ABA Centers of America is celebrating Autism Acceptance Month by encouraging those on the autism spectrum to champion the qualities that make them extraordinarily them with its “More Than Divergent” campaign.
The word neurodivergent has become popular in recent years because it can be used as a catchall to describe a vast community of people, but the characteristics and challenges faced by the autism community are incredibly nuanced, and there is really no one-size-fits-all word that accurately describes every individual with autism.
ABA Centers of America is rallying for individuals within the autism community to swap out the “divergent” in the word neurodivergent with an adjective they feel more accurately represents how they define their own developmental or cognitive uniqueness.
“This April, we want to go beyond accepting to celebrating what makes the autism community so awesome,” said Christopher Barnett, CEO of ABA Centers of America. “Through our ‘More Than Divergent’ campaign, we want everyone to know that the unique attributes gifted with an autism diagnosis aren’t disabilities, but that they can actually be superpowers.”
The organization encourages those on the spectrum and their families to declare how they are “More Than Divergent” on their social media channels with a photo or caption using the hashtag #morethandivergent.
As part of the “More Than Divergent” campaign, ABA Centers of America is launching a filter on TikTok and Instagram that takes the user through a random selector of idiosyncratic attributes ranging from the face value to the fantastical, landing on the trait that the filter deems the most fitting for the individual. Results include 26 different characteristics, such as Neuro-Curious, Neuro-Grandiloquent, Neuro-Likes Pineapple on Pizza, Neuro-Wears Pink on Wednesdays, and Neuro-Prefers Dogs Over People. All results were designed to align with traditional autism-related dispositions, with a sprinkle of cheekiness.
To further invigorate the “More Than Divergent” movement, ABA Centers of America has designed limited edition t-shirts that put the new neuro-adjective creation into the hands of those within the community themselves. The t-shirts have been preprinted with the phrase “I Am Neuro…” on them and individuals can complete that phrase by writing their preferred neuro-adjective or drawing a picture of something that they feel represents their personal experience.
In addition, ABA Centers of America has partnered with AMC Theatres this month to host sensory-friendly movie screenings for the new Super Mario Bros. Movie. These screenings will take place in two different locations throughout the month: AMC Burlington Cinema 10 on April 15 and AMC Tyngsboro 12 on April 29, with an “I Am Neuro…” t-shirt decoration station at each event.
More information about the “More Than Divergent” campaign can be found at https://www.abacenters.com/more-than-divergent/.
About ABA Centers of America
ABA Centers of America provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy services to children with autism spectrum disorder through a play-based approach rooted in positive reinforcement. The company was designed to disrupt the autism care industry by demolishing wait times traditionally experienced by those in search of an autism diagnosis or treatment. Its team of autism care experts serves the New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey areas through in-clinic, in-home, and in-school strategically tailored treatment plans. Its therapy programs are designed to deliver the most impactful continuum of care to best meet each client’s specific needs. More information on ABA Centers of America can be found at www.abacenters.com.
Contact
Katie Murphy
Director of Public Relations
(561) 895-6017
[email protected]
