I have started a non-profit advocacy/support agency for AS/ADD/LD adults

[liberalhistorian]

After months of thinking about it, I have started the process this week of filing to begin a non-profit agency that will provide advocacy, support and education/employment assistance for adults with Asperger's Syndrome, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, etc., as well as public awareness programs for families, employers, attorneys, the general public, etc.

There are very few groups out there that focus on adults with these conditions; most focus on children/teenagers and family members of adults with these conditions (i.e., that harmful hate group, FAAAS). This leaves those of us with these conditions out in the cold, with very little support or advocacy. We often flounder in employment, for instance, because we may not know what careers or jobs are appropriate for our conditions, or employers may have a bias and even discriminate.

Once I get it really up and rolling, I'd also like to include legal assistance for those suffering job losses or employment discrimination, as well as discrimination in the legal system, including in custody issues (FAAAS does this to "help" the divorcing spouses of AS people with custody, since "most attorneys and courts refuse to recognize the dangers of AS parents having custody", WTF? Fuck them!

I'd been thinking of this for some time, since I have a learning disability and hearing problem, and my son and new husband are both Aspies. I've struggled with these issues all of my adult life, as has my husband (his first wife is firmly in the grip of FAAAS, blaming their divorce entirely on his AS, which is bullshit since she was emotionally abusive, even according to her own children who refuse to speak to her, but her daughter does still maintain her relationship with her stepfather, my husband; the ex even sent me some FAAAS brochures to "warn" me, which I promptly shredded), and I'll be goddamned if I'll see my son deal with the same shit. But what really got me to finally get off my duff and get moving on this was seeing more of FAAAS's hateful bullshit and how it contributed to discrimination, and the desperate need discussed on AS/LD MB's for an organization for adults, not just kids and family members.

So, PM me if you're interested in joining and/or helping me get this really off the ground. The paperwork should be completed by the end of next week, when it will be considered a formal, non-profit organization.