Celebrating 15 years of progress, Autism Speaks unveils reimagined visual identity and effort to make 2020 its “Year of Kindness”

NEW YORK - Today, Autism Speaks celebrates its 15th birthday by unveiling a reimagined visual identity and launching a commitment to make 2020 the “Year of Kindness” for people with autism, through one million acts of kindness big and small.

Founded in 2005, Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of people with autism and their families. In the 15 years since its founding, the autism community has seen considerable change, and Autism Speaks has evolved along the way.

“So much has changed in the world of autism since we were founded. We’ve seen prevalence rise from 1 in 166 to 1 in 59 children in the U.S. We’ve learned a great deal through research and collaboration in the field. We’ve seen $3.5 billion in federal funds allocated to the study of autism and those it impacts, and we’ve seen every state recognize the need to provide insurance benefits for people with autism,” said Autism Speaks President and CEO Angela Geiger.

“With 15 years of momentum and learning behind us, we chose this moment to reintroduce ourselves to the world – recognizing how far we’ve come and stepping into the future with hope, optimism and commitment to addressing the challenges and opportunities within our community.”

Reimagining the Blue Puzzle Piece

The new visual identity begins with an evolution of the iconic blue puzzle piece. Reimagined to include a spectrum of colors in addition to Autism Speaks’ traditional blue, the logo signifies the diversity of perspectives and experiences with autism spectrum disorder and signals a deepened commitment to inclusivity.

“Over the years, we have heard from the vast and diverse autism community – from our supporters to our critics, and from those whose autism is their greatest strength to those for whom autism can be a daily challenge,” Geiger continued. “This new look aims to highlight the depth, breadth and infinite differences along the autism spectrum and to show our commitment to listening, evolving and reflecting those we serve.”

The refresh also includes a new lower-case Autism Speaks name in the logo, a palette of complimentary colors and the use of textures throughout the visual identity. Each element of the redesign was carefully developed to reflect Autism Speaks’ evolution as an organization. To read more about the redesign, click here.

A Call for Kindness

In concert with the rebrand, Autism Speaks is launching a “Year of Kindness” initiative: challenging constituents to complete one million acts of kindness by the end of 2020. Acts of kindness, which will be collected at autismspeaks.org/kindness, can include everything from lending a helping hand to a friend on the spectrum to volunteering at an Autism Speaks event to sending a message of goodwill through social media.

“Central to our mission is increasing global understanding and acceptance of people with autism. That’s why our birthday wish is to make 2020 a year filled with good deeds that contribute to a kinder inclusive world,” said 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.”

To participate in the initiative, supporters can log their acts of kindness at autismspeaks.org/kindness. There, they can:

• Take a simple pledge to do an act of kindness today.
• Share kindness on social with #KindnessCounts and join a social kindness challenge.
• Access tools to advocate with and for people with autism in local communities.
• Shop for kindness-themed apparel to proudly display your commitment to kindness.
• Sign up to host a Kindness Break and pour out kindness alongside friends and family.
• Access resources to making sharing kindness easy.

To learn more about the Year of Kindness and all Autism Speaks 2020 initiatives, visit autismspeaks.org or follow @autismspeaks on social media.