Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month 2025

Until Next Year...

Thank you for joining us for our inaugural Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month! The call for planning committee members for the 2026 Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month will go out in January 2026. If you have any questions, please email disability.outreach@wwu.edu. 

Banner for Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month

Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month is a month-long celebration throughout April that celebrates our autistic and neurodivergent community.

Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month combines Neurodiversity Celebration Week, originally recognized March 17 - March 23 during the winter quarter finals week, and Autism Acceptance Month, recognized throughout April, to celebrate the autistic and neurodivergent community at WWU. 

This year’s theme for the inaugural Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month is "Doing It Our Way!" 

Throughout the month, the  Disability Access Center and Disability Outreach Center,  in collaboration with our partners the Institute for Critical Disability Studies and the Counseling and Wellness Center, will have a variety of events and programs for students, faculty, and staff. 

A Letter to the WWU Community Regarding Recent Attacks on the Autistic Community

Dear WWU community,  

As Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month here at Western Washington University comes to an end, we want to highlight our awareness of distressing national discourse about autism and the fear and violent outcomes such rhetoric can perpetuate, including the killing of Victor Perez in Idaho, which draw on a long and terrible history of eugenics and ableism. We also understand this in the context of ongoing attacks on the larger disabled community, migrants, undocumented, DACAmented, and mixed-status families, LGBTQIA2S+ community, and other marginalized groups. We unequivocally reject these attacks and affirm everyone’s place in this community. 

Autistic people are valued members of our community exactly as they are. When autism is presented as a "preventable disease," it frames autistic people as needing a cure or eradication. When we accept negative perceptions of autism, especially of high support needs autistic people, it leads to violence towards and disenfranchisement of autistic people, affecting our community here at Western Washington University and throughout the world.  

The Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month Planning Committee, Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative, Disability Access Center, Disability Outreach Center, Counseling and Wellness Center and Institute for Critical Disability Studies of Western Washington University affirm our commitment to all disabled and neurodivergent students, particularly our autistic community at WWU. We recognize that this is a difficult time, and we're here for you. Your well-being and long-term success matter deeply to us. We remain committed to supporting, celebrating, and rising in solidarity with disabled, neurodivergent, and autistic students—today and always.  

While we do not have all the answers, we recognize the need for and importance of community especially in this moment. With that in mind, we will offer processing spaces for the WWU community—students, faculty, and staff—co-hosted by the Disability Access Center, Disability Outreach Center, Counseling and Wellness Center, and Institute for Critical Disability Studies led by a staff therapist, professional staff, and faculty on Wednesday, May 7 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM and Thursday, May 8 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM located in the Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165).  

AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: These processing spaces are intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. 

Other Ways to Get Involved and Resources on Campus: 

In community and solidarity, 
 
Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month Planning Committee 
Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative 
Disability Access Center 
Disability Outreach Center 
Institute for Critical Disability Studies 
Counseling and Wellness Center 

Event Details

Tuesday, April 1 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Microsoft Teams | WIN Event Listing

The Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative is a working group made up of students, staff, and faculty from across the University who advocate in identifying the needs for change on-campus and strive to bring awareness, acceptance, and community building for an inclusive and accessible campus for neurodivergent people. We meet monthly on the first Tuesday from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM on Microsoft Teams. Get involved! Email neurodiversity.inclusion@wwu2.onmicrosoft.com for more information and to get connected. 

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact neurodiversity.inclusion@wwu2.onmicrosoft.com. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

Wednesday, April 2 | 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM | Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room (Viking Union 735) | WIN Event Listing

Join us for a screening of Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act, arts and crafts including button making, and free lunch!

The Centers Community Lunches 
Join the Office of Multicultural Student Services, LGBTQ+ Western, and the Disability Access Center every Wednesday at noon in the Multicultural Center on the 7th floor of the Viking Union. MCC lunches are focused on student development and community-building. All are welcome for food, conversation, and learning in community!

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

VU 735 is in the Viking Union. Viking Union is an ADA accessible building. Button activated entrances are located on the southeast side and northwest side of the building near Garden Street. Elevators provide access to all levels. VU 735 typically has standard height chairs with fixed arm rests. ADA accessible and all-gender bathrooms are located on the 3rd floor (VU 714 are all-gender and ADA accessible and VU 351 and 353 are all-gender) and the 7th floor (VU 714 and 717 are ADA accessible and all-gender and VU 715 and 716 are all-gender). There is a quiet Meditation Room on the 7th floor of the VU. Please refer to the Campus Map and select the ‘Accessibility’ filter for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots. Seating information is accurate to the best of our ability but subject to change.

Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. 

There will be an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter in VU 735.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while attending this event as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the  Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit. 

