the story of the Arizona Support Autism license plate and the autism-self-advocate artist who brought it to life – Mesa Legend

Joe Bradley is a 43-year-old visual artist on the autism spectrum. Joe seeks to tell the life story of individuals on the spectrum through a mix of modern, colorful hieroglyphics, cubist and modern pop art. Now, his artwork can be seen statewide.

Arizonans can buy Joe’s work that’s featured on a new specialized license plate that benefits autism care and support. The Arizona Support Autism license plate is one of more than 120 unique license plates that car owners can select when registering a vehicle. It went on sale in April 2025.

The autism license plate serves three distinct purposes. It’s a symbol of autism and the people it represents, as well as a form of living art.

It’s an active fundraiser for the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARCC) and First Place. First Place is a state of the art apartment complex and living classroom in central Phoenix that serves young adults with autism and other differences.

“I was asked to create something that specifically represented the lifetime of someone on the spectrum,” Joe says. “And I thought, how great! I can’t tell the whole story on the plate, but everybody gets to decide what their license plate’s going to be.”

He points out that individuals can tell their own story through the selection of the six numbers and letters they choose for the autism license plate.

Supporting autism, supporting Arizona

When Arizonans purchase a Support Autism license plate, $17 of the $25 cost goes towards life-changing autism intervention and therapy resources for Arizona residents on the autism spectrum and their families. Since it went on sale, 4,931 plates have been sold.

SARRC is designed to meet the needs of families and individuals with autism in Phoenix and beyond. SARRC also provides a range of support to people with autism and their families from infancy to elderly. That includes diagnostic services, early intervention programs, long and short-term services, children’s services, teens and adult services, and education and training for families. The central Phoenix based nonprofit also offers consultative services for educators, healthcare providers and professionals.

First Place facility is a four-story building that serves as both a living classroom and an apartment complex for individuals on the autism spectrum and others with neurologically developmental differences who are just beginning their journey to independent living in Phoenix and beyond.

A symbol of visibility

The addition of the Support Autism Arizona license plate gives recognition to people who could easily be overlooked. In the vast sea of traffic, people can immediately recognize those actively supporting and advocating for autism in Arizona.

When someone drives to work on Loop 101 and sees the new license plate on another vehicle, they will see pride in plain sight.

The beauty of the Arizona Support Autism license plate is that it stands out in everyday places. It allows people on the autism spectrum in Arizona to feel less alone.

‘’It means spreading awareness,” says Joe. ‘’It is what makes you feel unique. It is a confirmation there is a supportive community that exists in Arizona.’’

Seeing themselves represented in something even as minor as a license plate can pay huge dividends towards inspiring a community to push forward towards a brighter future.

About the artist

Joe Bradley is an accomplished business professional. He’s director of partnership marketing at Cordone Ventures in Scottsdale. But his passion is creating art, on canvas and in digital form. His work draws comparisons to cubist artists, such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Georges Barques.

“So for me, I try to take cubism with a little bit of modern pop art so that the shapes are not so crazy, you know? And blend them together,” Joe says.

Joe’s art is inspired by the ancient hieroglyphic language of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. He explained how overarching narratives would be told through pictures and symbols. Mesoptamian kings would often commission an artisan to craft a tableau that tells the story of a great war victory.

The design of the license plate draws from this inspiration. A central theme of the artwork is the journey that individuals with autism experience across their lifetime. From birth and early childhood to diagnosis, school life, and then finally taking flight towards employment and independent living.

For Joe, creating the license plate was more than just for him. His own son, Cooper, was diagnosed with autism at age five.

“One of the scariest things about being a parent worried about their child with autism is that when they’re gone, what happens? Or when they’re going to leave the home, what happens? 
Life is scary,” he says.

“So in the story on the plate, it is the baby bird about to take flight. And I thought, ‘How great! I can’t tell the whole story in the plate, but everybody gets to decide what their license plate’s going to be.’”

To see his license plate in the wild evokes a profound feeling of personal pride and a connection to another person with the license plate on their car.

Joe still recalls seeing his license plate on the freeway for the first time.

“I made that,” Joe said proudly, “that was me!’’

It’s a moment that may go unnoticed by many, but not Joe. That moment made his day.