By: Cristina Gaudio, NCSA Legal & Policy Fellow
The first time I saw the words “severe autism” printed clearly and unapologetically in mainstream discourse was in the title of the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA). I will never forget that moment.
As a J.D./M.P.P. candidate at Vanderbilt Law School preparing for a career in disability and public interest law, my career motivations are personal. My brother has autism. Because of it, he is unable to work, live independently, communicate fully, or navigate the world safely. He cannot switch in and out of his autism: he is like this all day, every day. He will need lifelong support, extensive therapy, costly medication, and, most importantly, me as his caregiver when my parents are no longer around.
Acknowledging this reality is not pessimism: it is compassion grounded in reality. It is where I have found my life’s purpose, and what I have dedicated my career to doing. I find the deepest fulfillment in serving the autism community when I am advocating for those who need it most. This part of the spectrum has a name: severe and profound autism.
I have never considered autism to be a superpower. When I caught wind of the mainstream media message that autism is to be regarded solely as an identity or difference rather than a disability, I was appalled. While I absolutely believe in recognizing strengths where they exist, portraying autism as purely a gift dangerously oversimplifies the complex reality of vulnerable people like my brother. The feel-good, politically correct messaging that has taken over large parts of the autism discourse—on TikTok, in nonprofits, and even in legislation—is not only insulting, but dangerous.
Before encountering NCSA, the autism discourse in media and advocacy circles felt curated, sanitized, and wildly incomplete to me. It centered on high-functioning voices, heartwarming anecdotes, and hashtags, while the daily realities of families like mine were ignored, if not actively erased. Even in my undergraduate years at the University of Chicago, my efforts to speak on behalf of the severely disabled were silenced by other students in my disability rights club. I had never seen the words “severe autism” printed in mainstream discourse, until that moment.
“NCSA printed the words ‘severe autism’ loudly and clearly, when no one else would.”
With chapters in many states across the country, NCSA is not just a message: it’s a movement. It authentically portrays the realities of autism across the lifespan, especially the urgent and growing adult severe autism crisis that too few are willing to talk about. As thousands of children with severe autism age out of school-based services, families are left scrambling for housing, care, and support systems that simply do not exist. NCSA is one of the only organizations consistently sounding the alarm on this crisis and offering real, workable policy solutions.
By the time I was accepted to law school, I had the option to seek a law and policy fellowship with any number of advocacy organizations. Choosing NCSA was a no-brainer. In today’s political climate, NCSA is the most vocal advocacy group confronting the realities of severe autism with honesty, courage, and a fervent dedication to meaningful change.
“In this arena, NCSA stands up and says what others will not: that cloaking autism under the politically correct guise of a difference or quirk marginalizes the most vulnerable people in our society.”
That, for some, autism means 24/7 supervision, families in crisis, marriages broken under the weight of constant stress, and a desperate, aching desire to connect with a fully nonverbal child. It means elopement scares, self-injurious behaviors, headbanging, and seizures. It means parents living with the constant fear of what will happen to their child when they are gone, as safe, appropriate housing for severely autistic adults is practically nonexistent. It means lying awake at night fearing their child could be abused in an under-resourced care system.
The law and public policy in our country must reflect these truths. To this end, NCSA’s clear-eyed legal advocacy, grounded in evidence, empathy, and lived experience, resonates deeply with me.
Now, as a Legal Policy and Advocacy Fellow with NCSA, I am proud to contribute to this mission. With its growing national voice—from policy influence to coverage in The New York Times—NCSA is bringing long-overdue attention to those who have too often been overlooked, minimized, or silenced.
That’s why I chose NCSA. Because they are doing real work. The kind that cuts straight to solutions rather than getting lost in semantics. The kind that centers the truly vulnerable, rather than the egos of those whose needs have already been met.
“In a space filled with noise, NCSA speaks with clarity. In a field filled with slogans, it acts with purpose.”
That is the kind of advocacy I believe in. That is the kind of advocate I am becoming.
Author’s Note:
Cristina Gaudio is the 2025–2026 Legal Policy and Advocacy Fellow at the National Council on Severe Autism. A JD/MPP candidate at Vanderbilt University and a proud autism sibling, Cristina is dedicated to advancing evidence-based policies that support individuals with severe and profound autism. Her work focuses on Medicaid reform, housing access, and meaningful services for profoundly affected individuals. She also serves as a U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer.