Holiday Party December 18!

The next AASCEND event will be a Job Club on January 8. Stay tuned for details!


On Saturday December 18 at 2pm AASCEND will have the yearly holiday party online via Zoom —our new tradition bound to become someday a fond memory! The Zoom link will be sent in an email to all newsletter subscribers a day or two before the party. There is no need to register. 

The party will use Zoom breakout rooms, but first we will all meet in the “Main Room” or “Hub”, where a Welcome Party will continue throughout the day. We’ll all start there, and do a “holiday check-in” like our usual check-ins at AASCEND meetings, but with a focus on your holiday doings.

Next, the breakout rooms will be opened, and you get to choose which one you want to go to first. To see the list of breakout rooms when you are on Zoom you need to click or tap the icon of four little squares at the bottom of your screen. (If you don’t see it, then try putting the window in Full Screen mode.) Then click near the name of the room you want until the word “Join” appears. (You may have to move your mouse pointer to the right a bit to see the word “Join”.) Click that and in some seconds you’ll be in the room! You can move freely between breakout rooms, too.

After check-in, the Main Room will become a DISCUSSION ROOM, on Life with Autism, or on any subject of interest. 

The breakout rooms are: DJ Music, Whiteboard Games (popular last year), and Quiet Meditation.

There will also be “Spare Rooms”. Using the chat feature, people can arrange to meet each other in any unoccupied Spare Room (there will be a few of them) in order to have personal conversations.

At 3:30 in the Main Room there will be musical offerings by AASCEND members. Contact AASCEND (see below) if you want to sing or perform for 3 1/2 minutes or so at that time.

That’s about it! This worked beautifully last year, and we expect it to go even better this year now that everybody knows how to use Zoom! We invite you to dress up or decorate a little if you like. It should be a fun adventure, and remember that whatever happens AASCEND is very glad that you are here and wishes you the very best of holiday seasons!

Who: Adults on the autism spectrum, families, mentors and professionals all welcome. For more information, please contact: info@aascend.org
When: Sat Dec 18, 2pm – 5pm 
Where: Online via Zoom. URL and password will be emailed.

Disclosure and Reasonable Accommodations: Advice from Human Resources Professionals

Mark your calendar! On Saturday December 18 at 2pm AASCEND will host its yearly holiday party, online via Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent in an email to all newsletter subscribers a day or two before the party. There is no need to register. 


The December 11 AASCEND Job Club will feature Jeff Miller, CEO of Potentia, and Rebecca Beam, CEO of Zavikon, talking about if, when and how to disclose to an employer that you are on the autism spectrum, and how best to seek appropriate accommodations.

picture of rebecca beam and jeff miller

Potentia Workforce, founded by Jeff Miller, is a consulting firm that provides opportunities to skilled, yet often overlooked neurodiverse individuals. Zavikon, founded by Rebecca Beam, provides recruitment, workplace readiness, and job accommodation, identification and advocacy for individuals with disabilities or those who are neurodivergent.

The Zoom meeting URL and password will be sent to people on our email list as the date approaches. No registration is necessary. If you are not on our email list, click here to sign up. 

As usual at AASCEND meetings, attendees on the autism spectrum will offer their experience and perspectives throughout the program.

Who: Adults on the autism spectrum, families, mentors and professionals all welcome. For more information, please contact: info@aascend.org
When: Sat Dec 11 2021, 10 – 11 am (approx) 
Where: Online via Zoom. URL and password will be emailed.

Holiday PARTY December 18!

On Saturday December 18 at 2pm AASCEND will have our yearly holiday party online via Zoom —our new tradition bound to become someday a fond memory! The Zoom link will be sent in an email to all newsletter subscribers a day or two before the party. There is no need to register. 

The party will use Zoom breakout rooms, but first we will all meet in the “Main Room” or “Hub”, where a Welcome Party will continue throughout the day. We’ll all start there, and do a “holiday check-in” like our usual check-ins at AASCEND meetings, but with a focus on your holiday doings.

Next, the breakout rooms will be opened, and you get to choose which one you want to go to first. To see the list of breakout rooms when you are on Zoom you need to click or tap the icon of four little squares at the bottom of your screen. (If you don’t see it, then try putting the window in Full Screen mode.) Then click near the name of the room you want to join until the word “Join” appears. Click that and in some seconds you’ll be in the room. You can move freely between breakout rooms, too. Remember, you must have the latest version of Zoom to use the breakout rooms.

The breakout rooms are: DJ Music & Dance, Whiteboard Games (popular last year), Quiet Meditation

There will be DISCUSSION ROOMS, too, possibly including such topics as Science Fiction/Fantasy, Anime,Video Game Talk, Comics & Manga, Cats & Pets, Life with Autism, Movies/TV, Music,Technology, Literature

There will also be “Spare Rooms”. Using the chat feature, people can arrange to meet each other in any unoccupied Spare Room (there will be several of them) in order to have personal conversations.

At 3:30 in the Main Room there will be musical offerings by AASCEND members. Contact AASCEND (see below) if you want to sing or perform for 3 1/2 minutes or so at that time.

That’s about it! This worked beautifully last year, and we expect it to go even better this year now that everybody knows how to use Zoom! We invite you to dress up or decorate a little if you like. It should be a fun adventure, and remember that whatever happens AASCEND is very glad that you are here and wishes you the very best of holiday seasons!

Who: Adults on the autism spectrum, families, mentors and professionals all welcome. For more information, please contact: info@aascend.org
When: Sat Dec 18, 2pm – 5pm 
Where: Online via Zoom. URL and password will be emailed.