom, advocate , baker, business woman , wife, sister and friend! Send her a birthday wish in the comments 💙

06/28/2026

Another news outlet has shared our story.

We have had some very hateful comments and some very supportive comments.

Someone accused me of starting a smear campaign.
I am simply sharing our perspective of the situation
I am advocating for more inclusive and support for individuals with sensory needs.

Whittier, California. Gilbert "Gilly" Valenzuela, 24, just won a gold medal at his Special Olympics regional competition. He should have been packing for Minnesota.

Instead, he is banned from the upcoming Special Olympics USA Games.

The incident that triggered the ban happened at the end of the opening ceremonies earlier this month. Gilbert, who has sensory processing sensitivities as part of his disability, screamed loudly during what he says was an overwhelming moment. He explains that the opening ceremony included a concert-style environment that he found extremely difficult to manage. Unable to meet the band like the other athletes, he said he screamed out of despair.

"How loud it was because I'm not, I'll be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of concerts because of how loud it can be," Gilbert said. "I screamed out of despair and I find the ban very upsetting and extremely unfair."

The Special Olympics Committee confirmed the suspension to FOX 11, stating that Gilbert had violated the organization's written code of conduct and that the decision was made to ensure a safe and positive environment for all participants.

His family is calling it discrimination.

They argued that the outburst was a direct expression of Gilbert's disability, not a conduct choice. They proposed that a one-on-one family assistant accompany him as an accommodation at the USA Games. The committee rejected that proposal.

Had he been allowed to compete, Gilbert would have been the first Special Olympian from the city of Whittier to ever participate in the USA Games.

"So we did everything that we could to express that his behaviors were a part of his disability and that it felt like discrimination," his family said.

The USA Games in Minnesota will proceed without him.

What do you think the right call should have been here?

06/19/2026

We will be back to regular scheduled programing in July!
We have spent the last year prioritizing and training for the Special Olympics. Our little business has taken a back seat. It is time to get back to business!!

06/18/2026

Please share our story.

The family of Special Olympics swimmer Gilbert Valenzuela is accusing the organization of discrimination after he was banned from the USA Games following a disability-related verbal outburst. MORE BELOW ⬇️