How We're Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month

It’s estimated that 1 in 36 children are diagnosed with autism. The National Autism Association reports that the number of people with autism has steadily grown over the past twenty years, making autism the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the United States. Autism is a diagnosis that spans every country and culture, represented through a wide range of symbols, language, and ideas.

That’s why Autism Acceptance Month — officially recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services — is “dedicated to ignite change and acceptance in the lives of individuals with autism, their families, and their communities.”

Whether your child is only recently diagnosed and you’re new to the autism community, or you’ve been a part of the community for a long time, you’ve probably noticed there’s not a lot of agreement among the larger community about how to talk about, support, and represent autism. One goal we can all agree on is the need for better support — including services that are meaningful, effective, and easy to access; communities that truly bring people together; and real help for individuals and families.

That shared goal is what makes Autism Acceptance Month so important. Kim Sinclair, parent and executive director of the Autism Society of Los Angeles, points out that acceptance is about inclusion. “You can be aware of autism, but whether you take the next step and accept it, and include those individuals in the education setting and the workplace setting — that’s what makes the difference. Acceptance is the mindset that provides inclusion, and that’s where, as a society, we need to be shifting our focus.” And that is exactly why so many advocates and the organizations that champion and support people with autism are moving away from the term “autism awareness” to “autism acceptance.”

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) puts it perfectly: people with autism must be included in conversations about autism. When decisions are made without their input, things often go wrong. These individuals know what they need, and they can help create policies that truly support their lives—while also teaching others how to be more understanding and inclusive. In short: “nothing about us, without us.”

True inclusion begins by truly listening. When we prioritize the voices and lived experiences of people with autism, we get a much clearer picture of what real support looks like. That includes everything from accessible education and inclusive workplaces to community spaces that embrace neurodiversity.

There are so many ways to get informed and take part. Check out these voices and how they’re amplifying their experience and advocating for a different narrative:

• Sonny Jane Wise: defying neuronormativity with color, style, and creative memes
• Markeisha Hall: creating a space for moms who want to thrive while raising neurodivergent kids
• Haley Moss: Florida's first documented open attorney with autism, also an author, artist, advocate, and speaker
• Jennifer Marie White-Johnson: a neurodivergent mama and Afro-Latina artist for Disability Design & Justice, creating art in the name of advocacy

This April, you might notice more people in the autism community choosing to wear red instead of blue. So, what’s behind the change?

The traditional “Light It Up Blue” campaign has faced growing criticism — for focusing more on awareness than action, and for often centering non-autistic voices in conversations about autism.

Wearing red is a movement, led by individuals with autism and organizations, that’s all about shifting the narrative. It’s a call to move from simply being aware to actively embracing acceptance, inclusion, and equity. The #RedInstead movement symbolizes love, passion, and the ongoing fight for a world where autistic individuals are not just seen, but truly supported — this April and every day after.

Kaustinen says that we should focus more on doing life together. “We’re all one, we’re all part of society. I feel that California is behind in inclusive practices.”

Another challenge Kaustinen has seen parents face is a lack of support, which affects our mental health. Still, as hard as it is, it’s essential that we make time to take care of ourselves. “If you’re not in the right space, you’re not going to be able to help your child,” Kaustinen says. In this clip, she explains how focusing on each individual’s strengths can help parents, teachers, and employers better understand and support people with autism.

As parents, we want our children to be happy and carry out their lives feeling capable and accomplished. With organizations like Autism Society of America, Organization for Autism Research, and Autistic Self Advocacy Network as an inspiration and resource, we’ve listed a few areas in which we can work to better support both our neurodivergent and neurotypical communities.

• Advocating in school

  • Inclusion: Kids learn best when surrounded by their peers. Separating children with disabilities only widens the gap of understanding and learning! Advocating for more inclusive practices in classrooms leads to inclusivity in the workforce, housing communities, and everyday life.
  • Supports: For inclusion to truly work, our children need to be supported in classrooms with accommodations and services that allow them to access classroom material in a variety of ways. Teachings that follow Universal Design for Learning (UDL) make students feel comfortable, welcome, and valued along with their peers.

• Support in the workforce

  • Job coaching: Job coaching can help people with autism prepare for job interviews and life in the workforce. With valuable resources like interview practice and resume writing, people with autism can be better prepared to enter the workforce.
  • Accommodations: As explained by ASAN, “Once we get a job, we may need accommodations like a daily work agenda with visuals, a consistent job schedule, or someone to help us with our job throughout the day.”

• Sensory supports

  • Sensory sensitivity is a key part of autism and can have a big impact on how someone experiences the world—whether it's learning in a classroom, going grocery shopping, or getting through a daily commute. Many individuals with autism can experience hypersensitivity (more sensitive) or hyposensitivity (less sensitive) to different types of sensory input like lights, sounds, textures, smells, or movement.
  • Supporting these sensory needs isn’t about limiting what a person can do — it’s about making thoughtful adjustments to their environment so they can feel safe, focused, and empowered to participate fully. Check out our Off-Screen Activities for Arts, Crafts, Sensory Play, and Literature article for some fun sensory activities!

• Housing and everyday responsibilities

  • Housing support: As ASAN says, people with autism “have specific needs when it comes to getting housing. We may be sensitive to certain sounds or lighting, need help doing tasks around the house, need assistive technology in the house to help us, or have other support needs.” Accessible and inclusive housing will aid people with disabilities when transitioning to adult communities.

• Research and health care

  • Supportive research: Research that is focused on communication, community living, education, and health care for people with autism is what supports kids for their future. As Undivided parent Michelle Malewitz puts it, “There is nothing wrong with my child, he doesn’t need to be fixed, and he is not missing a piece. He is absolutely the same wonderful and amazing kid he was pre-diagnosis.”
  • Understanding autism: The more we understand about autism, the more accurate help and support our doctors and teachers can provide.

Above all, when we talk to our kids and communities about disability, we want them to know that "there's nothing wrong with being neurodivergent," as school psychologist Breea Rosas says.

To learn more about autism, check out our article Autism 101.