LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Lila Coburn and her service dog, Atticus, walked through the halls of the J. Graham Brown School for one of the final times last week, as Coburn graduated and left a significant mark on the school.

What You Need To Know

  • Lila Coburn is passionate about autism awareness

  • Coburn lives with autism spectrum disorder, which helped inspire her to make a difference for others

  • She writes to humanize the autistic experience

  • Coburn is headed to Centre College this fall as a Lincoln Scholar

Inclusion is personal for Coburn, who lives with autism. 

“Inclusion benefits everybody,” Coburn said. 

She’s passionate about sharing the daily livelihood of neurodivergent people—which includes, but is not limited to, those on the autism spectrum. She described a recent piece she wrote about her experience prom dress shopping at the mall.

“While that may seem insignificant to a lot of people, at the mall I had had a public meltdown,” she said. “So I wanted to write about that and getting back up after a meltdown, which is a very common experience in the autism community.”

Living with autism spectrum disorder helped inspire Coburn to make a difference for others.

Her school’s disability advocacy club, which Coburn is a member of, spent four years getting a sensory room installed. It includes dim lighting, a tent to lie down, rocking chairs and other tools where overstimulated students can regain control. 

Besides the sensory room, Coburn helped host the school’s first silent disco. 

Christina Densford is one of Coburn’s teachers and says it’s important for everyone to have the same opportunities. 

“It’s not just autism. If 2020 taught us anything, everybody has their own individual concerns, and to be outcasted because of a way that you are wired is wrong,” Densford said. “So I try to help people understand even though you can’t see the disability, here’s where you do see it—and it’s not them being obstinate or avoidant, it’s a real thing going on inside them.”

Coburn’s talent and openness led her to the Governor’s School for the Arts, a competitive summer writing program.

“I try to be honest and I just try to give people everyday experiences of autism, because that’s something that’s missing,” Coburn explained. “And when we do see people with autism, it’s these people doing these extraordinary things—almost like to deserve to be out in public, you’ve got to be extraordinary, have some sort of extraordinary talent. And I just want to show that autistic people deserve to be accepted regardless of who they are.”

Coburn and Atticus will head to Danville in August to attend Centre College as a Lincoln Scholar. She hopes to become a full-time advocate for the disability community.