Tag Archives: ASAN

Don’t be Resistant to Change, Autism Speaks!

The 5 ways Autism Speaks needs to realize their Resistance to Change and needing to find love for all Human beings:

1) Autism Speaks can’t think of everybody as Human beings because they only see what they want to see!!!
2) Autism Speaks has pronounced Autistic people as dead lives when we are very much ALIVE and Kicking!!!!
3) Autism Speaks hurts Families and Human lives!! (a pulse is a pulse is a pulse, Autism Speaks needs to let Autistic people live their lives with respect and dignity)
4) Autism Speaks won’t acknowledge that Autistic people can learn and be accomplished!!
5) Autism Speaks insists and assumes that Autistics can’t speak up for themselves, that Autism Speaks needs to speak for us!!!

BONUS) Autism Speaks thinks Autistics are incapable of doing meaningful work and helping other Autistics. They invade the media with their rhetoric. In return, the media reports negative feelings to the people they serve about how Autistic people are worthless and meaningless. However, there are so many Autistics including myself helping one another. Get Real, Autism Speaks and support Family services more and give Autistic people the right to be valued in this world!!!

Autism Speaks says Autistics are resistant to change, but they are the most resistant to change. Autism Speaks does not accept difference as a part of Human beings. Being different is a part of Human diversity, thus it’s the only way creativity flourishes throughout the world. To really know that change happens, everyone must realize that being different creates opportunities. Autistic people are different from the rest of the world, but it does not mean that we are not invaluable to the world. Autistics have more value than Autism Speaks and those people who support them even realize.

How can Autism Speaks open their eyes to Human Diversity?

Autism Speaks needs to allow every Autistic person to break their silence and listen to learn from every Autistic voice in the world in every society. They need to embark on their quest that Autistic Self-Advocacy Network and those who have also done so as well to reach out to many Autistic lives. Autism Speaks needed to be doing this all along, reaching out to see the potentials of all Autistic people everywhere in the world, but they aren’t and won’t. They need to spend their money on communication devices like the iPAD for Autistic people in all agencies, families, and schools. Instead, Autism Speaks spends their money on their salaries and research. They need to spend their money on Autistic people wanting to help and be the leaders. They need to also stop spending exorbitant amount of money on their charity events too. They need to work with Disabled people, not against us. They need to listen to Autistic voices more and listen to the computers talking for so many people who use them as well as those who don’t need it.

Autism Speaks has a big problem which is greed and not allowing Human diversity to multiply to bring about the change we need to see in this world; the love for everyone around the world.

When is Autism Speaks going to accept and love everyone?

From Bryan Adams’ song “All for Love”

Let’s make it all for one and all for love.
Let the one you hold be the one you want,
the one you need,
’cause when it’s all for one it’s one for all.
When there’s someone that should know
then just let your feelings show
and make it all for one and all for love.

Let’s love and accept each other; NOT pitying and fearing the unknown!!

Love this video:

OUT,J

To be an Autistic Activist, we must Promote Change to Society for Better Community

I am an activist, more than a advocate, and certainly not a token Autistic. I do the things I do in order to promote Autistic community within the whole community. Many people need to understand that the organization, Autism Speaks promotes eugenics to erase Autistics from history when their have been many Autistics throughout history before they even existed. Many researchers have an agenda too, to eliminate Autistics. I am exhausted to try convincing researchers who basically don’t fully understand the implications some of their studies they perform, may hurt us. No one wants to be researched about who they are, and certainly no one can make groups of people the same as a certain majority group of people they want to make as the standard. Life is not an objectified thing that we can just buy, there is more to life than just money. Money we earn is an excellent material to use to buy the necessary things we need for the current world we live in. The current world we live is very expensive now. Independence is great to have, but we need to understand that Interdependence is more important since we all need the support too. By researching groups of people to make them the same as everyone else, we are not accepting diversity as it stands and not supporting people.

Many people do not understand Autistic culture, like many people did not understand other cultures in the past who they tried to eliminate. Evolution is happening now as we Autistics revolutionize the world. It’s time for society to change. It’s important to know that the golden rule to always remember, when you want change,
speak up, and change the perception of society you do not like. For example, this is why many Autistics are speaking up to change the perception many people in society have right now about how they feel about us. This is the reason why the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network which began in 2006 is continuing to strengthen the movement. This is why we need to strengthen the legacies of many Autistics who have died in the past too like the recent passing of Avonte Oquendo whose legacy to bring everyone as one community continues on.

