Looking back on 2025: A year of immense impact
December 11, 2025
2025 was a year of impact for Understood.org. We gave educators across the country access to new tools to build more inclusive classrooms. We helped women navigating ADHD feel seen, validated, and empowered to share their stories. And when parents didn’t know what news to believe, we gave them clear, trustworthy guidance.
Let’s reflect on five ways we made the world a more understanding place in 2025.
1. We drove awareness of learning and thinking differences to reduce stigma.
Thanks to our work in media, TV, and film production, more than 13.6 million viewers saw learning and thinking differences in a new light. Our experts helped make sure that stories represented people’s real experiences.
A World of Difference: This show, produced by Beacon College and airing on PBS, celebrates and empowers families who are navigating learning differences. One episode featured our experts explaining what people need to know about inattentive ADHD. Understood’s Through My Eyes will be featured in an upcoming episode.
Paris & Pups: Paris Hilton’s new animated series for kids features characters with ADHD. Our experts helped to develop storylines and authentic character traits. And they worked to embed social-emotional learning skills into each episode.
Inclusive by Design: Hilton’s three-part YouTube series, co-created with Understood, shows how to create ADHD-friendly spaces. Our experts provided guidance on the layout of rooms, sensory choices, and organization. And they shared tips on how viewers can use these ideas in their own spaces.
Left Behind: This film follows five mothers as they create New York City’s first public dyslexic school. Our experts made sure the story was accurate and thoughtful as it portrayed the families’ challenges and triumphs. During Dyslexia Awareness Month (October), more than 5,100 people in the U.S. and 36 countries viewed the film.
2. We guided individuals to the support and solutions they need.
We introduced more than 49 million people to Understood through our new Path to Thriving public service announcements. These TV, radio, print, and out-of-home ads let people know that we’re a partner who will help them find the right support. What once felt impossible can become a path forward.
Our YouTube channel reached a record number of people in 2025. We helped viewers sort fact from fiction about learning and thinking differences. The content clearly resonates. As of early December:
The channel has had 17.1 million views in 2025.
380,000+ people have engaged by liking.
11,000+ have left comments.
121,000+ have shared what they saw, so other people in their network could get support and solutions.
More than 300,000 people have accessed Through My Eyes, an immersive digital experience that launched this year. Its simulations and personal stories help users feel what it’s like to have ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. 89,000 visitors engaged with resources tailored to their specific needs.
3. We delivered solutions that put more people on the path to thriving.
Our investigative podcast, Climbing the Walls, was featured as Apple’s #1 podcast for Mental Health Awareness. Hosted by journalist Danielle Elliot, it explored why so many women were diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic. Elliot, who was herself diagnosed with ADHD, amplified voices that have too often been ignored. The podcast lets listeners know that they aren’t alone. There’s a path forward.
In a first-of-its-kind study, Understood showed that its podcasts contribute to health literacy, reduce shame, and foster hope in women with ADHD. In a survey of 424 women with ADHD who listen to Understood’s ADHD Aha! and MissUnderstood podcasts, more than 9 out of 10 said they trust the podcasts and their hosts to share accurate health information. And 85% of them said that listening to these podcasts makes them feel more confident to navigate future challenges they may face because of their ADHD.
4. We kept people informed amid rapid change.
Understood’s responses to important news reached 1.6 million people. We made sure parents and educators had clear, expert-backed guidance on issues like federal actions that could affect IEPs and questions about Tylenol, food dyes, and ADHD medication.
These timely explainers quickly became some of our most-read, most-viewed posts. They led to more than 140,000 visits to U.org resources that helped families navigate confusion, understand their rights, and feel less alone during moments of uncertainty.
5. We advanced inclusion for people who learn and think differently.
We advanced inclusion through innovative tools and global leadership in numerous ways. For example:
Understood strengthened global digital accessibility standards through our leadership on the World Wide Web Consortium’s Cognitive and Learning Disabilities Task Force. In 2025, we helped shape the latest WCAG 3 working draft. It advances plain language, usability, and accessibility for people who learn and think differently. Nearly 300,000 students had the opportunity to access advanced courses and other opportunities. Our work with Equal Opportunity Schools helped make their tools more accessible for students with learning and thinking differences. That opened doors to a brighter future.
None of our progress this year would be possible without the generosity of people like you — caring people who believe that every person who learns and thinks differently deserves to feel seen, supported, and truly understood. With your support, we can continue expanding programs. We can build innovative tools. And we can bring guidance when people need it most.
We hope you’ll join us in building a more inclusive and understanding future for all.
