At The Neurodiversity Alliance, we understand our responsibility to empower young people to drive real change through inclusive and forward-thinking projects. This week, we got to continue that celebration at our webinar, The Founder’s Fellows Roundtable. The Roundtable, culminating in a summer of mentored independent research and work with my exclusive consultation, highlighted the innovative work of two remarkable young people I’m honored to know: Kaiya Narula and Myles Cobb. 

Kaiya Narula

Kaiya, our youngest Fellow in the program’s history at just twelve years old, was inspired by her ND experiences and those of her peers to center her project around the lived experiences of neurodiverse people. From sharing her experiences with OCD to showcasing popular celebrities in the ND club to interactive exercises, Kaiya used her ND creativity to show the importance of accommodations. In fact, one of Kaiya’s main takeaways from her research was that it only takes about 10 minutes for our ND Allies to empathize with our experiences.

Myles Cobb

Myles, who you might remember as a speaker at Eye to Eye’s 25th Anniversary Gala, was in a unique position this summer as he prepared to start his freshman year at Washington University in St. Louis. Myles characteristically brought his vulnerability and introspection to his project, and after going to an Olympic trial in Paris, chose to explore hyperfocus in ADHD. From studying athletes getting in the zone to recording how he felt playing video games, Myles used an out-of-the-box approach to understanding one of our greatest superpowers as ND people.

For those who couldn’t join us live, click here to view the recording! I particularly recommend the Q&A section. The audience had the opportunity to engage directly with the Fellows, asking great questions about their journeys, challenges, and the future of neurodiversity advocacy. I think you’ll agree that the conversation was incredibly thought-provoking!

As Kaiya and Myles showed us, this next generation is bursting with fresh ideas and a passion for promoting neurodiversity and equity-not just in schools but everywhere! By supporting them and giving their voices the platform they deserve, we’re helping to build a future where everyone, no matter how they learn, has the chance to thrive and make a meaningful impact. 

If you know someone who would be interested in next year’s Fellowship, please contact us at [email protected].  

For the good,

Dave