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Acronym and Initialism Directory An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word. An initialism is an abbreviation consisting of initial letters pronounced separately (e.g., DDA or IEP) Alphabet soup is often used as a metaphor for an abundance of [...]
AE Neurodivergent Creators Collective AE-NCC Resource Library Welcome | Upcoming Events | Past Events | Resource Library (see below) Welcome to the AE Neurodivergent Creators Collective (AE-NCC) Resource Library, a growing hub of free tools, guides, videos, and inspiration for autistic and neurodivergent creators. Whether your passion is acting, [...]
Community Collaborations Autism Empowerment is physically based in Vancouver, Washington. We are considered part of Southwest Washington although we are also very close to the Oregon border and interact frequently with the Portland, OR metro community. We believe it is important to be actively involved in our community. Community [...]
Autism Empowerment wants visitors to be able to access reference information, resources, and support through our website, through our programs, and support services. Having knowledge is empowering. We created this page to connect you with other not-for-profit organizations throughout the United States and worldwide that are also dedicated to providing [...]
Karen Krejcha Bio Karen serves as Executive Director and Co-Founder of Autism Empowerment and also as the Board President. She is Editor of Spectrum Life Magazine and the host of the Autism Empowerment Podcast. Karen considers Autism Empowerment her calling and passion. She [...]
Coexisting Conditions Individuals affected by autism are at an increased risk of experiencing additional cognitive, emotional, or behavioral disorders. It is very common for individuals on the autism spectrum to be dealing with other challenges and coexisting conditions. Sometimes these co-existing conditions are noticed and diagnosed before the diagnosis [...]
AE Neurodivergent Creators Collective A New Era of Inclusive Storytelling Welcome | Upcoming Events | Past Events (see below) | Resource Library Past Workshops and Workshop Resources: (Workshops are listed in reverse chronological order) 🎬 Craig McCourry: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Filmmaking Autism Empowerment and our Neurodivergent Creators Collective are proud [...]
Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking Resources Why this resource page matters. At Autism Empowerment, we are committed to supporting the safety, dignity, and well-being of all individuals in our community. Research shows that people on the autism spectrum and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at significantly higher risk [...]
Past Project Examples The first season of the Autism Serves Kids Care Club took place October 2015 through June 2016. Here are photos of some of the monthly projects and events that club members participated in. In 2025, the Autism Serves Kids Care Club evolved and relaunched under a [...]
Bullying Prevention Autism Empowerment has been a Champion Partner with PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center and PACER.org since 2012. Founded in 2006, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center unites, engages and educates communities nationwide to address bullying through creative, relevant and interactive resources. PACER’s bullying prevention resources are [...]
Hold My Beer A Film by Brian Tashima Produced by Second Player Score and Autism Empowerment <span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span class="fr-mk" style="display: none;"> </span><span [...]
Autism Facts Quick Start New visitor? Please check out "Understanding Autism, A Few Quick Notes." This Autism Quick-Start section is meant to provide a quick introduction to basic autism facts written in conversational language. Autism is a Developmental Disability Autism is considered a developmental disability and neurological [...]
Getting an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis / The Diagnostic Process Autism varies widely in severity and as it is a spectrum disorder, it will present differently from one person to another and from male to female. Signs and symptoms may go unrecognized, especially if they initially appear as mild or [...]
Autism Empowerment Mission Autism Empowerment is devoted to promoting a culture of acceptance, enrichment, and empowerment in the lives of children, teens, adults and families in Autism, Autistic and neurodivergent communities. We offer innovative and inspiring programs, training, and services as well as opportunities for leadership and volunteerism for [...]
Amazing Autistic Women Women and Nonbinary People on the Autism Spectrum: Whether someone identifies as Autistic, on the autism spectrum, neurodivergent, or simply by their name, what matters most is honoring how they choose to self-identify. This evolving list highlights Autistic women and nonbinary individuals who are using their voices, [...]
What is Rett syndrome Rett syndrome is a postnatal neurodevelopmental disorder that affects girls almost exclusively and is first noticed in infancy. It is characterized by normal early growth and development followed by a slowing of development, loss of purposeful use of the hands, distinctive hand movements, slowed brain [...]
Gary Borghello Bio Gary Borghello was born and raised in Daly City, California and moved to Vancouver, Washington in 2009. He is currently in semi-retirement from 35+ years in Corporate America, most recently as Engagement Manager at Smart Recruiters and previously as Principal [...]
 Actually Autistic Adults in the Real World A Day in Our Lives… By Jenny Bristol Illustrations by Rebecca Burgess  The autistic population is just as diverse as the non-autistic population. To learn about a day in the life of adults on the autism spectrum, we invite you to [...]
 Autistic advocate Niko Boskovic joined Autism Empowerment as a contributing writer for Spectrum Life Magazine and our Spectrum Life blog in October 2022. Niko first appeared on the cover of Spectrum Life Magazine in our Fall 2022 issue and in our feature interview,Niko Boskovic - Letterboarding Leader, readers learned [...]
Autism Empowerment Board of Directors Autism Empowerment's Board of Directors includes ten passionate leaders and disability advocates from Washington and Oregon. United by a passion for serving youth, adults and families within autism, neurodivergent and disabilities communities, they bring diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to Autism Empowerment's mission. [...]