San Diego County is full of amazing people, but every now and then, you meet someone who really stands out: someone who can teach you something.
Policarpo Despaigne, also known as Poli, a young man from Escondido, is one of those people. He's had trouble communicating with people his whole life. Now, he sells tools of communication he makes himself.
He hopes to teach everyone something about patience.
For Despaigne, a wood artisan with autism, patience is everything. He meticulously crafts beautiful pens from wood and acrylic blocks.
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“I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but it’s pretty simple,” Despaigne said. “You’ve just gotta learn the steps.”
Despaigne uses that same approach to tackle other challenges in his life.
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“He doesn’t express a lot in written language or conversation,” said his mom, Jamaye.
Despaigne has been facing challenges associated with autism his whole life.
“It wasn’t until he was about six that he actually verbalized, and still, it was like one word or a couple of words at a time,” his mother said.
Despaigne learned woodturning at the age of 13, and it helped turn things around for him. Now, he has his own business, Poli's Woodcraft, and sells his pens online and at events around the county.
“It makes me feel proud, what I’ve done,” he said.
