Kerry

I first heard about the Light It Up Blue Campaign from Autism Speaks over a year ago now. On World Autism Awareness Day last year, I was amazed by all the fantastic buildings in the metropolitan area that were lit up blue! I even got to go to see the Empire State Building being Lit up Blue in New York City! Ever since then I knew that in preparation for next year’s events I wanted to come up with a slogan that would help in spreading the awareness of lighting prominent buildings in North America up blue for April. While thinking it over it became obvious what that would be. In my head I asked myself, “Will I light it up blue?” To make others feel a personal connection to the effort I started sending emails out to friends, family, peers all asking the same question as above, “Will you light it up blue?”

The subject line would always read the same “Mom: Will you light it up blue?” “Seton Hall University (The College I currently attend): Will you light it up blue?” Email after email would be sent out asking for those individuals to dedicate a part of themselves to the Light it up Blue Campaign. As an individual with autism, I know the importance of efforts to build awareness for autism such as this one. Through this effort I encourage those to not only light their clothes and houses up blue but their lives in blue. Now, I would like to ask the same question to those at the White House.

White House: Will you Light it up Blue?

My name is Kerry, an individual on the autism spectrum with a plea: Will you light it up Blue? You may not know what this means yet, but let me tell you, it is something that will change your life and many other individuals’ lives on the autism spectrum forever. In October, I turned on my television to see The White House no longer white, but pink. After looking at this I immediately went onto my computer and searched for the meaning of what was going on. By the end of the night I learned more about Breast Cancer than I had ever known in my entire life. Some downplay the significance of what the White House has on America, but I think The White House is the symbol for America and on October 14^th, Breast Cancer Awareness was on center stage for America. Will you give autism awareness that same moment on April 1^st and 2nd?

White House: Will you Light it up Blue? There are still many out there who have no idea what autism is. I heard a peer on my campus a few weeks ago say that autism is a “disease.” Quite a few kids are still bullied just for being different than their peers. Sometimes the way to promote and educate those about certain things is by putting it out in the open. Will you give those individuals that education?

White House: Will you Light it Up Blue? Someone in America is diagnosed with autism every 15 minutes. 96 individuals will be diagnosed with autism in 24 hours. Will you light it up blue for one day to make the whole world aware of those individuals?

White House: Will you Light it up Blue? Autism needs a “voice” more than ever in Washington. Some random acts of kindness can go a long way towards making this world more “united.”

For those people at The White House: Will you Light it up Blue? This is my plea. I know I only am one person, but blue blood runs through my veins whenever the thought of helping someone on the spectrum comes to mind and I’m sure countless others feel the same. The rest is up to you. So White House: Will you light it up Blue?

-Kerry Magro