Emily Bustamante has revealed that her daughter, Journey Jackson, whom she shares with rapper Fabolous, is autistic.
“My daughter Journey is autistic. She is nonverbal. She has sensory processing challenges. She was born with PHACE syndrome.. a very rare congenital condition,” Emily shared in an Instagram post.
While fans have seen parts of her family life online over the years, this is one chapter Emily chose to keep to herself until now.
“For a long time, I kept this part of my life private… publicly,” Emily shared in an Instagram post. “Not because I was ashamed. Not because I didn’t love her loudly. But because some journeys feel sacred.”
Emily said that raising Journey has helped to change her in ways she can’t comprehend.
“She experiences the world differently. She’s changed me in ways I still can’t fully put into words. There have been moments of fear. Moments of learning. Moments where I had to become stronger than I ever imagined. But more than anything… there has been LOVE.”
#Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is a diverse group of brain development conditions.
In 2021, about 1 in 127 people worldwide were estimated to be on the autism spectrum.
Signs may appear in early childhood, but many go undiagnosed for years.
Early understanding and… pic.twitter.com/K253AXxXlE
— World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific (@WHOWPRO) April 2, 2026
The timing of her decision to speak out was intentional as today, April 2nd, is recognized as World Autism Day.
“On World Autism Awareness Day..I’m choosing to share this openly. Because visibility matters and so does she. If you’d like to follow along as I share more about her journey and autism awareness.”
She also pointed followers to @aspecialjourneyorg, where she plans to continue documenting Journey’s experience and raising awareness for Autism. The Instagram bio for the organization reads, “Supporting children with autism & complex diagnoses. Advocacy • Awareness • Community Founded by @emilyb_.”
Emily shares three children — Jonas, Johan, and Journey — with Fabolous. She is also mom to Taina Williams from a previous relationship.
