Miss Maroon and White Presents Autism Awareness Day
When Remington Wiley was crowned 2009-2010 Miss Maroon and White last spring semester, she won the hearts of Morehouse College on the platform “social summons, a calling for dedication and service to autism awareness.”
This spring, Wiley will fulfill her platform through Autism Awareness Day. The day will be comprised of service and fitness, including the Walk for Autism and the second annual dodge ball tournament. The CASA sponsored day of activities will be held Saturday, Feb. 27.
Implemented by Wiley herself, Autism Awareness Day is a first in Morehouse College history; however, it is intended to be an AUC day of service and not limited to Morehouse.
The walk seeks to promote autism spectrum disorder awareness, a complex condition with widespread abnormalities in regard to social interactions and communication. The disorder includes severely restricted interests and highly repetitive behavior.
According to the national organization Autism Speaks, the disorder affects the lives of 1.5 million Americans and tens of millions worldwide. While the disorder is difficult for individuals with autism, it is also rather challenging for the loved ones in their lives.
Wiley, whose younger brother is autistic, seeks to engage the Morehouse community with the realities of autism.
Communication is a major barrier when dealing with the contours of the spectrum disorder.
“It wasn’t until I attended college that I realized how much my brother having autism has affected me,” Wiley said. “People would say ‘oh your brother can’t speak, how do you communicate?’”
To communicate effectively with her brother, Wiley and her family tried to teach him sign language, but were unsuccessful.
There’s no hope if there’s no awareness — research is necessary,” Wiley said.
What Morehouse students may not know is that Wiley has been actively participating in autism awareness initiatives even before being crowned the coveted Miss Maroon and White. One of these initiatives includes the annual Georgia Walk for Autism.
In preparation for this year’s walk for Autism in the AUC, the Houston native presented a lecture to Morehouse students on the disorder during CASA’s Disability Awareness Week.
In regards to the one-mile walk, Wiley asserts, “this is the biggest push.”
As Morehouse is a predominantly Black, all-male institution, Wiley feels that it is important to recognize that autism is “not just an African-American disorder, but does [significantly] affect men more than it does women.”
Prizes will also be awarded for both the walk and dodge ball game. One for best creative costume and another to the student organization with the most members registered. Wiley adds that all participants of the dodge ball game are required to participate in the walk.
While there is a $3 registration fee due on the day of the walk, all profits will be donated to the Georgia Walk for Autism. This fee includes entry into the charity dodge ball tournament. Proceeds will go toward autism research and treatment.
Registration for the walk will start at 11 a.m. at the Martin Luther King International Chapel plaza and an opening ceremony will begin promptly at 12:15 p.m. Determined to build strong numbers at the walk, Wiley has been encouraging students to register online via the CASA website, www.morehousecasa.com.
Wiley asserts that she will always be passionate about autism treatment and awareness.
“This walk will be patented,” she said. “Dodge ball will now always be Autism Awareness Day and I will come back every year to make sure of it!”
Gerren K. Gaynor
Opinions Editor
gerren.gaynor@gmail.com
