uodsp: Correction on Autism Speaks Email

[Elizabeth Wheeler]

Dear Ellie, I think this is a wonderfully smart and sensitive plan. Have 
you contacted the folks in the Accessible Education Center? They run a 
support group of people on the spectrum who would be a natural audience 
for your proposed club. You will also want to reach out the the disabled 
students club, the AccessAbility Student Union, if you have already: 
Aability <aability at uoregon.edu>. Good luck with your plan! Betsy

On 2017/11/03 19:58, Elise Garmon wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I'd like to make a revision to my original email. I have been planning
> on starting an Autism Speaks club at the University of Oregon due to
> my passion for helping individuals with disabilities. I have decided
> to instead create an Autism Awareness club at UO that is
> non-affiliated with the Autism Speaks organization. I feel as though
> this would be the most appropriate outlet to spread autism awareness
> at UO. Please read my explanation on this below:
> 
> I understand concerns about the ways in which  Autism Speaks has been
> criticized. I have done my research, and have found that there were
> unacceptable abuses in past. I have also found that many of the
> negative claims are now outdated. As of 2017, 63% of all funding goes
> to family services, grants, awareness, and advocacy, with only 2%
> going to Management and Collateral. Under the leadership of a new CEO
> in 2016, Autism Speaks has removed the word “cure” from their Mission
> Statement, and instead now focuses on enhancing lives and accelerating
> a spectrum of solutions for the future. By sponsoring research into
> causes and better treatments, along with pursuing strategies to make
> significant progress, they are amongst the leaders in autism advocacy.
> 
>  I am familiar with many on the spectrum by being intimately involved
> in raising and advocating for my autistic brother. Autism Speaks was a
> huge resource for my family upon my brother’s initial diagnosis by
> helping us gain access to appropriate intervention and services. The
> organization was also invaluable throughout our constant legal battles
> with our local school
> district who did not want to include my brother in regular education.
> Now that my brother is almost done with high school, we have utilized
> the Autism Speaks “Transitional Toolkit” as we navigate a transition
> plan for his journey into adulthood.
> 
> A Sr. Coordinator for Autism Speaks reached out to me because of my
> leadership in the U of O Pre PT/OT club, and as a result of my passion
> for autism advocacy as well as the need to spread awareness on campus,
> I was interested in starting a club in order to do so. Unfortunately,
> in this early exploratory phase of beginning a club, many deficiencies
> of the Autism Speaks organization has been brought to my attention. My
> goal in starting an Autism Speaks club was to be inclusive and never
> exclusive, as well as to accelerate progress an support for autistic
> individuals. It is the exact opposite of my intention to alienate and
> offend any individual on the spectrum. Because of that, as well as the
> negativity that is still associated with the organization, at this
> point I feel it necessary to abandon establishing an Autism Speaks
> club at the U of O. I do, however, see a great need for increasing
> understanding and acceptance of autism spectrum disorders in a college
> setting, so instead I will be exploring the possibility of perhaps an
> Autism Awareness club instead. This club will continue to be
> supportive of the autism community, as well as other disabilities.
> However, it will not be affiliated with Autism Speaks. I welcome
> anyone who is interested in this to email me at egarmon at uoregon.edu.
> 
> Best Regards,
> 
> Elise Garmon