Our Story
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| Zachary Miller, |
| Founder & President |
I have been surrounded by the neurodiverse community. My brother and sister were both diagnosed with Autism, and I have seen the challenges that can arise during neurodiverse adolescence and continuing on into adulthood. As a family, we often discuss ways to support my siblings in their academic, work, and social goals. I have come to understand that our world sways towards neurotypical behaviors and settings that can be otherwise difficult and frustrating for those who are neurodiverse. One day, I was talking with my mother about my sister Addison’s social life. Despite her outgoing nature, Addison has struggled to find friends in her neurotypical-dominated school environment. This conversation sparked my interest in creating a program that would foster greater interactions between neurodiverse and neurotypical communities. I saw the need for a program that generates a platform and gateway between the neurodiverse and neurotypical communities and allows them to form friendships easily. The Spreading Neurodiversity Acceptance Project for Social Engagement, abbreviated as SNAP, was adopted to increase communication, interaction, and understanding between the two communities via a club at the University of Pittsburgh and the continuous development of a communication tool to help both communities more easily understand each other.
To allow for greater communication within the neurodiverse and neurotypical communities through giving greater opportunities for new neurodiverse and neurotypical interactions and understandings.
Learn More About What We’re Doing
In nature, birds and alligators live in a harmonious relationship called mutualism—the biological, symbiotic relationship where two animals benefit one another. The bird will rest inside the alligator’s mouth and pick out any food remains in the alligator’s teeth. This feeds the bird and keeps the alligator’s mouth nice and clean. SNAP adapts this ideology to neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals. There is a uniqueness to our relationships, but something so unique and significant in that we can help one another and grow together. SNAP’s logo shows the love and support both communities should share and will continue to develop and advocate.