By Kim Uslin
Elm Staff Writer
The Washington College community joined institutions around the world on April 2 to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day. The event, called “Light it Up Blue!”, was made possible by the offices of Student Development, Academic Skills, and Multicultural Affairs, and WC Dining Services.
“Light it Up Blue!” is a global campaign designed by Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization. According to its web site, the organization is “dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.”
“The Light it Up Blue!” event raises awareness throughout the world by encouraging corporations, institutions, and individuals to “light it up blue.” Such structures as the Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building, and Christ the Redeemer in Brazil were all lit in blue to support the cause.
At WC, students, faculty, and staff were encouraged to wear blue and participate in the various autism awareness initiatives around campus. A majority of WC community members obliged, filling the campus with a whole spectrum of blue clothing. At noon on the 2nd, members of the campus community came out to be photographed in their blue so that WC would be known as a participating institution.
Additionally, WC community members were asked to sign a puzzle piece, representing the “puzzle of autism” to pledge to continue to support autism awareness. The pieces are currently being put together to create a display, which will be hung in the Student Center for the month of April. Puzzle piece pins, too, were sold to benefit Autism Speaks at a table in Hodson.
Students sat at the awareness table from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., selling pins and answering any questions people had about World Autism Awareness Day. The pins, which cost $3, quickly sold out and can be seen on backpacks and lapels all around WC. The Dining Hall showed support as well with special “Light it Up Blue!” cupcakes.
Last Monday marked the first time WC has officially participated in World Autism Awareness Day.
“We’ve been planning to do this since the fall,” said Director of Multicultural Affairs Darnell Parker. “A lot of us here at WC have connections to autism, whether through friends or family members.”
“It is really easy for people to forget about things that do not impact them directly. I think it is important to celebrate autism awareness because doing so is a good reminder to students like myself, who do not have a personal connection to autism, that it affects many people,” said junior Amanda Anastasia.
While “Light it Up Blue!” caters specifically to autism awareness, the WC community would like to extend the spirit of social consciousness to other initiatives as well.
“I think it’s important to celebrate all types of initiatives,” said Parker. “We want to make sure that we’re able to assist any student here at WC, academically or socially.
Anastasia agreed, “I think that WC should celebrate as many awareness days as possible. Even though it can be hard to keep all the dates in mind in advance, when students see a table or flyers promoting an awareness day or an awareness event, it gives us an opportunity to explore what that day represents and how it impacts our lives. It is an important reminder to think beyond ourselves and to think about the differences that shape our society.”