Indy Autism Project - Different Not Less

By DeAndra Dycus

Ali Brown is a newly elected City Councillor for the city of Indianapolis District 5. She is also a wife and a loving mother of a 4-year-old son named Dylan.

Ali is what I like to call a Warrior Mom. Her courage is to be admired. Her son Dylan was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at the young age of 2 1/2. Ali shared candidly with me how through early intervention her beloved Dylan was diagnosed quickly and treatment took place. She was extremely grateful for the swift thinking of her son’s therapist and medical practitioner. Through her son’s treatment and meeting other parents who had children on the spectrum, Ali quickly realized there were some major concerns in Indianapolis as it pertained to being equipped and educated to make the city inclusive to the needs of those on the spectrum. Ali also quickly noticed racial disparities of children on the spectrum. One key disparity is the time of diagnosis.

Zach, Ali, Dylan Brown

Ali had an enthusiasm to run for the District 5 seat for the Indianapolis City Council, and with that enthusiasm came determination. “I ran for City-County Council to represent young families and what matters to them. I wanted to be a voice that is often unheard in government. I ran because I believe we need an equitable government that does the most for our most vulnerable.”

Ali was determined to highlight the disparities and lack of support in Indianapolis for families with children who are on the spectrum as well adults on the spectrum who desired to live a normal life. Ali spoke strongly in our interview about the growing concerns of safety, from the workplace to taking public transportation.

On December 7, 2020, the Indy Autism Project was established with the help of All Brown and the support of her council colleagues. The project has 5 pillars – Public Safety, Parks and Recreation, Workforce Development, Mass Transit, Travel and Tourism. The overall goal of the project is to increase community awareness in Indy’s neurodiverse community, creating a better understanding of what ASD is and how it affects each individual differently and helping underserved communities gain access to diagnosis and treatment.

Councillor Brown is to be admired. She is a dedicated mom and wife but also a stellar leader in our community. Once elected, Ali set out to of make Indiana only the second state to be certified in diversity and inclusion as it pertains to meeting the needs of individuals on the spectrum. Our interview ended with me shedding tears. It was eye-opening and comforting to connect with a mom who identifies with the same journey that my son and I are on.

Funding for the project will come from several sources but will not increase taxes. Funding partners include the City of Indianapolis, Marion County City-County Council, IMPD, the Sheriff’s Department, Easterseals Crossroads, Indy Chamber, Autism Society of Indiana, and many more.

“I created the Indy Autism Project with the goal of creating a city that leads with kindness and sees the strength in our differences. People on the spectrum deserve a world that works for them and allows them to achieve their goals,” Ali said.

For more information, visit www.indyautismproject.com or email Councillor Ali Brown at thealibrown@gmail.com.

Are you working on a project to help support the special needs community? We would love to let the community know more in an upcoming issue of Special Needs Living? Email us at SpecialNeedsLivingIndy@n2pub.com.