#OughtTheBox: Autism Fundraiser

What is OughtTheBox? What work have we done in the past?

#OughtTheBox is a fundraising initiative dedicated to supporting autistic people who need financial assistance, with a strong focus on prioritizing BIPOC families. To date, we’ve provided meaningful support to individuals and families in cities including Toronto, Edmonton, Atlanta, and London, England. So far, we’ve raised over $12,000.

Why has #OughtTheBox taking a break from fundraising?

Due to the pandemic, we paused our fundraising efforts as our showcases are held in person. While we continued to make donations, we suspended in-person events until it was safe to resume.

Who are we raising funds for at the next fundraising showcase?

Our next fundraising showcase will be on June 8th 2025 at it's OK* Studios. Our goal is to raise funds for Isaac, a Black disabled in the Jane and Black Creek community. We are hoping to raise $1000 for Isaac. All the proceeds will go towards supporting Isaac.

What is our intention for the upcoming show on June 8th 2025?

We are hosting 'For Isaac' fundraiser where all of our performances, speeches or art centers disability, neurodivergence, and wellness. The majority of our artists disabled or neurodivergent, and all of our speakers are either disabled/autistic or strong allies of the disabled and neurodivergent community. We’re committed to creating a platform that authentically reflects the complexities, joys, and systemic barriers experienced by disabled and neurodivergent people.

Interested in attending the show?

#OughtTheBox Autism Fundraiser for Isaac

Event Details

Date: Sunday June 8th 2025

Location: it’s OK* Studio (68 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2B2)

Doors Open: 5:30PM

Show Starts: 6:00PM - 8:30PM

Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/oughtthebox-autism-fundraiser-for-isaac-tickets-1368123136129?aff=oddtdtcreator

Why did #OughtTheBox begin?

About twenty years ago, the word “autism” was unfamiliar to me. I remember when our family received a free, community-funded computer and the very first question I ever typed into Google was: “What is autism?”

When people asked why my brother, Bilal, couldn’t speak, I would say he was deaf, simply because I didn’t know how to explain autism. I was just a child, and all I really understood was that I loved my brother deeply.

As Bilal grew older, I watched my family navigate Toronto’s autism service system. I witnessed my mother advocate fiercely for him with the few resources she had. We were living on the margins—first-generation, children of immigrants, poor, and Black. I saw firsthand how society treats neurodivergent and disabled people, especially those who are severely autistic. I saw how my brother was both subtly and overtly excluded from public spaces.

In my early twenties, I wrote a play inspired by everything I’d learned from my brother and the non-verbal autistic community. Today, I’m fundraising for people like him, for all autistic and disabled individuals living at the intersections of poverty and marginalization.

Thank you for your generosity.

Faduma