Our history

The Colombian Autism League -LICA- was born in 2009. Due to the life experience of the Castellanos Roncancio family with the diagnosis of autism of one of their children, Juan José.

Facing access and attitudinal barriers set the tone for starting this project and letting the community know what autism is. As well as evidencing the importance of public policies in Colombia so that they respond to the needs presented by all people with this condition and guarantee their fundamental rights.

We are an organization that understands diversity beyond diagnoses and is sure that the quality of life of a person with autism will depend on the opportunities that the state provides them on equal terms with other citizens.

People with autism, their parents, siblings, cousins, uncles, grandparents and caregivers know and experience the inequality of opportunities they face on a daily basis, so it is necessary as a family and community to know their strengths and needs, to provide them with the support and adjustments that they require, that allow them to enjoy the same possibilities of participation in the community.

That LICA is born from a family makes the value of the bond with the person with autism its number one pillar. For this reason, more than 11 years after its foundation, people with autism, their families and professionals committed to this cause have come together to work in the same direction. LICA, is today recognized by the Colombian State as a valid actor in the spaces for the construction of public policy for people with disabilities. It works in a network with family organizations at a national level, participates in and promotes research projects, and creates spaces for accompaniment and empowerment for people with autism and their families.

These achievements and recognizing people with autism as subjects of rights allow us to continue dreaming of a country that guarantees effective inclusion and their participation through their own voice. 

 

Institutional identity

Our purpose

Transform practices and imaginaries around the autism spectrum in the public and private spheres.

Mission

The Colombian Autism League accompanies people with autism and their families, transfers knowledge, raises awareness about ASD and seeks to consolidate, through alliances and networking, the guarantee of the rights of this group.

Vision

By 2026, the Colombian Autism League is a sustainable organization, consolidated as a collective and recognized at the Latin American level for being a benchmark in the exercise of the rights of people with the autism spectrum.

Our creed

We believe that people with autism spectrum need to know that we understand their way of relating to the world and from there, they will achieve their participation in society.

We believe in the strengths of people with autism spectrum and in their value as unique beings.

We believe that autistic spectrum people have the right to live fully and with quality of life, for this it is necessary to provide the adjustments and support they require.

We believe in the Colombian Autism League, in its mission, in the philosophical principles of its creation and in the function it performs to achieve the human development of autistic spectrum people.

We believe in the objectives of the League, and that the fulfillment of the same, will lead us to achieve the union of families and organizations that work for the rights of the population with autism spectrum.

We believe in the values of the League: respect, truth, equity and tolerance.

We believe in its most valuable resource, its staff, identified with the philosophy and institutional goals, committed, humane and supportive; highly qualified and responsible

We believe that with faith, perseverance and transparency we will achieve the success of our processes.

 

Our flag

The flag of the Colombian Autism League is made up of two horizontal stripes of equal size whose colors are distributed as follows: blue upper part; and its lower part green; in the center it bears the logo of the institution:

The color blue: Depth, loyalty, trust, wisdom, intelligence, faith, truth

The color green: Hope, harmony, growth, stability, resistance

 

 

Founders

Betty Roncancio

Current director of LICA, she leads networking with families from 12 cities in Colombia.
Civil society representative before the GES (Sectoral Liaison Group) within the framework of the National Disability System.

Hector Castellanos

Public accountant, tax specialist. Founding partner of the firm Impuestos & Soluciones SAS. Author of the only Income Tax Software for Colombia. Founding partner of D'System SAS and co-author of the audit software under the NAI, NIAUDITOR.

Juan José Castellanos

Bachelor of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela College, currently studying the Arts program at the Guerrero Academy of Arts. He likes music, cycling and the sea.

Camila Andrea Castellanos

Javeriana psychologist, student of the master's degree in education at the Universidad De Los Andes. She is the sister of Juan José, a young man with autism.

Daniel Castellanos

Graphic Designer, Pontifical Javeriana University. Founder and Manager of the firm Y&Boutique.

Co founders

Sebastian Villarraga

I am a calm and kind person, always willing to help others, I studied management of agricultural companies at SENA, I like music, animals, literature, video games and nature.

Luz Marina Méndez

I am an advisor in Occupational Risks, an integral internal auditor, a technician in Child Psychology and
Teen. Nursing Assistant Technician.