Society is built up by all of us and we need to all understand why having Autistic community within the larger community is so important. Many Autistic people today are trying to create a more inclusive society which will be accepting and tolerating as a means of making a difference. We need to create a learning environment for everyone, instead of a lot of people trying to kill each other both figuratively and literally. I am tired of hearing about stories in the news of people doing bad things to others like that. Everyone matters!!! We need to bring emotions to a balance so their is acceptance and tolerance of each other. Part of what we do today is to remember that to have a peaceful world, we need to allow everyone’s voices to be heard and listened to without people needing to raise their voice louder. When is everyone going to understand this? We need change, that is so important to society right now. We need to see in the world now the lifting of the barriers that are blocking many people from achieving their dreams, allowing everyone to live their life the way they know they can with love and acceptance.

OUT, J

It’s time for Everybody to Remember about the Importance of Self-Determination for anyone!

Self-determination can very hard for any one, but in the end anyone, can respect themselves more, while others respect more who the person is. I find some Non-Disabled people do not see the whole picture. A person who wants to live in a particular area, work in a particular job, or do what they know can to help humanity, should have the right to do it. Societies are always pushing their thoughts, ideas, and motives on to the disability community to tell us how to think. The earlier a child is pushed to do it on their own, the more the child will have the ability to do the actions on their own. It’s also interesting how in the early Twentieth Century, there were many youth who as an adolescent, really worked, and built their lives earlier than many do now. Nowadays, standardized testing and intelligence scales are focused more than the creations any adolescent youth used to work on to build their lives.

Telling others to always use person first language does not allow anyone to have self-determination. It just instructs Autistic and Disabled people to go along with what other people say. The time is now to allow everyone to be able to identify themselves however they want to be called. No one can tell another person what they should be called and no one can tell a person how to live their life as long as they are not hurting themselves or others. Most people do not realize that Autistic people around the world need to live their life a certain way in order to be living their life the way they know they can. Self-Determination is allowing everyone to figure out how they want to live their life without influence from anyone else and know exactly how they want to be identified as. So, why are there still some people always trying to push their ways of identifying others especially on Autistic and Disabled people. That is not self-determination.

It really is interesting when I know that there are some Autistic people who say they are happy, however professionals, parents, or caregivers are forcing them to socialize in unexpected ways because they insist the Autistic person is unhappy. Socializing with others is a different process for everyone. Everyone socializes, but not everyone socializes the same way or at the same times as the majority of people. A lot of people will socialize by talking and making eye contact, but many others do not and can not do that. There are many people who socialize just be hugging, flapping, spinning, or using a Augmentative and Assistive Communication device (AAC) such as an iPAD. It’s interesting socializing is made to be an important factor for life especially when we see it in media throughout history. Watch this episode from Ghost Whisperer, season 2, episode 4 on Netflix or buy the TV series online at Amazon. This episode was the most accurate portrayal of Autistic people I have ever seen. It aired in 2007. Watch the episode and it’s not what you would expect.

I’ve heard some Autistic people who said that they wished they could just walk up to anyone and start a conversation on their own, but they literally can not do that. There are also some who do not care to start talking to anyone because they just want to work on their interest which a lot of people call, their ‘special interests’.

This past week I went to the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network’s Annual Gala in Washington D.C.!!! It was great meeting and increasing my network while enjoying the amazing night. Congratulations to Henry Frost for his amazing work and being included in the public school system!!

(To be continued…)

OUT, J

Autism Network International’s Annual Autreat once again this past week!

