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At the top and bottom of the illustration are graphic borders in the style of a Kente pattern. The text is also in red, white and teal, against a black background. Text is centered and reads: AWN Celebrates Black History Month 20222 Theme: Black Health and Wellness In the lower right hand corner is the awn logo- a large lowercase pink “a” with a pale blue dragonfly on it. Below is the website awnnetwork.com

AWN February Newsletter

Dear Ryan C.,

Heya! This month is recognized as Black History Month, but we at AWN understand that this month is never sufficient to encompass the wholeness and everyday experiences of Black autistic people such as myself. I’m currently the accessibility consultant for AWN, and I’m excited about expanding how we understand accessibility. Yes, it’s important we make resources more physically and digitally accessible through means such as Plain-Language documents, which I’ve been working with AWN on. But accessibility also means taking into account people’s material needs, and should include things such as mutual aid efforts to address those needs. Much of the organizing amongst Black neurodivergent/neuroexpansive people has often been overlooked, such as organizing around survival and support. AWN recognizes we need to meet people where they’re at in order to make our community more inclusive and welcoming to Black autistics.

This month Black autistic scientist and activist Alex Toliver published a guest blog on our website about racial disparities Black autistics experience in diagnosis and treatment of autism, along with the increased violence and stigma they face. AWN also released a set of infographics about Black Health & Wellness, which link to resources by and for Black people.

We also have two upcoming Liberating Webinars this month, including one tonight, which explore key issues relevant to Black disabled people and feature Black panelists.

Today, at 7pm ET (Feb 23), we're hosting From the Ground Up: Community Organizing at the Margins. Then this Sunday at 4pm ET (Feb 27) we're hosting  Revisioning Disability and Madness: Crip Poetics and Cultural Work. One past AWN webinar recording I recommend you check out is Abolition, Deinstitutionalization, and Decarceration in the Pandemic, which explored efforts that bridge prison abolition and deinstitutionalization, as we recognize that both are rooted in anti-Blackness and slavery.

Learn more below!
Event banner shows a photo of people in a street. There are four people. First is Ría, wearing a yellow shirt and golden hoop earrings. Second is Noor, wearing a black shirt, glasses, and hoop earrings with tassels. Third is Mariam, wearing a blue dress and glasses while sitting on a park bench. Fourth is Priya, smiling and wearing a red blazer. Text says, From the Ground Up: Community Organizing at the Margins, 23 Feb 2022 at 7pm Eastern / 4pm Pacific. The corner shows the AWN logo - a large

Join us for a panel later today (Wednesday, Feb 23) at 7pm ET: From the Ground Up: Community Organizing at the Margins. The work of community organizers has long been instrumental in creating powerful and radical change. Community organizing in itself is a feat to be acknowledged, but when one has to organize within the parameters of marginal spaces–that is something that should be uplifted, honored, and something that we should as we learn about and from community organizers that have done great work within such marginal spaces.
Event banner shows a photo of a typewriter. There are four people. First is Jess, wearing glasses, a blue shirt and cardigan while looking off to the side. Second is Travis in black and white, smiling right into the camera. Third is Kelsey, wearing a blue shirt and green cardigan on top. Fourth is Lo, wearing a white button-up shirt and red bow tie. Text says, Revisioning Disability and Madness: Crip Poetics and Cultural Work, 27 Feb 2022 at 4pm Eastern / 1pm Pacific. The corner shows the AWN logo - a large

This Sunday Feb 27 at 4pm ET, join us for Revisioning Disability and Madness: Crip Poetics and Cultural Work. We'll explore themes of madness, neurodivergence, and disability in poetry and art at the margins with Travis Chi Wing Lau, Kelsey Smoot, and Lo Smith in conversation with feminist disability studies scholar Jess L. Cowing.
Photo of two Black people with dreadlocks, one femme with dyed white hair, one masculine with black hair sitting on a couch reading in a bright white room.

In our latest blog post, The Intersections of Race & Autism, Diagnostic Disparities & Marginalized Existence, Black autistic disabled scientist Alex Toliver explores the topic of race and autism through data and statistics. They use this data to discuss the societal factors and experiences that impact Black autistics, Black disabled people in general, and other disabled people of color.
Black students are 3x more likely to be expelled 2x more likely to be suspended Than white students in K-8 schools And Black students with disabilities are 1.5x more likely to be excluded from the main classroom for over half the day than white students with disabilities are. “ Family care, Community Care and Self-Care Tool Kit: Healing in the Face of Cultural Trauma Between the above text is a drawing of a teal and white book in a circle. In the lower left corner in yellow, dark orange and teal reads: BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2022: HEALTH & WELLNESS In the center bottom are 4 squares of illustrations in the style of a Kente pattern. In the lower right corner is the awn logo: a large “a” with a pale teal dragonfly and the website listed as awnnetwork.org

The Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network recognizes February as Black History Month. This year's theme is Black Health and Wellness. We have created these graphics to bring attention to the unique experiences of the Black community with mental health, disability, and COVID-19 disparities. Each links to a resource for Black people by Black disability and mental health organization. 

 

Thank you for your time and being part of our community.

Sincerely,

Riah Person

Accessibility Consultant

Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network
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