Northwestern will light it blue for autism awareness

If you’re on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus April 2, look for the blue light.

In celebration of World Autism Awareness Day, Northwestern will light the clock tower at Rebecca Crown Center blue to help educate people about the challenges of autism.

Northwestern will join institutions, places of worship and iconic sites around the world that day by paying tribute to the more than 70 million people affected by autism.

For last year’s celebration, blue light appeared atop 18,600 buildings in 142 countries on all seven continents, according to the science and advocacy organization Autism Speaks.

In a March 12 event, Northwestern employees with autism shared their on-the-job experiences as part of the Autism Speaks Midwest Employee Symposium. The event, at Norris University Center, brought together people with autism, families, researchers, business owners, entrepreneurs and others to help address employment issues for adults with autism.