Hello Everyone! With a new year fast approaching, we're wrapping up a busy 2012 at the Autism Women’s Network. AWN Board of Directors has spent this past year going through extensive Board Training. We are fortunate to have Pat Schafer, a 25 year veteran Board Trainer to assist us. Board training is now an AWN Board requisite

Something we're super excited to announce is our AWN Committee on Autism and Ethnicity. We've already begun meeting and discussing the committee's short and long term goals. Autism and Ethnicity Committee's main focus will be to highlight the impact of race and culture on how autism is experienced. We recently welcomed new committee members Nadine Silber, Kerima Cevik and Kristina Chew. Look for an article to be posted soon with more information about this important emphasis for AWN. 

Has it really been two years since it all began? Yes! It seems like only yesterday when autistic self-advocates Kathryn Bjornstad-Kelly, ASAN Communications Assistant, and Corina Becker, Vice-President of Autism Women's Network first proposed a day for people on the autism spectrum to counter a Communications Shutdown on Twitter and Facebook.

Communications Shutdown was proposed by a group in Australia as a day to stop online communications in order for non-autistic people to understand the communication challenges of people on the autism spectrum; sort of like asking others to walk in the shoes of an autistic person for a day.

To some, Autism Awareness Month might mean purchasing puzzle shaped cookies at local restaurants in order to support a cure for autism. For others, it might mean participating in walks, writing letters to legislators, screening an autism-focused movie, or connecting with community members to raise positive awareness. But there are many different kinds of awareness. When I polled several Autistic self-advocates by asking, "Do you feel anything is missing in the big picture of Autism Awareness? If so, what changes would you like to see?" this is what they had to say:

Alyson Bradley in Christchurch, New Zealand:

We need national recognition.  This is a hard question for me because I have autistic, mental and intellectual differences.