Digital Conviction: How it began: One day, my friends and I were brainstorming community service project ideas.I maneuvered the conversation into a discussion of ways in which we could improve the miserable situation in Mexico. Rather than focus on all of Mexico, we decided to focus on just one area, Oaxaca, a mountainous region home to disenfranchised indigenous people. Now that we knew who to help, the next step was “How?” I would like to point out the fact that we did not want to have a run-of-the-mill project, we did not want to provide ephemeral aid to the Oaxacans.

Autism is the nation's fastest-growing developmental disorder. Each year 1 in 150 children will be diagnosed with autism. There are almost 1.5 million cases of autism in the United States alone, with 3 children being diagnosed per hour (Autism Speaks, 2007). Most people have a friend or family member living with autism, and I am no exception. I have a ten year old cousin who is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Watching her at family gatherings sparked a desire in me to help her find a way to cope with her autism.