In 2025, Embrace The Puzzle!

By Kami-Leigh Agard

This upcoming April is National Autism Month, and one visual you’ll likely see is the puzzle piece. After reading many blogs and listening to differing opinions about the puzzle piece, I was flabbergasted by how many people actually still vehemently loathe the logo. And folks, selfishly when I think of my daughter, does she view herself as part of the puzzle? Plus, as I’m designing the t-shirts for Rockaway Beach Autism Families’ 3rd Annual Walk For Autism, what does the community look forward to?

First, a little history. The puzzle piece originated as a National Autistic Society symbol in 1963, who at that time stated, “The puzzle piece is so effective because it tells us something about autism: our children are handicapped by a puzzling condition; this isolates them from normal human contact and therefore they do not ‘fit in’.”

The puzzle piece has since then been co-opted by many autism organizations such as the controversial Autism Speaks. After many evolutions in design and meaning over the years, today it is used to symbolize the idea that autistic people are difficult to comprehend (like a puzzle) and that the “cure” for autism is the missing piece.

However, after reading a recent op-ed in Time magazine by Jeffrey Lurie, chairman and CEO of the Philadelphia Eagles, who stated, “What do football, political polarization and autism have in common? They all illuminate aspects of the human condition, explaining who we are, where we are headed and the hurdles along the way,” I came to one conclusion, Mr. Lurie you hit the nail on the head.

As a mother of a child on the spectrum, I will tell you that autism is a puzzle, and for folks to go ranting and lambasting people and organizations who embrace the puzzle logo is just ridiculous.

Why is autism a puzzle? Can someone explain to me why at age six, my seemingly Olympian-Simon Biles-esqe daughter, though leaping to where she could jump and punch the ceiling, suddenly stopped speaking? She used to count to 10, sing the ABC song, say, “mummy,” “daddy,” “chips,” “water,” “please,” “thank you.” Where the hell did that go?

And if she is supposedly “low-functioning,” and “severely autistic,”’ how could she out-jump, out-run everyone, including her mummy and daddy, who are not on the spectrum? How is she able to skateboard and roller blade like a pro? How is she able to understand all directions without a physical prompt? Why is my little girl built like a brick house with muscular abs and limbs? Yet with all her strength and Avenger-like superhero strength abilities, why can’t she draw a simple linear line? Why more than ever, we have to watch her like a hawk because she’s increasingly evolved into Houdini, when it comes to her unfathomable disappearing acts?

So yes, autism is a puzzling mystery. And society’s polarization just makes it all the more harder for us as parents, caregivers, and even siblings and family members, to understand autism, build awareness, amidst all the challenges.

As human beings, so-called neurotypical or not, we are also puzzles, who can’t even fathom our own actions—right or wrong.

So yes, we are all puzzles, but the beautiful aspects of autism are that each day, some pieces start to interlock, as we learn and grow together.

So instead of all this rabble-rousing about a puzzle piece, why can’t we just collaborate and embrace each other to do everything we can in our fleshly mortal state to advocate for each other?

When I look at my daughter, I see the most beautiful puzzle in the world. Her hair is a lush waterfall of curls, her eyelashes are so long, they could probably bat a fly. Her enchanting beauty and abilities puzzle me.

I look forward to more of the puzzle pieces start interlocking so my daughter and her peers discover more about themselves.

I talk about autism to open doors into the reality of our lives as caregivers, build understanding, tolerance and growth of our “artistic” children. Please indeed share your thoughts and stories by emailing kami@rockawaybeachautismfamilies.org.

Rockaway Beach Autism Families’ next family support group meeting is Thursday, January 23, 7 p.m. at Knights of Columbus (333 Beach 90th Street). Guest speaker TBA.  Also, stayed tuned for RBAF’s rollout of special events lined up for Autism Awareness Month in April, including our 3rd Annual Walk for Autism on the boardwalk. For more info, visit: Rockaway Beach Autism Families on Facebook/ Instagram.