Love and Autism

Many people on the autism spectrum long for comfortable romantic relationships, but these can be frustratingly elusive and difficult for us. In the spirit of the month of Valentines, AASCEND’s February meeting will celebrate our efforts at Romantic Relationships On and Off The Spectrum. Bring your stories of love or relationship difficulty on and off the spectrum and we’ll share our experience, the challenges, and how we try to make it work.

rainbow hearts

AASCEND Job Club Off to a Strong Start

Getting and holding a job is difficult for many people on the autism spectrum. To address this problem AASCEND has helped organize a job club for people on the autism spectrum, under the guidance of Michael Bernick, former head of California’s Employment Development Department, and Cindy Zoeller, an employment coach aiding spectrum clients in the Sacramento area. The job club has been meeting regularly in downtown San Francisco with enthusiastic participation from many AASCEND members. The next meeting is Saturday, June 2, 10:00 AM. RSVP cindy_zoeller@yahoo.com

Michael Bernick on job clubs                Cindy Zoeller on autism employment

AASCEND Stars in Award-Winning Film!

The film Too Sane for This World, directed by William Davenport and featuring many AASCEND members, has won the Gold Kahuna Award at the 2012 Honolulu Film Awards in the category of Documentary film. The  Honolulu Film Awards recognizes outstanding achievement in filmmaking from around the world. It recognizes and celebrate the finest independent cinema while helping to advance the careers of promising filmmakers. The film has also been nominated for a 2012 Voice Award. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,  the Voice Awards honor peer leaders who have played a vital role in raising awareness and understanding of behavioral health issues, and promoting the social inclusion of individuals with behavioral health challenges. Through their exemplary leadership and advocacy they demonstrate that individuals with behavioral health challenges are valuable contributing members of their schools, workplaces, and communities.

See more at TalkStoryFilms.com