April is Autism Acceptance Month. After receiving some very helpful feedback from a local CASA staff member about a related post in our April Social Media Calendar, we realized we have plenty of learning to do at Texas CASA when it comes to how to best be an ally for autistic people.
For those of you who, like us, are on a learning journey about the autistic community, we wanted to share some great resources we’ve found from an amazing organization run by and for autistic people, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN).
- About Autism: “Some autistic people can speak, and some autistic people need to communicate in other ways. Some autistic people also have intellectual disabilities, and some autistic people don’t. Some autistic people need a lot of help in their day-to-day lives, and some autistic people only need a little help. All of these people are autistic, because there is no right or wrong way to be autistic. All of us experience autism differently, but we all contribute to the world in meaningful ways. We all deserve understanding and acceptance.”
- Multiple Perspectives on Identity-First Language vs. Person-First Language
- “Welcome to the Autistic Community” Book & Resources for Autistic People & Allies
When you know better, you do better! One of our biggest takeaways so far has been that it’s important to learn about autism from autistic people, and to listen to what they say they want and need rather than make assumptions. We hope you find these resources helpful!
Do you have another resource or thought you’d like to share? Do you have a story of a CASA volunteer who has been an amazing advocate for an autistic child? We’d love to know! Email us at communications@texascasa.org.