Now for something completely different! At AASCEND‘s April 16 meeting we’re all going to go for a hike (more like a walk) at San Francisco’s beautiful and easy-walkin’ Lands End. Come revel together in the calming natural world so many autistic people enjoy.

But first,  are you autistic, creative, and want to earn $ with your abilities? Be sure to take this short online survey >here< to help the Autism Creatives Collective get underway. The survey deadline is now extended to April 21, so hustle at it!

Now to the hike—

The hike will be a chance to all get to know each other better and to enjoy El Niño’s spring bounty in one of the more gorgeous places on this big round Earth – and it’s right here in San Francisco! There is food at the Lookout Cafe and Visitor Center where we’ll meet, but you might want to bring a snack. Stay tuned for further details and updates.

When: Sat Apr 16, 10am – noon(+)
Where: Lands End Lookout Cafe and Visitor Center 680 Point Lobos Ave, SF, CA 94121 – located in the parking lot near 48th Ave & Pt. Lobos Ave. map

Autistic adventure will head the day at AASCEND‘s March 19 meeting, starting off with a report from seasoned expeditioneer and AASCEND member Paul Nussbaum telling the tale of his recent week in the icy wilderness of Yellowstone National Park. This outing was undertaken as practice for Paul’s planned Expedition-Autism: Greenland 2017, a month-long trek across the Greenland Ice Cap to showcase autistic ability.

[UPDATE: The following event happened and there was an almost electric feel in the room, so great was the interest in the subject. If you were not able to be present and are likewise interested please send a note to info@aascend.org and we’ll connect you with this new and rapidly developing community.]

Autistic people sometimes have unusual creative talents. At AASCEND‘s February 20 meeting Donald Cohen will lead an exploration of how these talents can open paths to employment for people on the autism spectrum.

Donald Cohen is executive director of In The Public Interest, a Washington D.C.-based research and policy center. He is also the father of a 27-year old on the spectrum, who is an exceptional writer with an amazing imagination and a love of movies, books (science fiction and fantasy), comics, graphic novels, and table top RPG’s among other things.  

Donald is currently doing research to develop a program to find possible career paths for “creatives”, tapping the unique talents of these creative autistic adults and helping integrate them into the working world. He’s conducting interviews to better understand creative industries, their needs and potential opportunities.   Find out what he has learned and bring your own creative ideas!

When: Sat Feb 20, 10am – noon
Where: The Arc of SF 1500 Howard St. @ 11th St.    SF, CA 94103  map   

Parking is often available in the garage at 255 12th Street, with a reasonable flat rate for Saturdays. There is also metered street parking for $2/hr.

P.S. To watch last month’s film, Autism in Love, free on PBS til April click here !     (You may have to click around a bit and wait through an ad to get to the film, but it’s there.)

Dating and romantic relationships are perennial challenges for people on the autism spectrum. At AASCEND‘s January 16 general meeting we’ll be showing the film Autism in Love. Arthur Ryel-Lindsey of the Tribeca Film Festival writes about the film,
“With beautiful cinematography and remarkable compassion, [Director Matt] Fuller examines the everyday realities of autistic adulthood, showing how the members of this often-misunderstood community cope with the challenge of keeping romance alive over the years. Capturing both the joys and heartbreak of love, Fuller emphasizes struggles that are only too familiar, creating in Autism in Love a relatable and winning celebration of accepting the differences in others and in ourselves.”

Following the screening there will be a panel discussion by spectrum adults in relationships — relating first-hand the challenges of autistic love. Come share your own stories and questions about dating and romance on the spectrum!

PLUS Hear Paul Nussbaum’s preliminary report on the Greenland-prep expedition in Yellowstone! Details to follow at a later AASCEND meeting. Follow the ongoing expedition here. (Be sure to zoom way in on the interactive map!)
                                                                                                        

When: Sat Jan 16, 10am – noon
Where: The Arc of SF 1500 Howard St. @ 11th St.    SF, CA 94103  map   

Parking is available in the garage at 255 12th Street, with a reasonable flat rate for Saturdays. There is also metered street parking for $2/hr.

AASCEND board member Paul Nussbaum — veteran and leader of the AASCEND Conquering Heights trans-Sierra expedition — along with a team of eight assembled by autism sports organization Ascendigo have embarked on a nine-day ski expedition across the frigid winter desolation of Yellowstone National Park. This grueling excursion is by way of preparation for a planned expedition across the Greenland ice cap next year,  highlighting autistic teamwork and abilities. The team is now hauling sledges heavily laden with supplies and gear, as it will be doing in the Arctic. Meanwhile temperatures on the journey are fated to drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, approximating Greenland conditions. Follow their progress courtesy of expedition member and radioman Douglas Paley at this interactive map. (Be sure to zoom in!) Here’s Paul on earlier expeditions:

The AASCEND holiday party was a memorable event, with the Arc of SF providing the lovely setting for an evening of food, games, conviviality — and heartwarming (as well as spectacular) musical performances. AASCEND wishes all a holiday season filled with cheer, and a bright New Year! 

Be sure to mark your calendar with the meeting dates listed to the right in UPCOMING  EVENTS.  Another season of great programs is in the works!

It’s time again for that yearly favorite — the AASCEND Annual Holiday Potluck Party! Come join our community for food, conversation, music and good cheer. There will be Entertainment, Music—with songs by AASCEND stars Stacey, Brian, and Brie — Santa D.J., Games, did we mention food, and a low-sensory space available. It’s a potluck, so bring food to share if you can — but if you can’t, show up anyway!

Be there and in the square!

Many autistic people feel a special affinity for animals. Here’s autistic luminary Temple Grandin in her book, Animals in Translation: “I wasn’t any horse-whispering autistic savant, either. I just loved the horses. … I got through my teenage years thanks to my squeeze machine and my horses. … Animals saved me.”

At AASCEND‘s November 21 meeting we’ll watch clips about the autism-horse connection from the film Horse Boy (based on the New York times best-seller) and we’ll hear from Joell Dunlap, founder of the Square Peg Foundation, which brings autistic children and young adults together with horses. The foundation also employs people on the autism spectrum part-time. Let’s see whether work with horses and other animals might help some autistic adults!

Come with your own animal stories and your curiosity…

Have you ever been scammed? Did you fall for some trick online or elsewhere that ended up costing you money or grief?  At AASCEND‘s October 17 meeting we’ll be talking about ways to recognize trick deals so that you don’t fall for them. Bring your experiences to the meeting and we can all learn from each other. 

Next we’ll talk about “living on a shoestring”, how to eat and keep clothes on your back and a roof over your head for very little money — in one of the most expensive places to live in the US, the San Francisco Bay Area. How do you pay less for food and clothes? Do you have any tricks to keep your costs down? What about sources of financial aid? Most of us have a lot of experience with these problems, so let’s pass our helpful tips on to each other!

Finally we’ll plan for upcoming meetings and our yearly Book Club reading!

Join the festivities at AASCEND‘s annual potluck picnic in the park Saturday September 19. All are welcome for an afternoon of informal socializing and games with our community. This year’s picnic will be held again at Hellman Hollow (formerly Speedway Meadow) in Golden Gate Park. We will have food and drink, but bring something to share if you can. No RSVP is necessary. Set-up begins at 11:00 AM.