As you’ve most likely noticed by now, ASAN has recently unveiled a new website with a new look. We’re excited to share with you the new image of our organization – just as we’ve grown and developed over the years into a stronger, more powerful mechanism to amplify our community’s voice, we felt it was past time to update our online presence to reflect that. Our new website will better highlight the work we’re doing and serve as an easier way for folks to find out where we stand on the issues, what we’re doing to help empower our people and what you can do to help. Yet, though some things change, others stay the same – we’re still committed to the same values of community inclusion, neurodiversity and disability as part of human diversity that we always have been.
Growth brings with it new and interesting challenges. Many organizations lose focus when they grow larger, moving their energy from advancing their mission to trying to bring in money and grow in size. There’s nothing wrong with working to raise money to keep the lights on, but it is always important to remember that an advocacy organization’s primary emphasis needs to be serving the community. Over the course of the last year and a half, as we’ve transitioned from an all-volunteer organization to one with staff and an office, we’ve always kept in mind how important it is that we stay true to what we believe in, no matter what. We’ve tried to reflect that commitment with the new website – not only can visitors officially join ASAN’s membership, you can also indicate your interest in volunteering, learn about the latest action alerts and advocacy issues or check out our constantly updating list of upcoming chapter meetings and events for something in your area. It is all part of keeping our focus on being transparent and accessible to those we serve – Autistic people and our allies.
Finally, because we’re launching our new look right before April – a month dedicated to autism awareness that is all too often focused primarily on stereotypes and pity-mongering – we’re kicking things off with a bang. In honor of Autism Acceptance Month – an Autistic community answer to unsatisfactory and often offensive “awareness” efforts – we will be running blog posts over the course of the month of April focused on showing what autism acceptance means to Autistic people and our friends, allies and supportive family members. We hope you’ll take some time to check it out. Nothing About Us, Without Us!