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 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 [...]
 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 [...]
AWEtism We Embrace Support Group Welcome to AWEtism We Embrace (AWE)! A Peer-Led Online Support Group for Adults of All Neurotypes  AWEtism We Embrace (AWE) is a welcoming, facilitated support group for adults of all neurotypes, including both neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals. 🗓️ We meet online via Zoom [...]
 Bluebee TeeVee Autism Information Station Explaining Autism to Kids in an Empowering Way  Bluebee TeeVee, The Autism Information Station, is a series of 8 webisodes to empower autistic children and educate their peers about autism. Think Schoolhouse Rock meets Blue's Clues meets Mister Rogers Neighborhood in a quirky [...]
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 [...]
Autism Serves Volunteerism Program Autism Empowerment introduces a positive and proactive program for our community and for our world. Our Autism Serves volunteerism program also known as Autism Serves Across the Lifespan was founded on the guiding belief that children and adults each have unique strengths, talents and gifts. Some [...]
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 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 [...]
Past Autism Empowerment Outreach Events Outreach events and activities that we participate in give youth, adults and families impacted by Autism and Asperger's to have an opportunity to connect with Autism Empowerment and to meet other members of the autism and autistic community. There are many opportunities throughout each [...]
Recognizing Autism Spectrum Symptoms, Signs and Characteristics Individuals on the autism spectrum will have symptoms from a very young age, beginning before the age of three. Some autistic children show hints of future challenges within the first few months of life. In others, symptoms may not appear until 24 [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
Donate Your Vehicle Autism Empowerment is excited to share with you our vehicle and car donation partnership with Donate for Charity. If you donate your car, truck, boat or RV before December 31st, 2025, you can get a 2025 tax deduction while helping Autism Empowerment and our nonprofit publication, [...]
Our Four Foundational Pillars The four foundational pillars of Autism Empowerment are: Accept Enrich Inspire Empower These pillars are part of our organizational core values and are incorporated into our website, our programs, our support services and our community.  Accept We promote the unconditional acceptance of autistic individuals for who they [...]
Core Values, Beliefs, and Goals At Autism Empowerment, our work is guided by four foundational pillars and values that shape everything we do: Accept, Enrich, Inspire, and Empower. These values are at the heart of our mission, our programs, and our community. They represent a commitment to honoring the [...]
What are Pervasive Developmental Disorders / PDD / PDD-NOS? The diagnostic category of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders characterized by delays in the development of socialization and communication skills. Parents may note symptoms as early as infancy, although the typical age of onset is [...]
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 [...]
🌸 Resources for Women and Girls on the Autism Spectrum To all women and girls on the autism spectrum—know this: You are not alone. Even when it feels that way, we’re here to provide information, support, and a welcoming community that sees and values you. At Autism Empowerment and through [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]