Here is a brief introductory video about Autistry, and a recording of the following program.

Autistry Studios in San Rafael CA has been a powerhouse of creativity by and for autistic young adults since 2008. The Autistry program empowers neurodivergent teens and adults through project-based learning, vocational training, and community integration. This Saturday Nov 15, AASCEND  presents, online via Zoom, Autistry co-founder Janet Lawson, bringing us up to date on Autistry programs, including developments as they expand into new locations. This program is a model of ways to engage autistic ability at any age. As Temple Grandin put it, “I love this positive approach to working with autistic individuals.” Please come with questions you have about this resource and its approach.

The Zoom link to this presentation will be emailed as the date approaches, to people on our mailing list. There is no need to register for the event. Click here to subscribe to our mailing list if you aren’t already on it.  

Janet Lawson is a nationally respected leader in autism services. With her background in theater and film, and as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Janet has built a career at the intersection of clinical practice, education, creativity, and advocacy. Inspired by her son Ian, who is on the autism spectrum, she co-founded Autistry in 2008 with Ian’s father, Dan Swearingen, to fill a critical gap in post-secondary opportunities for autistic young adults. What began as four students working on projects in her backyard has grown under her leadership into a thriving organization serving dozens of families every year in a therapeutic makerspace with classrooms, a vocational café, theater rehearsal space, animation studio, and makers-market providing real-world job experience and independence training.

Through Autistry, Janet Lawson has created a model of possibility and dignity proving that when you meet people where they are and nurture their interests, they can build meaningful lives, careers, and community connections.

Who: Adults on the spectrum, family, professionals and friends all welcome!
When: Saturday, Nov 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Where: Online via Zoom, Link will be emailed as the date approaches.

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.

Here is a recording of the following program.

Navigating your job search can be difficult—especially when you’re neurodivergent. At the November 1 AASCEND Job Club meeting, online via Zoom, Samantha Kelly and facilitators will discuss this common problem. In the session, we will take a strengths-based and person-centered approach to discover our professional needs to be successful in the workplace. We will walk through a formula to communicate those needs, and showcase how to advocate for our needs in both job interviews and at work. Job Club Facilitators Dan Middleton and Michael Bernick will lead this interactive discussion.

The Zoom link to this presentation will be emailed to people on our mailing list as the date approaches. There is no need to register for the event. Click here to subscribe to our mailing list if you aren’t already on it.

             

 As usual, autistic adults will share their perspectives throughout the program.

Who: Adults on the spectrum, family, professionals and friends. All are welcome!
When: Saturday, Nov 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Where: Online via Zoom, Link will be emailed as the date approaches.

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.

This event is CANCELED due to inclement weather. Love taking pictures? Want to explore San Francisco at a relaxed pace? Join AASCEND for its first photo walk! This will be on October 25, NOT our usual 3rd Saturday of the month. We’re organizing an easy social walk from the Ferry Building to China Basin Park, and we’d love to have you join us. We’ll meet at 10am directly in front of the Ferry Building clock tower on the street side. (See map below.) We encourage you to take public transportation, but if you insist there is expensive parking nearby. Check your GPS for it.

Whether you’re an amateur with a smartphone camera or you’ve got your fancy DSLR slung around your neck, everyone’s welcome here—this is all about having fun and capturing the beauty of the Bay in the warm company of the AASCEND community.

Here are the details: We’ll stroll together at a leisurely pace, stopping whenever something catches your eye. That stunning waterfront view? Light hitting the buildings just right? A cute detail on a bridge? Stop, snap, and share the moment with the group. No pressure, no judgment—just good company and great photo ops. Once we reach China Basin Park, or perhaps sooner, we’ll kick back and enjoy the views together. We encourage you to bring a lunch and relax in this beautiful spot with fellow walkers and photographers. 

What to bring:

• Your camera (phone, tablet, or camera—whatever you’ve got!)
• Comfortable walking shoes and clothing for SF weather
• A lunch or snacks to enjoy at the park
• Your smile and enthusiasm!

This is an easy walk with plenty of opportunities to pause and appreciate the scenery. Whether you’re looking to level up your photography skills or just spend time with like-minded folks exploring the city, we can’t wait to see you there. It’s okay if you just want to walk, and just let us know if you don’t want to be photographed. 

Who: Adults on the spectrum, family, professionals and friends all welcome!
When: Saturday, Oct 25 2025, 10:00am to 1pm approx
Where: Ferry Building, San Francisco (See above for details. —> on map)

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.