Autreat was once again an amazing AUSOMELY Awesome time!! Please check your references in google as Autism Network International is one of the first Autism organizations which started in the 1990’s for and by Autistic people. Anyway, Autistics grow up to become Autistic adults and it’s proven when any one goes to Autreat. Though, any one from all ages can go to Autreat for their own Autistic space. Every year since 2009, Autreat will honor those Autistic children who crossed the ages from childhood to adulthood, from the ages of 18 to 22, by an honorable ceremony called ‘Autreat’s Amazing Adulthood Acclaimation Achievement’. This year I was a witness to one of those 3 Autistic adults. Autreat was at California University of Pennsylvania in California, Pennsylvania. I loved having my own Autistic space where I don’t have the Neurotypical pressures from society. I wish I would have known about Autreat in 1996, when I was in high school, because it would have given me a better sense of who I am in my life. However, we can only move forward and enjoy the fact I found Autism Network International now. This year at Autreat, I needed to step up to the plate and help the Autistic children’s program continue when the the leader in charge of the program did not feel well. As soon as I heard this person was not feeling well, I called my parents to send over my records by FAX to be able to work with the children at Autreat. I knew this was an important acclamation I needed to do, so I did what was necessary to keep the children safe, secure, and enjoying their time at Autreat while their parents can enjoy their space too. It was an outreach opportunity for me that I needed to do sacrificing some of my time, but still enjoying Autreat. During the goodbye ceremony, everyone at Autreat gave me a huge Flapplauding and a Woo HOO!! Great times at my second Autreat! Jim Sinclair expressed his gratitude for me, when I stepped up to the plate to help out. When I wrote on the wall of achievements about helping other Autistics in society, at the of Autreat, Jim exclaimed that “I am already doing that; helping other Autistics” and to keep it up. I immediately walked out feeling great and wanting to call my parents to let them know!! My parents were very proud of me. A lot of people at Autreat told me how I am so Ausomely Awesome! My leadership is growing… Autreat is a special place in my heart and in the hearts of many Autistic people everywhere. It’s a space where there is no judging, no grudges, no gossip, no drama, and no Neurotypicals antagonizing us. It’s a way for us to live a free thinking culture! There were so many great people there and this year proved that even more. It’s sad every year to leave Autreat behind until next year, but we have no choice to go back to Neurotypical society. At least we have the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network and Greater Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership groups to go to during the year, but it still does not replace the essence of Autreat over the summer. From the children to Adults who have never been to Autreat, there needs to come a time for society to accept Autistics as the way they are. Autistic culture is everywhere!!!

It proves why I want to help other Autistics out there and why I am now working with an agency in New York now helping other Autistics be interdependent like I have become. The explanation about interdependence proclaims that no one in this world is fully independent, everyone in this world is interdependent. Independence is important, but being interdependent is more important, because everyone needs to rely on someone at some point during a day, just take a look at people relying on public transportation or relying on car maintenance. I am currently working part time, but hopefully working full time soon. During my work with another Autistic adult, I am teaching him the very essential skills he will need to lead his own life like self-advocacy, independent living skills, social learning, to embrace who he is and be accepted by others. It’s important for anyone to learn to be self-determined, independent thinker. Something we all are learning to do as we age from one year to the next. Many people cherish certain things from Autreat, but for me, I cherish being able to independently choose what I want to do which is what I will be teaching. May be Autreat is only supposed to be for 1 week a year over the summer, but it lives in our hearts throughout the year to remind us it’s there once a year for any Autistic person needing to just get away from Neurotypical society for only a week. In the end, we need to feel included with Neurotypical society and feel accepted by the rest of the world. From Autistics being accepted and embraced by everyone, we will only have achieved a human rights victory where no matter who a person is, what they do positively for society, and where they come from, people will look at anybody as a human being with a beautiful mind. Hence, Autistics and Disability does not have to be looked down upon in society while neither does anyone else regardless of their religious beliefs, race, culture, sexuality, etc. A few years back in 2011, I went to Salem, Massachusetts to learn about the history of witches and why they were hunted. I learned so much like how society always tries to find some body of people to hunt down and dissolve. Human beings need to accept other Human beings from now on. Don’t look down upon anyone and believe that life is diverse from Human beings to Animals. By doing so, when a child reaches adulthood, they will find a woman or a man to love and teach the same to their children. GRASP and ASAN always talk about Neurodiversity, but it really is the essence of Biodiversity we need to all embrace. Next year Autreat once again for my 3rd year hopefully… I met friends in person for the first time and saw friends I’ve already known in person.

Looking forward to my future endeavors hopefully with full time outreach work! YAY!!! Any Autistic person from any age please somehow get to Autreat sometime in your lifetime.

OUT,J

Answering Questions: Life experiences with Aspergers

Question from a reader on Facebook: How did you cope when 1st finding out?  How are you coping/experiencing life better? How do you not let it affect you? 

It took me awhile to cope when first finding out. My mom gave me articles to read on Asperger’s Syndrome in 2004 when I began self-diagnosing myself.  I was feeling very shocked, but relieved.  I coped by just pushing myself because its important to feel positive and my mother encouraged me.  My mom tried to help me find groups for people with Asperger’s Syndrome to help connect more to other people.

