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By Juliette Gudknecht

Growing up, Hari Srinivasan remembers repeatedly learning about St. Patrick’s Day in his special education classroom—a holiday that, while interesting, felt disconnected from his own cultural heritage. The focus on a narrow set of Western-centric celebrations left little room for holidays like Diwali or Navratri, which held more significance for him. This approach, shaped by clinicians who advised speaking only English to autistic children, paradoxically led to a loss of cultural identity rather than the inclusive exposure that neurotypical children might receive.

UNESCO is celebrating this International Literacy Day 2024 by highlighting multilingual changemakers on a global scale. Among them is Hari Srinivasan, a trailblazer for disability rights, who is a multilingual American child of immigrants, and minimally-speaking autistic self-advocate pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at Vanderbilt University. Juliette Gudknecht, a member of UNESCO's SDG 4 Youth & Student Network, sat down with Hari to learn about his work, challenges, and aspirations.

“Language is not just a means of communication; it is also a carrier of cultural identity and personal expression,” says Hari. Hari’s research, recognized by prestigious funding bodies such as the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and the National Science Foundation, focuses on the sensory experiences of autistic people.

In addition to his research, Hari has been widely acknowledged for his disability advocacy. This has included recognition by the White House under President Obama for the 30th and 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He actively serves on numerous advisory boards, including the U.S. National Institute of Health’s Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, the Autism Society, and Autism Europe. His published work in news outlets such as Time and Newsweek have been cited in significant instances such as in renegotiation discussions of the Autism Cares Act in the U.S. Congress and in an amicus curiae brief for a disability accommodation case.

Hari’s ultimate aspiration is to combine policy with research to effect meaningful change for marginalized populations globally.

“Having a disability provides me with a unique perspective that emphasizes the importance of designing solutions that cater to the most marginalized members of society,” Hari noted. He underscored that seeking solutions for those with higher support needs can ultimately benefit everyone, a principle inspired by the . Hari says that just as ramps and elevators, which were initially designed for wheelchair users, can aid travelers with suitcases and families with strollers, solutions that support those with significant support needs in the autism community can enhance accessibility and inclusion for all.

Reflecting on this year’s International Literacy Day, Hari shared his concluding thoughts: “Multilingual and disability inclusion is essential for creating equitable and inclusive societies. Many of us have extended family members whose primary language may not be English, or who only speak their native tongue. This makes it all the more important to immerse disabled children in multiple languages from the beginning—doing so will enrich their understanding of the world, strengthen their cultural connections, and help them connect with both the wider community and their own families. Embracing multilingualism and disability inclusion means valuing and integrating these diverse forms of communication into our educational systems, workplaces, and communities.”

According to Hari, being multilingual enriches his worldview by allowing him to think and perceive in different cultural contexts. Hari believes that languages carry with them differing ways of conceptualizing ideas, emotions, and social interactions. 

As we celebrate International Literacy Day, Hari’s story brings home the idea of the transformative role of language and the critical importance of creating inclusive spaces where marginalized voices can thrive.