Autism Speaks
Today, April 2, is the second annual World Autism Awareness Day as proclaimed by the united Nations. It is a day to exercise your compassion and advocacy muscles to join the effort to be sure universal human rights are guaranteed to all people. Think of the difficulty of navigating your own life, then think of doing it with a little understood condition that makes connecting with others a supreme challenge, then think of all of that while living in another country where less about autism is understood, tolerated, or accepted. Fear and ostracizing an individual with autism is the reaction in most global societies. Like many differences, the majority finds it easiest to adopt an out of sight, out of mind mentality, so people are institutionalized and hidden away even when their condition would not call for it in an environment with better understanding.
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is the world’s largest science and advocacy organization for the disorder, and leads the charge, today with national and international events marking the day, and every day. Yoko Ono will unveil a work of art inspired by World Autism Awareness Day on the floor of the NY Stock Exchange, First Ladies from nations around the globe have recorded public service announcement messages that will be aired on CNN all day today, events are happening in city parks and auditoriums around the world, more than 75 communities in the US, Canada, and the UK are broadcasting special programming from Nick Jr to raise awareness and eliminate fear in young and old alike, and landmark public buildings in urban centers in several
Autism Speaks
nations will be lit blue to commemorate the day.
Be part of the day. Be part of the cure. Support the science and support the struggle until the science brings us to the end of this road.
Autism Speaks
Change by Doing 