Awareness Worldwide: Made by Dyslexia Charts Its American Course

Global charity Made By Dyslexia— whose ambassadors include visionary entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson — celebrated its official U.S. launch as a 501(c)(3) with a swanky Southampton soiree at the home of board member and power lawyer David Hryck. The organization is dedicated to teaching the world the brilliance of Dyslexic Thinking

and empowering it in every home, school, and workplace. As with any Kelly Cutrone-produced evening, the philanthropic fete was a striking spectacle featuring high-octane performances by Wyclef Jean, Taylor Dayne, and Grammy-nominated pianist ELEW. Partygoers were further amazed as Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello joined Wyclef for “Guantanamera,” dancing late into

the evening as ELEW spun an electrifying mix between live sets. Guests– ranging from Real Housewives of New York to the former head of UN Special Projects– sipped signature cocktails crafted by Filthy Food, founded by Made by Dyslexia founding board member Daniel Singer. Singer, additionally, roused attendees with an impassioned speech, alongside Made by Dyslexia’s founder, Kate Griggs, Oliver Christian, and Adam Sandow. The night celebrated seven years of trailblazing on behalf of the Made by Dyslexia team, while marking an unmistakable genesis of their mission’s next chapter: globalizing the message at the heart of their movement.

Reserved had the pleasure of sitting down with the team behind Made by Dyslexia ahead of their Southampton celebration to discuss stateside expansion, restructuring the narrative around dyslexia, and their vision for the future.

Tell us more about what we can expect from the charity’s Hamptons debut. What does this event mean for Made by Dyslexia’s global campaign?

“The event in the Hamptons is an amazing way for us to say, ‘Hello, USA! We’re here to work in-depth and right across the states.’ The party is being hosted by David Hryck– one of our board members– who is kindly hosting at his beautiful home. The party is proudly sponsored by Filthy Foods, an amazing cocktail and food brand. Their founder, Daniel Singer, is dyslexic. He is very supportive of the charity. We are so excited for this opportunity and the incredible guests in attendance. It was an honor to introduce what Made by Dyslexia is all about, talk about our plans for the next few years, and instigate expansion across America.”

Give us some background about Made by Dyslexia’s conception. What inspired the charity’s formation and its roots?

“Made by Dyslexia is a British charity that was established in 2017. We have always operated globally, and we have done a lot in the U.S. in seven years, but we have big plans to drive our mission across the states, which is why we’ve set up a 501(c)(3) in the U.S. We plan to work intimately with each state, while also involving the federal government and building a network of dyslexic people broadly. Put simply, our mission is to empower dyslexic thinking in every home, every school, and every workplace. Historically, dyslexia has been seen as a problem and a difficulty. Within the charity, our mission is to reveal the brilliance of the dyslexic mind to the world. The plus sides of dyslexia are that we have amazing thinking skills that are incredibly vital in this new iteration of the workplace, working alongside AI; so much so that LinkedIn has included dyslexic thinking in their desirable skillset. It is important that we shift the world’s focus away from negativity and deficit to value.”

In under a decade, Made by Dyslexia has made unprecedented strides to publicize an oft-overlooked asset within society. Where does the organization’s mission stand today?

“As a charity, the overriding mission is to not exist. If we can teach the world the brilliance of dyslexic thinking, if we can provide training and resources for schools and the workplace– something we do for free– it is a case of making sure everyone understands the value in this way of conceptualizing. We are aligned with the UN’s sustainable goals, so our mission is to get everyone to understand dyslexia as they should by 2030. As a charity, when we first launched, we conducted global research that found that only 3% of people saw dyslexia as a strength. We now have it listed as a skill on LinkedIn. We have produced a study with Randstad, the world’s biggest recruitment company, that says it is now the most vital skill in every workplace. We are changing opinions fast. The U.S. is a pivotal moment for us, because it’s the most exciting country to be in concerning the AI world in which we now live. We are very keen to be working closely with states to push the message.”

What does global recognition of the entirety of the dyslexic individual look like? How can that shape our future?

“Most people understand dyslexia as a learning difficulty: problems with spelling, problems with reading. It is all very much a deficit model. Dyslexia is that, but those challenges can be overcome with the help of teachers who understand what they are doing. Also, now, AI has removed most barriers dyslexic people faced in rote learning and knowledge-based education. Dyslexic skills are creative thinking, innovative thinking, complex problem solving, and interpersonal skills. If you look at the top ten skills vital for success in the future by the World Economic Forum, dyslexic thinking is a direct match to those skills.

What we now face is a world in which all dyslexic challenges can be removed by Artificial Intelligence, leaving us free to create and innovate, doing all the things dyslexics do best. It’s a really important moment to focus and hone in on those skills. At the end of the day, we are a storytelling charity: We need people to understand the story around dyslexia. It’s important for the individual and for the world.”

Written by Delaney Willet

Photos by Oliver Halfin