The “Advocacy Through The Arts” installation features Autistic artists & artists with Down syndrome. March 21st was World Down Syndrome day & April is Autism Awareness month.

In recent years, self-advocates, families, direct service providers, agencies & caregivers have advocated for more than just awareness.

Our art installation is designed to help spread awareness about the struggles & strengths of each neurodivergent individual (because there is a broad spectrum & we are all unique individuals who deserve to be seen & celebrated).

In addition to spreading awareness, we seek to build up community compassion, de-stimgmatize sensory sensitivities & behaviors that are sensory seeking; ultimately, to educate people who are unfamiliar with these disabilities & capabilities…to find it in their hearts to offer acceptance.

If society didn’t just tolerate us, but truly empathized & accepted us, we could feel comfortable to drop the mask, stop trying to suppress our needs, and our nervous systems could regulate in public spaces (which are often inaccessible to us due to sensory overload & overwhelm with social demands). Education & advocacy, empathy & acceptance serves us all as a community!