📣 Petition Summary:

After the heartbreaking drowning of two autistic children, Mohammed and Waeys, the Maangaar Voices team launched a petition urging Minnesota to implement free swimming education for vulnerable autistic children. Research shows autistic children are 160 times more likely to die from drowning—yet preventative measures like swimming lessons and water safety education are rarely accessible or culturally inclusive.

Our petition gained momentum quickly:

2,274 Signatures / Supporters                                                                                 

20,607 views

1,300 shares

93 dedicated promoters

This outpouring of community support became a spark for wider action.

 
📍What’s Happened Since

What began as a petition has become a movement. Over the past year, Maangaar Voices has turned urgent advocacy into tangible progress:

✅ We worked with Councilman Jamal Osman to introduce and pass a City of Minneapolis Resolution acknowledging drowning as a leading cause of death for autistic children.

✅ The Mayor’s Office publicly commemorated this resolution, honoring the lives lost and the families impacted.

✅ We’ve provided ongoing support to both grieving mothers, honoring their pain with action—not just during the crisis but long after.

✅ Partnered with Representative Samakab Hussein to introduce legislation in the Minnesota House. While it didn’t pass this session, it laid important groundwork.

✅ Met with Representative Kim Hicks of Olmsted County, who committed to helping bring these efforts statewide, county by county.

✅ Other organizations, like MAAN, have stepped up to the plate—introducing legislation to ensure swimming lessons are covered under waivers and hosting informative community education sessions.

✅ We’ve also connected with Miss Dayna—a national expert and passionate water safety advocate (watersafetywithmissdayna.com). Plans are underway to collaborate on future trainings, workshops, and legislative efforts.

✅ Our story has reached far and wide—featured by WCCO, MPR, and Haybad Media’s documentary team.

From grassroots organizing to policy advocacy, we are building a safer future for autistic children—one step, one conversation, one life at a time.

🫶🏽 Thank you to the thousands who have signed, shared, and stood with us. Your voices are not only heard—they're making impact.

#MaangaarVoices #SwimSafeMN #AutismSafety #WaterSafetyAwareness #DrowningPrevention #NeurodiversityJustice #CommunityHealing #MissDayna #LegislationMatters #MinnesotaAdvocacy #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs