Autism+Acceptance

= April 2017 Autism Activities: =

= Kinney Center Autism Week 21-30 = http://alumni.sju.edu/controls/email_marketing/admin/email_marketing_email_viewer.aspx?sid=1378&gid=56&eiid=6332&seiid=8676&usearchive=1&puid=36b85375-8f9b-4562-8c82-fa37117c6465&csid=1096838

= = = Kaleidoscope Activities- = C:\Users\KKessler\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outlook\V4GEBHXO\email.mht

= ASERT Monthly Newsletter- April = http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c7e2ae9218&id=a266585b77&e=b6f51dd4e4

= NEW- ASERT- 2017 PA Autism Needs Assessment=

http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=c7e2ae9218&id=8ee6bf0f8f&e=b6f51dd4e4

= APP SALE for Autism Awareness Month =



= Autism Society of America-Philly = http://www.asaphilly.org/index.php = = = = = = = = =Please see the information below regarding differing thoughts on Autism Awareness vs. Acceptance Month = ===This information is meant to be informative and possibly help you engage in additional dialogue. We do not claim to support or refute, just found it to be thought provoking. ===
 * Specific "April Activities" are found at the bottom of this page **

From a colleague: I wanted to share some points and resources about upcoming April activities related to autism.

Here are 5 guidelines to “Autism **Acceptance** Month” written by an autistic adult (yes, I wrote that on purpose) named Kit Albrecht. In her words: 1. Many of us dislike like people-first language. 2. We’re weary (and wary) of awareness campaigns. 3. Nothing about us without us. 4. We want to live well, not become normal. 5. Functioning labels are uninformative and harmful. To read more visit []

__ Autism ACCEPTANCE: __ The Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN) and many self-advocates support Autism Acceptance (as opposed to awareness) month. From [|www.autismacceptancemonth.com]: Autism Acceptance Month takes place every year during April. The first Autism Acceptance Month celebrations were organized by [|Paula Durbin Westby] in 2011, as a response to traditional “Autism Awareness” campaigns which the Autistic community found harmful and insufficient. “Autism Acceptance” as a concept has a history as long as the Autistic community itself, dating back to Jim Sinclair’s seminal classic “[|Don’t Mourn For Us]” and perhaps most visibly popularized by Estee Klar’s “[|The Autism Acceptance Project].”

__ On language: __ Many (but not all) people in the autism community prefer the term Autistic. The link below has some information on “identify first language” and writings from people who use and prefer person-first language or “Autistic” or use both. []

__ History and perspectives on puzzle pieces & color blue: __ Here are a couple perspectives on “light it up blue” and on the puzzle piece imagery. Of course, like in any community, there are differing opinions, but we should at least seek out the input of those we attempt to represent. [] [] (history, different perspectives, alternative symbols) You can peruse Twitter if you search the hashtag #peoplenotpuzzles among others

__ Are students themselves aware? __ So many questions come to mind about students and how they see themselves, the language they prefer, how they can shape how autism is discussed in their schools and beyond, etc. []

__ Resources: __ [] Template for a sign for Autism Acceptance as well as examples of student created signs with the prompts “I like being autistic because” and “Autism Acceptance is”: []