Mia Boykin
Eric Blessed Carpenter Grantham, a young man with high-functioning autism from Silver Spring, Maryland, and his mother, Linda, are on a mission to protect individuals with invisible disabilities and improve accessibility during encounters with law enforcement and in everyday situations. Their initiative, known as Eric’s ID Law, was presented to the Maryland Senate and House in February but didn’t pass in that session. Undeterred, Eric and his mother, Linda, are preparing to reintroduce the legislation in the next session.
The genesis of Eric’s ID Law stems from a heartbreaking realization in 2020. Amid heightened awareness of police interactions with people of color following George Floyd’s death, Linda noticed a troubling trend: individuals with invisible disabilities were increasingly at risk during law enforcement encounters.
When Linda broached this subject with Eric, his response was devastating. “He started to cry,” Linda told Baltimore local news in December 2023. “He said ‘I can do that [mom] but the police would shoot my friends’ and that’s when it became a reality that something needed to be done.”
This emotional moment became the catalyst for their advocacy. Eric and Linda developed a system of logos that could be added to various forms of identification, including driver’s licenses, school IDs, and even library cards. These symbols would quietly inform others of an individual’s invisible disability, potentially averting misunderstandings in high-stress situations.
“I told my mom, I wanted to go speak with, at that time, Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to talk to her about some bills that can have some training with police and how to communicate with people with hidden disabilities like me,” Eric said during The View’s interview.
The small symbol on an ID would act as a new form of accessibility for those with invisible disabilities. Proposed logos would include a puzzle piece “A” for autism, a green silhouette with a heart-shaped brain for mental health conditions, and other symbols for various invisible disabilities. The goal is to bridge communication gaps not just with law enforcement, but with community members at large.
“That status of the bill is, unfortunately, it didn’t pass this session, but we are hoping and praying it will pass next session,” Linda said, giving light on the bill’s future. If the law had passed in the last session, these new IDs may have already been rolled out by July 1st, when other new laws for Maryland go into effect.
Moreover, the death of Ryan Gainer, an autistic Black teen who was killed by police in March, ignited conversations regarding police interactions with autistic people of color. The death of Gainer demonstrates the need for a bill like this to pass, to ensure the safety of those with disabilities in our communities.
The Granthams’ accessibility efforts have not gone unnoticed. Their recent appearance on ABC’s The View provided a national platform to discuss Eric’s ID Law, bringing their cause to a broader audience. This exposure has helped amplify their message and gather more support for their initiative.
In Maryland, several lawmakers have championed Eric’s cause. Delegates Jheanelle Wilkins and Kim Taylor have been particularly supportive, recognizing the potential impact of this legislation on their constituents. Senator Will C. Smith played a crucial role by agreeing to write the bill after meeting with Eric, turning the teenager’s vision into a legislative proposal.
Linda ended the interview with a call to action for the viewers, “We would like for the world to stand in support. We need your help. Please help us, because people are dying every day, especially people of color.”
As they prepare for the next legislative push, the Carpenter-Granthams are seeking community support through letters to EricsIDLaw@gmail.com. They anticipate potential hearings for the law between January and February of 2025.
Eric’s ID Law represents more than just a legislative proposal; it’s a movement towards greater understanding and accommodation for those with invisible disabilities. By making these conditions visible through simple symbols, the Carpenter-Granthams hope to create a safer, more accessible world for himself and others like him.