Here is a video recording of the following program.

At the upcoming AASCEND Job Club meeting on October 4 via Zoom, the three Job Club facilitators, Dan Middleton, Michael Bernick and Keith Halperin, will discuss the coming changes in 2026, in neurodiversity employment programs and strategies. Michael will address the employment changes with Regional Center programs and DOR programs. Dan will address the emerging online search tools for the neurodivergent community, and the upcoming job fairs and employer events. Keith will discuss the current activities of the weekly job club and plans for moving forward. 

The Zoom link to this presentation will be emailed as the date approaches, to people on our mailing list. There is no need to register for the event. Click here to subscribe to our mailing list if you aren’t already on it.

             

 As usual, autistic adults will share their perspectives throughout the program.

Who: Adults on the spectrum, family, professionals and friends all welcome!
When: Saturday, Oct 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Where: Online via Zoom, Link will be emailed as the date approaches.

We had a grand time in beautiful sunny weather. Thank you to all who attended, and see you all at next year’s picnic!

AASCEND‘s annual potluck picnic in the Park is coming up on September 20. All are welcome for an afternoon of informal socializing and games with our community. This year’s picnic will be held from noon to 3:30 at tables 7 – 9 in Hellman Hollow 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 11:30 AM.

We look forward to seeing you—it’s always a lot of fun!

Who: Adults on the spectrum, family, professionals and friends all welcome!
When: Sep 20, noon – 3:30pm, setup at 11:30am
Where: Hellman Hollow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco map   

Here is a link to the following program.

Coming up on September 6, AASCEND‘s Job Club presents Sara Trail of Connected Employment — a person-centered employment program that empowers neurodivergent individuals and their support systems with knowledge about employment options. Sara will be talking about

• Paid Internship Program
• Career Pathways
• Job Readiness
• Entrepeneurship Training

Job Club facilitators Dan Middleton and Michael Bernick will lead a roundtable discussion with Sara.

The link to the Zoom presentation will be emailed to our newsletter subscribers (click here to subscribe) in the days before the event. There is no need to register for this event.

Sara Trail, M.Ed. has an extensive background in education and has worked with many neurodivergent individuals, primarily those with developmental disabilities. Since earning degrees from UC Berkeley and Harvard, Sara has continued to serve and advocate for neurodivergent individuals in navigating their housing, education readiness, and employment opportunities. a deep understanding of individual strengths.

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

Who: Autistic adults, family members and professional who work with them are all welcome.
When: Sat Sept 6, 10 – 11am (Pacific Time)
Where: Online via Zoom, link will be emailed.

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.

Do you care greatly about the quality of mental health care for neurodivergent youth? Stanford invites interested neurodivergent youth (13-21), parents, and professionals who work with them to participate in an important new project about this. A small stipend is offered to participants. Community participation is central to the project. Please click this link if you are interested in joining this community-academic partnership. There will be an informational session about the project, via Zoom this Wednesday Aug 6 at 4pm Pacific. This will be a good chance to learn more and to share input. Please click this link to join the meeting. Details below.

On Saturday August 16 AASCEND will host a Kickoff Board Game Social Mixer at the SF Arc (address below). Come as you are. Snacks and new board games will be provided. Bring your own game if you have a favorite. This is a great opportunity to make new friends and to meet old friends while having a blast playing board games with them! The meeting will be in-person only. Click here to RSVP so we can plan refreshments.

GAME DAY!

Who: Adults on the autism spectrum, families, mentors and professionals all welcome. For more information, please contact: info@aascend.org
When: Sat Aug 16, 10am – 12:30
Where: The Arc of SF 1500 Howard St. @ 11th St. SF, CA 94103 (enter on 11th St) map

(Stanford, cont’d): Stanford is excited to share that a group there is starting a new research project entitled “Community Engagement Research in Improving Mental Health Equity Through Neurodiversity-Informed Culturally Equitable (NICE) Interventions in Autistic Youth.” 

The aims of the study are to (1) engage autistic youth, families, and community stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to identify culturally specific mental health needs, barriers, and strengths using a participatory design thinking approach, (2) co-develop and refine Neurodiversity-Informed Culturally Equitable (NICE) mental health interventions that are responsive to the lived experiences, communication styles, and cultural values of autistic youth, and (3) pilot-test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the NICE interventions in real-world community clinic settings to inform future large-scale implementation and evaluation.

