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By Felisa Strickland, Secretary, The Arc of California Board of Directors and Parent Educator
Around the world, April is a time to recognize and celebrate the lived experiences of people with autism. For as long as I can remember, especially since my daughter Lily’s diagnosis, there has been ongoing debate about whether it should be “Autism Awareness” or “Autism Acceptance,” represented by the colors blue or red, and a puzzle piece or an infinity symbol.
As the mother of a daughter with autism and other disabilities, I find that I can’t always keep up with the latest conversations, nor do I always have the capacity to engage deeply in them. Not that they aren’t important, I respect everyone’s passion to advocate for what feels right for them and their families. After all, autism is a spectrum. There is room for many perspectives and lived experiences.
In a perfect world, there would be no need for debate. But as we know, this is far from a perfect world. Still, awareness can lead to acceptance, and acceptance can lead to advocacy, and so on. I’ll stay hopeful we can all eventually agree.
I can’t speak as a person with autism, but I can speak as a parent who loves, cares for, and supports a daughter with autism. Being Lily’s mom has meant living with awareness from the very beginning: learning, understanding, and loving in ways that continue to evolve every day.
I became aware of differences early on. I learned how to comfort, adapt, and create solutions. I came to understand that this journey would be different, but not less. And through it all, love has guided us toward acceptance and joy, even in the hardest moments. In many ways, this may not be so different from the experience of other parents. But where it becomes more complex is in the reality that our world was not built to support all these unique needs.
Advocacy then becomes a way of life, one that creates change not only for our own families, but for others as well.
Through awareness, we begin to move toward acceptance. We learn to celebrate differences and advocate for the services, supports, and accommodations needed to build a truly inclusive world.
This month, as we recognize autism around the world, let’s commit to spreading awareness and advancing acceptance by listening to the diverse voices of people with autism, educating ourselves and others, and supporting policies and practices that strengthen inclusive schools, workplaces, communities, and families.
Let us remember that embracing our differences is what makes us stronger, more compassionate, and more connected as human beings. Let’s continue striving for a world where we all belong.
