March is Autism Awareness Month!

      March is autism awareness month, something that is very near and dear to my heart. Now before I get started I have one very important thing to say: Autism is not a devastating disease that is a burden to others that needs to be cured. Autism is an intellectual developmental disease (or IDD) that can cause some difficulties in life, but our goal at this time should be how to make life for individuals with IDDs the best that it can possibly be.
      Some companies, like Autism Speaks, that play a huge role in autism awareness month go about it the completely wrong way. Autism speaks sounds like it would be real people with autism talking about what it's like to have autism right? In reality Autism Speaks does not have a single person with autism or any IDDs on their board of directors, or anything. Sounds kind of fishy right? Autism Speaks is also a company that views autism as a burden that needs to be cured, like I said before. Please do some research if you decide to participate in Autism Awareness Month, a GREAT company to donate to would be Best Buddies.
      Best Buddies is an organization that creates one-to-one friendships between people with special needs and people without in high schools, middle schools, colleges, and even online. I am very involved in the best buddies chapter at my school and I have made some of the best friends that I could ever have. Best Buddies is a wonderful, wonderful organization that deserves so much praise for all the hard work that they do; I can honestly say that they have changed my life. Plus! They get bonus points for having people with IDDs that work for them. Another bonus is that they recognize all IDDs, and not just autism. They change lives every day please check them out!

Here are some of my best friends that I could have never made without Best Buddies!

Have a great day everyone!! 

~~Caroline