Folks in the Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES Autism Services Department are celebrating neurodiversity with a beautiful new mural outside their offices created by Ridgecrest Academy’s art teacher Bryce Doty.

The department would like to share this meaningful statement written by an autistic individual:

“The rainbow infinity-symbol is the symbol of the Neurodiversity Movement. This is an ideology that suggests that innate brain differences are as much a part of the human diversity as tallness or shortness. Difference is not a disease and should not be treated as such. Our society thrives best when we support all people to overcome their challenges and utilize their strengths. The gold infinity symbol is Autistic Unity (AU), positivity, acceptance and appreciation. Gold is used by autistic advocates, as the chemical symbol for gold is AU. The gold infinity symbol implies that autism is a permanent part of human society’s genetic and ideological diversity. Further, autistic individuals have always been here and always will be. They are not broken but are precious and valuable.”