Wednesday, April 2 | Flag Raising: 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM in Flag Plaza & Reception: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM in Kaiser Borsari Hall Meeting Room 122 | WIN Event Listing

We are kicking off the celebration of April as Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month by raising the neurodivergence pride flag on the University flagpole! Join us on Wednesday, April 2nd at 4:30 PM in Flag Plaza. After raising the flag, we will move to Kaiser Borsari Hall Meeting Room 122 at 5:00 PM to socialize and share some food. All are welcome to attend!

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

WWU Flag Plaza is on South Campus Drive located between Wade King Student Recreation Center and the Academic Institutional West building. Standard-height armless chairs with a backrest will be provided as a seating option at Flag Plaza.  KB 122 is in Kaiser Borsari Hall. Kaiser Borsari Hall is on East College Way located between the Communications Facility building and Sehome Arboretum. It is about 0.2 miles from Flag Plaza to Kaiser Borsari Hall. Kaiser Borsari Hall is an ADA-accessible building. The north and south entrances have automatic door openers. Standard-height armless chairs with a backrest will be the primary seating option provided at KB 122 in addition to a few bar-height armless chairs with backrests. Kaiser Borsari Hall has accessible restrooms. All restrooms in this building are all-gender restrooms. Please refer to the  Campus Map  and select the ‘Accessibility’ filter for information about the nearest accessible parking spots and accessible routes. Seating information is accurate to the best of our ability but subject to change.

Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. 

There will be an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter inside in KB 122.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while attending this event as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the  Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit. 

Thursday, April 3 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165) | WIN Event Listing

Neuro Space (formerly Neurodivergent Community Space) is a group for neurodivergent students to find support and community. We meet every other week on Thursdays from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM in the Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165). This affinity group is facilitated by Disability Outreach Center student staff.

Theme for April 3: Resources for Neurodivergent Students On-Campus

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

The Disability Outreach Center (DOC) is on the ground floor of  Wilson Library. Wilson Library is an ADA accessible building. The accessible entrance to the DOC is through the external door west of the skybridge that connects Wilson Library and Haggard Hall. There is signage for the Disability Access Center, the Disability Outreach Center, and lecture hall WL 164. This building has an accessible and all-gender restroom around the corner from the DOC in WL 165A. Additional all-gender bathrooms are in WL 182 (ADA accessible), WL 668, and WL 669. The accessible all-gender restroom in WL 165A has free menstrual products. Wilson Library has a changing room on the 1st Floor in WL-182C (Women's restroom) and a lactation room on the 3rd Floor in WL-367B (women's restroom). Please refer to the Campus Map for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots.

Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. 

The DOC has an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while attending this event as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the  Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit. 

Thursday, April 10 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Zoom | WIN Event Listing

Faculty and graduate student teachers, join us for a workshop that focuses on barriers neurodivergent students face in their classes and how faculty can better understand and respond to them. Participants will learn about neurodivergence from the angles of disability accommodation and Universal Design for Learning including factors such as executive function and social communication. We will think about ways to help neurodivergent students be more successful in our classes through practical adjustments to our teaching methods including syllabus statements and assignment design.

This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Critical Disability Studies.

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. Zoom auto-captions will be enabled. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact lucchea@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. 

Thursday, April 17 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165) | WIN Event Listing

Neuro Space (formerly Neurodivergent Community Space) is a group for neurodivergent students to find support and community. We meet every other week on Thursdays from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM in the Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165). This affinity group is facilitated by Disability Outreach Center student staff.

Theme for April 17: Board Games

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

The Disability Outreach Center (DOC) is on the ground floor of  Wilson Library. Wilson Library is an ADA accessible building. The accessible entrance to the DOC is through the external door west of the skybridge that connects Wilson Library and Haggard Hall. There is signage for the Disability Access Center, the Disability Outreach Center, and lecture hall WL 164. This building has an accessible and all-gender restroom around the corner from the DOC in WL 165A. Additional all-gender bathrooms are in WL 182 (ADA accessible), WL 668, and WL 669. The accessible all-gender restroom in WL 165A has free menstrual products. Wilson Library has a changing room on the 1st Floor in WL-182C (Women's restroom) and a lactation room on the 3rd Floor in WL-367B (women's restroom). Please refer to the Campus Map for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots.

Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. 

The DOC has an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while attending this event as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit. 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Neurodivergency and Budgeting Workshop is postponed. We look forward to co-hosting this workshop in the future.

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Thursday, April 24 | 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM | Parks Hall 441 | WIN Event Listing

Budgeting is often treated as one-size-fits-all, but that is far from the case! Some neurodivergent people in particular may face additional challenges when managing their finances. Join us on Thursday, April 24 at Parks Hall 441 from 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM for a budgeting workshop tailored to neurodivergent minds where you can learn about strategies for financial success in a judgment-free space! 