In Phase 1 of the study, we invite autistic youth and young adults (ages 13 to 21), their families, mental health providers, and primary care providers to join our community-academic partnership. Please click this link to indicate your interest in joining the partnership.

We will hold an Information and Listening Session on August 6, 2025 (Wednesday) at 4 pm Pacific Time. We will focus on the first phase of the study in this meeting. Please click this link to join the meeting.

Here are the slides for this presentation.

The August 2 AASCEND Job Club will focus on listening, reflecting, and taking away tools that can help in job conversations, interviews, or day-to-day life.

Career advice often says to “sell yourself” or “build your brand,” but that kind of language can feel confusing, inauthentic, or overwhelming. This session offers a different approach—one that creates space for clear communication, real strengths, and ways of speaking about yourself that don’t rely on overused buzzwords or vague generalities. It can also feel uncomfortable or even embarrassing to talk about what you’re good at, or to acknowledge your accomplishments out loud. You are not alone in that.

Career coach and strategist Kelly Roehm will guide participants through a simple, practical framework for talking about work, skills, and identity in everyday language. Together, we’ll explore how to describe your contributions, how you approach tasks, and why it matters all in a way that feels natural and grounded in who you are.

The Zoom link will be emailed to AASCEND subscribers in the days before the event. There is no need to register.

Kelly Roehm is a career coach, resume strategist, and founder of gumption, a coaching practice that helps people show up with confidence, stand out with purpose, and step into what’s next. She supports individuals, organizations, and communities by helping people find clarity, advocate for themselves, and communicate their value with confidence. Her approach is practical, encouraging, and always people-centered

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

Who: Autistic adults, family members and professional who work with them are all welcome.
When: Sat Aug 2, 10 – 11am Pacific Time
Where: Online via Zoom, link will be emailed.

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.

Here is a recording of the following presentation.

At AASCEND‘s July 12 Job Club, Devon Morgan and Jose Escobar of Futures Explored speak on the value of job coaching. Devon and Jose will talk about the following topics:

1. What is Job Coaching?
2. What a Job Coach does
3. Five benefits of Job Coaching
4. Who can benefit from using a Job Coach
5. Return On Investment for employers
6. How it works and how you get started
7. Futures Explored services
   Employment Training Program
   Tailor Day Services
   Supported Employment
   Created Art Studio

The link to the Zoom presentation will be emailed to our newsletter subscribers (click here to subscribe) in the days before the event. There is no need to register for this event.

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

Who: Autistic adults, family members and professional who work with them are all welcome.
When: Sat July 12, 10 – 11am (Pacific Time)
Where: Online via Zoom, link will be emailed.

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.

ATTENTION Job Club Participants! The recent presentation by Tiffany Jameson shut down before we could gather the email addresses put in the chat. Our apologies! If you want a copy of Tiffany’s presentation please email Daniel.Middleton@catalight.org .

On Saturday June 14 (NOTE: NOT the usual 3rd Saturday) AASCEND presents Sheraden Nicholau of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, speaking on the timely and very important subject of proposed cuts to Medicaid, and what can be done to protect this crucial program. Have you wondered how proposed changes to Medicaid could affect your community? Sheraden will help break down what is happening in Congress, and how these policies could impact the lives of Californians. She will cover:

• What is happening with Medicaid at the federal level
• How these changes could impact Medi-Cal, IHSS, regional centers, and more
• What YOU and your network can do to help protect essential services

The link to the Zoom presentation will be emailed to our newsletter subscribers (click here to subscribe) in the days before the event. There is no need to register for this event.

Sheraden Nicholau leads statewide and region-specific projects with a Bay-Area-based team, executing the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities’ core functions of advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change. The State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) is established by state and federal law as an independent state agency and ensures that Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities are guaranteed the same full and equal opportunities for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as all Americans.

With over 20 years in the disability services, policy, and advocacy space, Sheraden has held both lead and individual contributor roles in cross-sector and intra-industry advisory committees, task forces, and collaboratives, effecting change in inclusionary practices, policy and legislation. She has used her completion of the CA Peace Officers Standards and Training’s Instructor Certification Course (AICC) and Instructor Training Course (IITC) to provide developmental disabilities specific crisis intervention training for law enforcement and first responders in the state.

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

Who: Autistic adults, family members and professional who work with them are all welcome.
When: Sat June 14, 10 – 11am (Pacific Time)
Where: Online via Zoom, link will be emailed.

Contact info@aascend.org with any questions.