Autism Speaks "Year of Kindness" as campaign

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ASPartOfMe
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11 Feb 2020, 6:11 am

Autism Speaks revamps visual identity for 15th anniversary

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Autism Speaks has brightened up its iconography to celebrate its 15th anniversary, unveiling a colorful new logo and brand font as the advocacy group prepares to kick off its “Year of Kindness” campaign.

The visual overhaul is anchored by an update to the group's long-standing blue puzzle-piece logo and the addition of a new, “more inviting” typeface. The refreshed logo, spearheaded by New York creative shop Sons & Prophets, includes a range of colors that “signifies the diversity of perspectives and experiences with autism spectrum disorder,” the organization says in a statement.

“We wanted to be more reflective of that community across the spectrum and lifespan,” says Autism Speaks President and CEO Angela Geiger. “You’re an adult with autism a lot longer than you’re a child with autism.”

Autism Speaks also launched the “Year of Kindness” campaign today—an in-house initiative that aims to record one million acts of kindness toward people with autism by the end of 2020.

“We’ve moved from just pure awareness to understanding and acceptance. We thought the best anniversary present we could give was to create this ‘Year of Kindness,’” says Geiger. “We hope that this effort, together with our more inclusive identity, will fuel an atmosphere of kindness that can last for many more years to come.”

Autism Speaks’ newest ads, also from Sons & Prophets, will highlight its “Year of Kindness” campaign in a bid to create “a kinder, more inclusive world for people with autism.”

Cut into 15-, 30- and 60-second spots, the “Spectrum” spots will run on social channels and TV, airing on networks including CNN, Fox, HGTV and the Golf Channel. Voiceovers are done by Andrew Duff, an aspiring stage actor who is autistic. (Duff also lent his voice to a series of Autism Speaks ads last year.)

Acts of kindness envisioned by the campaign include volunteering at an Autism Speaks event, sending positive messages via social media (collected with the hashtag “#KindnessCounts”) and “lending a helping hand to a friend on the spectrum.”

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aquafelix
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12 Feb 2020, 8:54 am

Is the new pink in the blue puzzle piece to reflect females on the spectrum?

ASPartOfMe
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12 Feb 2020, 9:15 am

It is still a puzzle piece which is not kind.

warrier120
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12 Feb 2020, 10:13 am

I don't know about you, but I'm having doubts that Autism Speaks is actually changing for the better. Kindness is not exactly one of AS's specialties, as demonstrated by past rhetoric and campaigns.

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ASPartOfMe
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12 Feb 2020, 11:11 am

I still have significant issues with them but they are a lot better then they were. New CEO, three autistic board members, cure out of mission statement, acknowledgement that autism is a lifetime condition, and employment tool kit.

If this is all an elaborate hoax that they felt a need to create such an elaborate hoax is a victory for advocates.

IsabellaLinton
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12 Feb 2020, 11:40 am

Do they still have ABA propaganda on Sesame Street?

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BenderRodriguez
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12 Feb 2020, 11:50 am

warrier120 wrote:

I don't know about you, but I'm having doubts that Autism Speaks is actually changing for the better. Kindness is not exactly one of AS's specialties, as demonstrated by past rhetoric and campaigns.

Yeah, same here. It will take a lot more than words to convince me, that's for sure. And at least a public admission of the harm they have done by supporting the Judge Rotenberg Centre and other atrocities.

For now, I'd rather not be at the receiving end of their "acts of kindness".

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12 Feb 2020, 12:28 pm

Well, their rhetoric is changing for the better -- MUCH better than, for example, a video that featured a mother saying she contemplated driving off a bridge with her autistic child, and saying this right in front of said autistic child.

The changes to their rhetoric are indeed important, although I still wouldn't deem them to be the world's most worthy autism charity.

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B19
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12 Feb 2020, 1:08 pm

A PR move? Probably.

At this stage their past behaviour is the best predictor of their future behaviour, ie same old same old.

It's their core assumptions that AS essentially needs to change, rather than their public relations strategy. This is probably just a cash building strategy for them at this stage.

Their core assumptions are their earplugs.

ShadeX
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12 Feb 2020, 3:49 pm

Screw Autism Speaks. Not a single dollar goes to Autistic's, it goes to programs, "cure's", and "Parents", but never anyone with Autism. They have actively shut down sites of Autistic's using their logo trying to raise money for Autism, or Noise Canceling headphones. There logo is a bunch of bright colors and contrasts for a group who has sensory overload problems. There are no Autistic's on their boards nor do they even consult with us. I hope they get investigated, and i hope they find proof it's a scam.

B19
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12 Feb 2020, 4:30 pm

It's an employment scheme for nuerotypicals, on fat salaries, to make money out of oppressing autistic people. No PR scheme such as this latest one compensates in any way for that.

BenderRodriguez
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12 Feb 2020, 4:37 pm

B19 wrote:

It's an employment scheme for nuerotypicals, on fat salaries, to make money out of oppressing autistic people. No PR scheme such as this latest one compensates in any way for that.

Yep, this. It's going to take A LOT to change the mind of those who were aware of what they did for many years. Much, much more than this thin layer of varnish they're going for...

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12 Feb 2020, 4:37 pm

I saw the CEO or president or something-or-other of Autism Speaks on Family Feud.

Their family was playing for charity (Autism Speaks).

They mentioned that they have some autistic sons in the family, who weren't on the show despite being adults. The men on the show made it sound lamentable. The audience made sad sounds as if the autistic people were dying or something. It seemed quite patronising.

The people on Family Feud had puzzle pieces on their lapels like they were being heroes.

Gag.

I'm pretty sure they lost the game.

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BenderRodriguez
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12 Feb 2020, 4:47 pm

Speaking of "gag", especially in light of their history:

Quote:

Autism Speaks also launched the “Year of Kindness” campaign today—an in-house initiative that aims to record one million acts of kindness toward people with autism by the end of 2020.

I'll pass, thank you, not to mention where they can shove their "acts of kindness" :twisted:

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12 Feb 2020, 6:49 pm

ShadeX wrote:

There are two autistic people that are on various Autism Speaks Board of Directors

Robyn Silber is on the National Capital Board of Directors
Dr. Stephen Shore is on the National Board of Directors
Valarie Paradiz was a member of the national board of directors for 3 years. She is now their Vice President of Services and Supports.

Their "curabee" days or at least openly "curabee" ended in 2016 when it was removed from their mission statement.

BenderRodriguez wrote:

A LOT to change the mind of those who were aware of what they did for many years. Much, much more than this thin layer of varnish they're going for...

They must at some point apologize for their past actions. And it better not be the usual "I'm sorry if we offended anybody" apology. The apology needs to show a full understanding of the offense and harm they caused.

Besides the puzzle piece being unkind the #MSSNG name of their genetics project with google is offensive.

I can never view an organization that supports ABA as a friend or ally. They share a large responsibility in making that "treatment" the "gold standard" in America. Thier advocacy for ABA remains unwavering.

The above all said we should realize that this is not the Autism Speaks of 2010 anymore. I still constantly read posts like the above describing the way it used to be. I believe that there remains people in that organization that want to go back to the way it was. If neurodiversity advocates continue to not acknowledge these changes or dismiss them as a hoax the remaining curabees may regain power by effectively argueing that why continue to give those ungrateful ND bastards anything and this is proof that autism makes people hideous.

Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 12 Feb 2020, 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

B19
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12 Feb 2020, 7:13 pm

I take a cynical view - the curebie removal may have been a calculated move to try to increase their donations.

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