Hi everyone,

I wanted to share an update that feels both surreal and important.

The Guardian just published a story about the push to create a national autism database — and they included my perspective as the creator of this petition.

You can read it here:

‘A slippery slope to eugenics’: advocates reject RFK Jr’s national autism database

This article means a lot to me. It shows that what we did mattered. Together, over 50,000 of us stood up and said: autistic people deserve respect, privacy, and a say in decisions that affect them.

Because of you, HHS clarified that no national autism registry is being created. That was a huge step — and a real win.

But as the article points out, the concerns aren’t over. The government is still building a data platform, and many questions remain about consent, oversight, and who will control that information.

So while I’m proud of what we accomplished, I’m staying alert — and I hope you’ll stay with me.

Thank you again for being part of this. You helped change the story.

With gratitude,

Ryan Smith

Petition Starter