Roya Mostafavi ’18 shared the following words on Autism Awareness and the “light it up blue” campaign.

I wanted to bring your attention to a cause that is very close to my heart, autism. I personally have seen the effects of this disability through my brother, who is severely autistic. Autism is a communication disorder that spans a large spectrum.  The prevalence of autism has grown significantly over the past decade.

In the United States, 1 in 68 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Boys are five times more likely to develop autism than girls. This means that most of us either know someone with autism or will meet someone with autism in the future. I take responsibility as an individual to answer questions and support those who want to learn more about this cause. With greater awareness comes greater understanding.

April 2 is the United Nations decreed Autism Awareness Day, and the month of April is autism awareness month in the United States.  As blue is the color for autism awareness, I invite you to join me in wearing blue tomorrow in order to bring attention to this cause.

I will also be putting up blue lights in order to “light it up blue,” as part of another campaign by the organization Autism Speaks.