Montgomery College Celebrates Butterfly Indicator Program Inspired by Eric’s ID Law

Montgomery College celebrated its Butterfly Indicator Program Thursday, honoring student Eric Carpenter-Grantham and his mother, Linda Carpenter-Grantham, whose advocacy helped inspire the initiative. The program allows students with non-apparent disabilities to add a butterfly symbol to their College identification cards, providing a visual cue that a student may benefit from additional patience, support or a different approach to communication.

The celebration, “Making Support Visible: Celebrating the Butterfly Indicator Program at MC,” brought together College leaders, students, employees, elected officials and community members at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus. The event recognized the Carpenter-Granthams’ advocacy behind Maryland’s Eric’s ID Law and Montgomery College’s efforts to embrace the intent of the law through its own ID designation and related awareness and training initiatives.

“This simple change can make a meaningful difference in how we recognize, communicate with and support one another, and is an example of how our students use their ideas and innovative thinking to make our institution and community better,” said Dr. Jermaine F. Williams, president of Montgomery College. “These efforts matter. They create deeper understanding, make interactions safer and remind us to meet each student where they are. Eric and Linda show us what advocacy can accomplish when personal experience is transformed into a commitment to helping others.”

Board of Trustees Chair Annice Cody emphasized the College’s responsibility to foster an inclusive campus environment where students feel seen, understood and supported.

“The Butterfly Indicator Program reminds us that not every challenge is visible, and that understanding one another sometimes begins with something as simple as recognizing that we may need to approach a situation differently,” Cody said.

Eric’s ID Law, enacted by the Maryland state government in 2025, was inspired by the Carpenter-Granthams’ advocacy for greater awareness of non-apparent disabilities. Although the law does not apply to higher education institutions, Montgomery College has adopted its intent by making the butterfly designation available to students at no cost without requiring medical documentation.  

For Linda Carpenter-Grantham, the College’s adoption of the butterfly indicator represents a meaningful step toward realizing the vision she and her son have championed.

“The butterfly represents hope, understanding, safety, freedom and change for people with hidden disabilities,” she explained. “As a mother, I am grateful to see Eric’s dream take flight at Montgomery College. Thank you for believing in our mission and helping our butterfly fly.”

“The butterfly reminds us that we cannot see a disability by looking at someone,” Eric Carpenter-Grantham added. “Behind every disability, there is a person with a story, a purpose, a future and wings that are ready to fly.”

Students can obtain the designation at any Montgomery College Public Safety ID office. The College also plans to expand awareness and training among frontline faculty and staff and explore additional ways to support students with non-apparent disabilities.

During the celebration, Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller thanked College leadership and the community for taking this step. 

“Thank you for recognizing that inclusion isn’t simply about opening doors. It’s about how we treat people once they walk through those doors,” Miller said.

She also thanked Eric directly.

“You used your voice so that thousands of others would never be without theirs. This is your gift to Maryland,” Miller said.

Following the formal program, attendees participated in “Beyond the Butterfly: Student Accessibility & Disability Support Resource Fair,” where they explored campus accessibility and disability support resources and watched the College’s mobile identification equipment produce and update student IDs with the butterfly designation.

“Montgomery College, thank you for believing in our vision, believing in Eric’s ID Law and making history with us,” Eric said in closing. “The butterfly is flying, but together we are helping it fly even higher.”