Our Story
BELLA: Be Expressed Live Life Authentically
The BELLA Organization was launched to honor the incredible and all-too-brief life of the artist, Isabella Rose Diorio.
Bella’s life was cut short by an unexpected and fatal pulmonary embolism just as she was coming into her own at age 19. Her shocking death left a hole in the lives of many.
While nothing can make sense of such an event, the BELLA Organization was created to honor her beautiful and kind spirit by empowering neurodivergent youth - specifically those high functioning on the autistic spectrum and their families to embrace and express themselves authentically in the world through scholarships and mentor programs. Helping others was of paramount importance to Bella.
Bella was a devoted friend and champion for the underdog; She was a triumph of the spirit.
Diagnosed autistic, she had spent her life learning not to simply manage being functional but instead how to harness it; how to celebrate, laugh, and thrive, and turn a perceived disadvantage into a wholly embraced strength, a well from which her art flowed.
An accomplished artist, she has left a legacy of thousands of works ranging from rough sketches to finished pieces. She worked across all forms of media, though her favorites were professional artist’s marker and digital art. A frequent attendee and exhibitor at the Anime Expo, Bella had a booth in Artist Alley every year, beginning in 2012 when she was 11 years old. There she showcased and sold her original art, fan art and commissions, often while cosplaying as her favorite characters. You can view just a fraction of her art at www.SapphireDragonsArt.com
Bella used her considerable talent to quell her challenges and to further pursue her dreams.
Through support and mentorship from her family, teachers, and community she was the recipient of the largest scholarship offered by Otis College of Art and Design, where she was set to attend in Fall 2020.
Bella’s last years were ones of laughing, dreaming, drawing, thriving and, most of all, showing us that neurodivergence could be a beautiful asset.
This is a tribute to Bella’s legacy.
We’re are currently accepting not only fiscal contributions but organizational participation, mentors and coaches.