Luisa María Cuervo

I am a Marketing and International Business student at Sergio University
Grove. Being part of LICA allows me to contribute to the construction of a country
inclusive for people with autism.

María Teresa Trujillo

I am 19 years old, I live in Cali, my greatest quality is the joy with which I live, I love traveling, music, painting, going to the movies. Life is beautiful next to my mother.

Jesús Aristizabal

I am an Agroindustrial Engineer, father of Oscar Julián and Sergio Andrés, inspirational in my work as an activist in defense of the Rights of people with Autism and their families.

Esther Calvache

I am a psychologist, mother of a young man with tea. Committed to the fight for the rights of people with autism.

Our Policies

LICA - Colombian Autism League, bases its actions on its creed. Its principles and policies define its work and seek to positively impact the quality of life of people with autism and their families.

These are our principles:

I respect: We recognize human dignity as a fundamental right, regardless of the particularities of each person.

Equity: All human beings, as subjects of rights and obligations, deserve dignified treatment and equal opportunities, for this reason Lica accepts this value as one of its pillars for the fulfillment of its objectives.

TRUE: Our actions are consistent with what is contemplated in our mission. We are faithful to our purposes, we have absolute conviction against the philosophy with which we were born.

To comply with our policies, we have a Statutory Auditor, under the responsibility of a certified public accountant, subject to the regulations that are his own, who has the obligation to render accounts before the pertinent authorities and before the assembly of founders.

Our organization is transparent in the relationship with people with autism, families, allies and all those who are related to LICA.

We report information to the control bodies that govern us in accordance with our corporate purpose.

Value chain

The objective of our value chain is to generate actions for recognition as subjects of rights and the participation of people with autism spectrum on equal terms.

Our value chain is made up of three links:

Know: The first link in our chain is activism and educational campaigns, through which we inform the community and decision makers about what ASD is, its individuals and the needs of the people who present it. .

Understand: Through different actions we generate spaces for participation and knowledge about ASD, we do this based on scientific evidence and the life experiences of people with autism spectrum and families, which allows us to transform practices and understand the reality that this collective.

Influence: It is the third and last link, this will be the one that allows us, through teamwork, to recognize that people with autism spectrum are subjects of rights, that they can contribute to the community, who is responsible for guaranteeing friendly and flattering environments that respect their particularities, which allow them to develop their life project.

These three links are intertwined and form our value chain, strengthening us to continue working for people with autism spectrum and their dignified life.

Our team

Honorary Members

Anyela Ramírez Peña
Occupational therapist

Your small steps are my great triumphs.
“Most people observe what is and not what can become” (Albert Einstein). 

María Eugenia Reyes
Special Educator

Educating is not a verb, it is a commitment to life that implies activity, movement, exercise, strength, enthusiasm, ardor, zeal, energy, courage, participation, heroism... without any of this we only transmit knowledge.




Francisco Paredes
Speech Pathologist

More than 10 years in the educational field have allowed me to grow, learning from the daily challenges that the community with ASD faces. As the father of a 10-year-old girl with this condition, I have traveled a path in which I discover every day the different ways in which I can communicate with her, building new forms of relationship.

Sandra Grisales
Physiotherapist and Psychologist

Step by step you will reach the goal, the important thing is to go at the pace of the person, respecting their way of being.

Karen Lorena León

People with autism, think, communicate and interact in different ways, so the way of being of each one, their opinions must be respected and together support the generation of spaces for participation, in which social skills are promoted, independence and autonomy.

Administrative team

Edith Betty Roncancio
Director

I am convinced that if people with autism are given the support and adjustments they require, they will make an important contribution to the community.

Paola Vega Páez
Auxiliar Administrativa

" Conocer a una persona con autismo, es una oportunidad para aprender y entender la diversidad".

Leidy Paola Orozco
Statutory Auditor

Knowing about autism is knowing that anywhere in the world you will find a unique, wonderful and extraordinary human being.

Karen García Arias
Profesional de operaciones

"Nuestro compromiso es crear una sociedad más justa y equitativa, donde las personas con autismo no solo sean aceptadas, sino también valoradas y celebradas por sus habilidades".

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