Week 5: Respect Awareness Months With Integrity

TL;DR: National months and days like Autism Acceptance Month are important for awareness and fundraising. Never piggyback on them for attention or PR gimmicks. Participate only if you have a real, relevant connection. 

National months and days carry real weight for people working toward awareness, inclusion, and fundraising. These observances organize attention, mobilize donors, and open doors for policy and culture change.

Treat them with care. Participate only when your organization has a genuine connection and a clear way to support the core mission.

What these observances represent

• Community leadership and lived experience, often built over years of work.
• Shared language and goals that move advocacy forward.
• A reliable moment to educate the public and grow support.

How to participate with integrity

• Confirm a real connection. Name your stake, programs, partners, and beneficiaries.
• Center community voices. Pay creators, attribute their work, and link to resources led by the people most affected.
• Offer practical value. Publish helpful guides, host accessible events, or fund services that advance the mission.
• Coordinate with existing efforts. Join coalitions, amplify agreed‑upon messages, and respect community priorities.
• Commit beyond the calendar. Budget for follow‑through, track outcomes, and report what changed.

Practices to avoid

• Gimmicks and piggyback campaigns that chase attention without substance.
• One‑off posts or slogans with no resources, funding, or next step.
• Vague claims, outdated statistics, or language communities have rejected.
• Performative donations with more promotion than impact.
• Content that replaces community voices with your brand voice.

Example Autism Acceptance Month

Autism Acceptance Month each April elevates advocacy led by autistic people. Community‑driven resources such as the Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network offer guidance on language, goals, and participation. See autisticadvocacy.org and awnnetwork.org for background and resources.

If you participate, center autistic voices, use acceptance language, and point to community‑led services. Fund accessibility improvements, inclusive hiring, and year‑round programming. Publish transparent results and keep going after April.

The takeaway

Observances are commitments to real people and real work. Choose them deliberately, contribute substance, and sustain the effort after the spotlight fades.

AI-generated image. Not representative of real individuals or events.