Connected Communities

With a solid foundation in our personal lives and families, our concept of interdependence can grow outward to our larger communities. Strong communities rely on the skills and abilities of a variety of people, and they give back to members in different ways.

In this section, we’ll talk about advocacy on a larger scale, using the Autistic Community Summit to discuss the autism community in a larger context. Topics will include the intersections of race and disability; the concept of mutual aid with tools like pod mapping; and how non-traditional supports like skill trades can allow autistic adults to connect with their communities and build interdependent relationships. Resources that can help autistics and their family members conceptualize who is in their community and what each person brings will be provided.

Informational Resources

What is Mutual Aid: an introductory article explaining the concept of mutual aid and how it relates to the disability community.

What is Collective Care? A guide to the concept of collective care, a disability specific form of mutual aid. Includes information about how to start a care web or collective.

What is Pod Mapping? This guide will help you map out your mutual aid supports and understand how you can be more intentional about giving and receiving help.

Inclusivity and Ableism for Employers: This guide provides employers and neurotypical coworkers with an overview of what ableism is, how it shows up in the workplace, and what they can do differently to create more inclusive work spaces.

How to Know When You’re Experiencing Ableism At Work…And What to Do About It: A guide for autistics in the workplace with information about what ableism is, how to recognize it, common examples, and what you can do if you experience it.

Ableism In the Workplace Social Narrative: A social narrative explaining what ableism is, what you can do when you encounter it, and providing scripts to address it.

Requesting Accommodations Email Scripts: The scripts from the Ableism in the Workplace Social Narrative all in one place.

Autistic and Sensory Friendly Spaces: A resource created by a group of autistics working together at the 2022 Autistic Community Summit with information about local autistic friendly spaces and characteristics of autistic friendly spaces.

Creating Accessible Events Toolkit: A guide with tons of resources and suggestions for creating events and spaces that are accessible to everyone, including attendees, speakers, volunteers, and organizers.