This event is co-sponsored by the Merriman Financial Literacy Program.

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

PH 441 is in Parks Hall. Parks Hall is an ADA accessible building. Button activated entrances are located on the north and south sides of building. Elevators provide access to all floors. This building has accessible restrooms on all floors. The nearest all-gender restrooms are in the Environmental Studies building in ES 120 and ES 521. Please refer to the Campus Map for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots.

Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. 

There will be an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter in Parks Hall 122.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while attending this event as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the  Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit. 

Tuesday, April 29 | 12:00 noon - 1:00 PM | Ershig Assistive Technology Resource Center (Miller Hall 001) | WIN Event Listing

To wrap up the celebration of April as Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month, join us for a Fidget Making Workshop & Lunch! This event will be in the Ershig Assistive Technology Resource Center (Miller Hall 001) on Tuesday, April 29 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM with food provided. We will learn how to make our own fidgets and get to know the Ershig Assistive Technology Resource Center. Bring your friends! 

This event is co-sponsored by the Institute for Critical Disability Studies and Ershig Assistive Technology Center.

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AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

The Ershig Assistive Technology Resource Center (EATRC) is located in Miller Hall 001 on the bottom floor. To access the elevator down to the EATRC, enter through the door of Miller Market. Take the elevator to the lowest level and the EATRC is just across the hall. Miller Hall is an ADA accessible building. Button activated entrances are located on the southeast, northwest and east sides of the building. Two elevators provide access to all floors and split levels. This building has accessible all-gender restrooms in MH 413. Please refer to the Campus Map for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots.

Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. 

There will be an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter in the EATRC.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while attending this event as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the  Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit. 

Event Locations

  • MCC MUR - Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room (Viking Union 735)
  • Flag Plaza
  • KB 122 - Kaiser Borsari Hall Event Space/Meeting Room 122
  • DOC - Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165)
  • PH 441 - Parks Hall 441
  • EATRC - Ershig Assistive Technology Resource Center (Miller Hall 001)

Event Accessibility

AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: These events are intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

Please refer to the Campus Map for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots.

Masks are strongly encouraged at the events. Help protect our community by wearing a mask. Masks will be available at the entrance of events and upon request.

For indoor events, there will be an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter.

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products at these events as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making our events accessible! For more information, visit the Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit.

Co-Sponsors

Planning Committee

  • Axel Cichocki, Disability Access Center & Disability Outreach Center
  • Oscar Hastings*, Disability Outreach Center
  • Sebastian Smith, Disability Outreach Center
  • Emily McReynolds, student
  • Andrew Lucchesi, Institute for Critical Disability Studies
  • G (GIM) McGrew, Institute for Critical Disability Studies
  • Sarah Kapostasy, Counseling and Wellness Center
  • CJ Swanlund, Counseling and Wellness Center

*Student co-chair

Resources

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a "worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations, and others around the world with the opportunity to recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual." In 2025, Neurodiversity Celebration Week was March 17 - 23.

According to the Autism Society, "Autism Acceptance Month celebrates and honors the experiences and identities of Autistic individuals. It emphasizes understanding, inclusion, and support, moving beyond awareness towards meaningful acceptance." Autism Acceptance Month is celebrated throughout the month of April. 

Neurodivergent Pride Flag

Neurodivergent Pride Flag

The Neurodivergent Pride Flag features the rainbow infinity first created for Autistic Pride Day in 2005. While the Autism Pride Flag (below) has this on a gold background, this flag features it on a white background representing all forms of neurodiversity.

Autism Pride Flag 

Autism Pride Flag

The Autistic Pride Flag was designed by Autistic Empire, an autistic social organization in the UK. The Autistic Pride Flag by Autistic Empire is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Describing the flag, they state, “The infinity symbol represents neurodiversity, the rainbow represents the pride movement. Gold is used by autistic advocates as the chemical symbol for gold is Au (from the Latin aurum). Gold is promoted as an alternative to non-autistic-led groups designating colours such as blue as a symbol for autism." 

Books

  • Price, D. (2022). Unmasking autism: Discovering the new faces of neurodiversity. First edition. New York, Harmony Books.
  • Nerenberg, J. (2020). Divergent mind: Thriving in a world that wasn't designed for you. First edition. New York, HarperOne.

Articles

  • Dwyer, P., Mineo, E., Mifsud, K., Lindholm, C., Gurba, A., & Waisman, T. C. (2023). Building neurodiversity-inclusive postsecondary campuses: Recommendations for leaders in higher education. Autism in adulthood: Challenges and management, 5(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2021.0042

Website

Note: The Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month Planning Committee provides these resources for informational purposes only and does not endorse any specific one. We encourage you to view these resources as a starting place and to conduct your own research and explore multiple sources. 

Student Engagement

Student Support Services

Academics