Ms. Camille Proctor is the mother of a teen son and an adult daughter. In 2008, shortly after his second birthday, Camille’s son was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. As she searched for support services for her family, she soon realized a disparity in the black community. In 2009, she founded The Color of Autism Foundation to support African American families with children on the autism spectrum. The Color of Autism Foundation is a U.S. non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization committed to educating and assisting African American families affected by autism spectrum disorders. The Foundation aims to help families identify the warning signs of autism early on, so they can become their child’s best advocate. By providing culturally competent support and training, the Foundation also aims to improve outcomes for children in underserved communities on the autism spectrum. Camille has served as a diversity and inclusion advisor for both television and film. In September 2020, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed her to the Michigan State Disability Council. The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council’s mission is to support people with developmental disabilities to achieve life dreams. She is the author of a CNN Essay, “For the Walter Wallaces of the world, the police are not the answer” (October 2020), and, in 2021, co-authored a research paper “A culturally grounded autism parent training program with Black parents.” She obtained a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University in January 2023.