The first group she found was the GRASP (Greater Regional Asperger Syndrome Partnership) manhattan group in January 2005.  I immediately subscribed to join GRASP, but was too nervous to go to a meeting until early February 2005.  My life began transforming since my very first GRASP manhattan meeting.  I met every one there and didn’t realize how much I related to a lot of those people who went to the meeting too.  I remember talking to Michael John Carley after the first meeting as he shook my hand telling me inspirational words of wisdom.  The meeting was a success and so I kept on going back to the meetings as much as I could until they had to move the meetings further downtown in manhattan which made it harder for me to go. GRASP really helped me realize what NEURODIVERSITY means and helped me establish who I am and why I am here to live my life.  It happened at the right time in my life when I needed it.

I finally got officially diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome by Dr. Richard Perry in 2005 and really appreciate all the help he gives to me too.  By 2006, GRASP really had not had any meetings for me to go to and I needed a place to connect with and feel a part of community. Dr. Perry and a couple of people I met from GRASP earlier, told me about the Adaptations program at the JCC in Manhattan.   I remember trying to call the Adaptations program as soon as I could, but no body responded to me at first.  I was feeling very uneasy and even started my first job in May 2006 doing Ultrasound.  I really needed a place to go to find friendships which is very important for any one’s life.  I was encouraged to try calling the Adaptations program again later that year.  I finally called again and joined the program. After that, I really haven’t been to GRASP anymore which saddened me, but I knew the Adaptations program somehow needed me to connect.  I would like to go to another GRASP meeting in the future just to see those folks again.

Anyway, at first I wasn’t really doing much with Adaptations and my mom had to really push me like she always does. It wasn’t until 2007 that I really became an active member of the program. I was working at my job so I could not go as much as the others who were not working, but like I am always told work comes first! I have met so many people since 2005 who seemed to grow on me and help transform my life that I almost look back for a split second to see how I felt before.  I never had a real true friend pre-2004 and I have grown so much.  By the end of 2007, I met a person who I became friends with at Adaptations and I felt we could help each other.  Although we’ve had our ups and downs, I sense it has made us grow more as human beings.  I helped him break out of his shell and in a lot of ways helped so many others too.

My mother’s influence seemed to have latched on to me, in order to spread her word to help heal other people like I was helped.  Does it make me a integral part of the program? or Does it just mean I am able to inspire others to work harder and feel better about themselves? The Adaptations program which tries to influence members there to be more adaptive and flexible building community will always be there for any one no matter what for support.  Hopefully the idea of Adaptations’ goal of training to be adaptive and flexible spreads throughout all the members and beyond. I hope one day my dream comes true and the program expands worldwide for any one to enjoy. Every one deserves a place for an interactive community of enjoyment, learning, and respect for each other.  Isn’t that what life is all about?

I am currently in the realms of starting my own Autistic Self-Advocacy Network social support group in Rockland County, NY as well to spread Neurodiversity. This will help others learn to be self-advocates too even express themselves and learn to feel inspired to do well.  The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network has been an inspiration to me and I hope I can be a part of them always. I love their saying “Nothing about us, without Us” because it really is a true statement.  The President of ASAN, Ari Ne’eman has been working with me on creating this group.

I also would like to plan starting my own International outing/Conference to help a Neurodiverse crowd especially people on the autism spectrum to meet a date, learn new skills, experience the world differently, and just enjoy life to gather every one from around the world!! I have recently been working on my ideas and planning it out in my sketches and journal. I want to start this outing/conference to see all the fishes in the sea and not feel limited by just a few.

By the way, when I was growing up I used to make up stories of working on outings/conferences, groups like these when I was downstairs in the basement where the family computer was.  I could spend endless hours in my basement doing this, making up characters, and situations by myself.  I used to even have a pretend company called BGAS (Boys, Girls, Adult, Senior citizen) club corporation.

I also am still working on my book about having surgery and being on autism spectrum. And as always I am very spiritual and always feel the connections with the other side with all my angels by my side.

I am coping with it now by trying to be proud of who I am and what I can contribute to this world. I have come a long way and know I have a way forward more to go.

At first I did let it affect me, but with all the support I have gotten I don’t need to be affected by it anymore. It is a part of me, but not everything about me. I am Autistic/Aspie, but I am also a person first!!

Can Asperger’s be misdiagnosed as Depression?

Absolutely!! There are so many different ways Asperger’s has been misread as other conditions.

Did you get diagnosed straight away accurately?

No, I was not diagnosed accurately for most of my life.  I was misdiagnosed with any thing and everything because other psychiatrists and doctors didn’t understand the autism spectrum. Now I hope all of these professionals who misdiagnosed me are finally educated.  If they are not educated by now, they are not humble.

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Just a question for all of you from me: Who would you want to date? Another aspie/autie? or a Neurotypical? or no one?

I hope you liked it and read on,

OUT, J