The Golden Hat Foundation is a

nonprofit organisation A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

founded by actress

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Primarily known for her roles as headstrong and complicated women in independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including an Ac ...

and Margret Ericsdottir in 2010. The two met while Winslet was filming the documentary ''A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism'', which focused on Ericsdottir's son Keli Thorsteinsson, who is

autistic Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing di ...

and non-verbal. The organization centers on raising strengths-focused autism awareness and states that their mission is to "Change the way people on the autism spectrum are perceived, by shining a light on their abilities and emphasizing their great potential." The organization takes its name from a poem written by Thorsteinsson, in which he described a magical golden hat that had the ability to speak for its

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

, who was unable to speak. In 2011 the Golden Hat Foundation paired with the cosmetics company

Lancôme Lancôme () is a French perfume and cosmetics house that distributes products internationally. A subsidiary of L'Oréal, Lancôme offers skin care, fragrances, and makeup. History Founded in 1935 by Guillaume d'Ornano and his business partn ...

to create a golden hat themed makeup collection, with the intent for part of the proceeds to benefit the organization.

Documentary

''A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism'' released in 2009 and centered upon Ericsdottir's attempts to find a way for her son Keli to communicate. The documentary was directed by

Friðrik Þór Friðriksson Friðrik Þór Friðriksson (born 12 May 1954; pronounced ), sometimes credited as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson, is an Icelandic film director and producer. Biography Fridriksson started his film making career with experimental films and documentar ...

and featured Winslet as the film's narrator. ''A Mother's Courage'' was met with positive reviews. The documentary introduced Ericsdottir and Winslet to one another, and Winslet came up with the idea of creating the Golden Hat Foundation after her daughter Mia asked Winslet about what it would be like to be unable to communicate with her mother.

Book

On March 27, 2012, Winslet and the Golden Hat Foundation published ''The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism'' through

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster LLC (, ) is an American publishing house owned by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts since 2023. It was founded in New York City in 1924, by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. Along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group US ...

. The book compiled correspondence between Winslet and Ericsdottir, personal statements from various celebrities, and several contributions from Ericsdottir's son Keli. ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' gave a positive review for ''The Golden Hat'', praising it for its "warmth and sincerity".

References

{{reflist Kate Winslet Organizations established in 2010 Autism-related organizations based in the United States Mental health organizations based in Texas 2010 establishments in the United States