Top 10 Stories of 2025 from The Neurodiversity Alliance
As we reflect on 2025, we are proud to celebrate the students, partners, leaders, and community members who made this year one of growth, visibility, and impact for The Neurodiversity Alliance. Here are ten stories that capture the heart of our work and the momentum we built together.
1. The Neurodiversity Alliance Partners with Inclusive Schools NYC to Expand Reach and Empower Neurodivergent Students
This partnership marked a major step forward in expanding student-led neurodiversity clubs across New York City. By working with Inclusive Schools NYC, we strengthened access to leadership opportunities and peer support for neurodivergent students in the largest school district in the U.S.
2. David Flink Named Elevate Prize Winner
Founder and CEO David Flink was recognized as an Elevate Prize winner for his leadership and long-standing commitment to educational equity. This prestigious award recognizes leaders driving meaningful, transformational change, and David’s commitment to empowering neurodiverse young people and advancing systemic change in education earned him a place among this year’s ten inspiring honorees.
3. 2025 Scholarship Recipients
In 2025, we celebrated an inspiring group of scholarship recipients whose leadership, resilience, and advocacy reflect the future of the neurodiversity movement. These students represent a wide range of lived experiences and are already making a meaningful impact on their campuses and communities.
4. EdCast: The Neurodiversity Alliance: Students Empowering Students
This EdCast feature highlighted how students are leading change through peer mentoring, storytelling, and advocacy. The conversation underscored the significance of youth leadership in fostering more inclusive educational environments.
5. Learn Different Day Brings Together NYC Students, Families, and Leaders to Celebrate Neurodiversity
Learn Different Day brought together students, families, educators, and advocates for a powerful celebration of identity and belonging. The event showcased the strength of community and the impact of creating spaces where neurodivergent learners are fully seen and valued.
6. What Parenting Taught Me About Learning
In this personal reflection, David Flink shared how parenting deepened his understanding of learning differences and reinforced the need for education systems that honor how every child learns. The piece offered a thoughtful look at learning through both personal and professional lenses.
7. TEDx Talk: What Happens When You Stop Masking Your Differences
In this story, Jesse Sanchez explores the freedom and confidence that come from embracing one’s authentic self. Through lived experience, he highlights the emotional toll of masking and the power of finding environments that celebrate difference rather than suppress it.
8. These Neurodivergent Students Are Helping Each Other Build More Inclusive Schools
Students across the country were featured for their leadership in building inclusive schools and communities. The story illustrated how peer connection and advocacy can transform school culture and reduce isolation for neurodivergent learners.
9. In Their Words: Skier Alex Hackel and ‘Survivor’ Star Eva Erickson Enrich Neurodiverse Narratives
The Neurodiversity Alliance’s celebrity ambassadors, Alex Hackel and Eva Erickson, shared their personal experiences, helping expand public understanding of what it means to learn differently and succeed in their careers and in life. Their voices brought visibility, authenticity, and inspiration to the broader conversation.
10. Forbes Highlights David Flink’s Courage & Civility Award
The Forbes article, by Afdhel Aziz, highlights how this year’s Bezos Courage & Civility Awards are elevating leaders working in neurodiversity. The article features David Flink, Founder and CEO of The Neurodiversity Alliance, and his decades of work building a national movement that supports neurodivergent students through mentoring, programming, and culture change.
2025 gave us a lot to celebrate! Explore more of the stories that got us here on our News & Updates page.