Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos handed a $5 million unrestricted grant to David Flink, the driving force behind the Neurodiversity Alliance. This award, part of their Courage & Civility series, spotlights leaders tackling overlooked challenges in education. Flink, who grew up navigating dyslexia and ADHD himself, started this work nearly three decades ago at Brown University with a simple idea: neurodivergent students helping each other.
The Neurodiversity Alliance traces back to 1998, when Flink and fellow students launched Eye to Eye, a peer mentoring setup. High schoolers with learning differences like autism, ADHD, or dyslexia began guiding middle school peers, while college groups formed affinity spaces for open talk. Today, the network spans over 600 high schools and colleges, where student leaders, or “ambassadors of the possible,” foster clubs that challenge the need to “mask” traits just to fit in. These clubs create real change by pushing schools toward environments built for diverse minds, not one size fits all.
Flink plans to channel the money toward scaling up to more than 2,000 sites by 2028. Strengthening mentorship pairs remains core, alongside amplifying stories that flip negative views on neurodiversity. The grant also grows a nationwide cadre of trained student leaders who sustain these clubs long term. This comes at a pivotal moment, as federal education budgets tighten under recent cuts, leaving gaps that grassroots efforts must fill. Kala Shah, a veteran attorney in disability protections, notes how vital private support like this becomes when public oversight wanes.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos brings her own story to the table; she faced undiagnosed dyslexia as a child and got labeled as not smart. That experience fuels her push against rigid ideas of intelligence. Flink sees the award as proof that steady, small actions add up; the daily work of his student network reached Bezos and Sánchez. He holds a master’s in disability studies from Columbia University and degrees in education and psychology, grounding his leadership in lived insight.
This $5 million gift forms one piece of a $25 million pool split among five Courage & Civility winners this year, down from past years’ larger totals. Richard Rusczyk earned another $5 million slice for MATHCOUNTS, fueling math passion in middle schoolers through competitions that spark joy and teamwork. Kara Ball of Understood.org, which aids those with ADHD and dyslexia, also received $5 million to broaden resources. Ilana Walder-Biesanz from National Math Stars joined the list, supporting young mathematicians. These choices highlight a shared aim: equipping all learners, regardless of ability, to thrive.
Bezos has a track record in education philanthropy that aligns here. Back in 2018, he and then-wife MacKenzie pledged $33 million to TheDream.US, funding 1,000 college scholarships for DACA students from U.S. high schools. That grant, the nonprofit’s biggest ever, underscored belief in education as a path for immigrants facing barriers. Earlier still, a $2 billion commitment launched tuition-free Montessori preschools in low-income areas and aided homeless families. Such moves show consistent focus on early and equitable learning access.
Philanthropy like this underscores how targeted funds can propel student driven change. The Neurodiversity Alliance gains momentum to redefine support for millions who learn differently. As Flink puts it, everyday efforts matter and now carry fresh resources to prove it.
