Hello friends!

I'd normally say "Happy New Year" to start this letter, but I realize that entering year 3 of a global pandemic makes that challenging. In these trying times, disabled people are facing even more threats to our lives, rights, and well-being than we ordinarily do. As we look to a new year full of possibilities, disability advocacy is more important than ever. That’s why I'm writing to gently encourage you, if you can, to donate or otherwise contribute to ASAN [[link removed]] .

I've worked alongside ASAN for years on policy issues, particularly those that impact the trans and queer autistic community [[link removed]] . When I was invited to sit on the ASAN board, and then elected as Board Chair, I could not say no. In just this last year, ASAN has done a great deal to advocate for our community–I like to say that we are small, but mighty.

Here is just some of what we were able to accomplish:

* Creating a guide to making Easy Read materials [[link removed]].

* Continually advocating to end restraint and seclusion, expand home- and community-based services, end subminimum wage, and improve SSI.

* Partnering with the National Partnership for Women & Families to produce issue briefs [[link removed]] exploring the intersection of reproductive and disability rights, including access to abortion, access to contraception, sex education, and the right to parent.

* Releasing a resource [[link removed]] outlining the ethical problems with Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and many other autism therapies.

To learn more about ASAN’s work in 2021, check out our Annual Report [[link removed]]!

I believe in ASAN's work, having seen it up close for so long. As a trans autistic Puerto Rican, I believe wholeheartedly that ASAN is for all autistic people. That includes nonspeaking autistic people, autistic people of color, and autistic people who are still trapped in institutions [[link removed]] and under guardianships [[link removed]] where their autonomy is not respected. ASAN fights for a world where there's nothing about us without us. As we approach the end of the year, hoping that 2022 is better than 2021 for so many of us, we will continue and deepen that mission.

If you can donate, you can do so here [[link removed]] . If you cannot (I understand just how scarce resources can be right now), I encourage you to share our mission, follow us on social [[link removed]] media [[link removed]] , and amplify our message. Get involved in the autistic self-advocacy community- instead of people speaking for us, it’s time the world hears our voices and values.

Thank you for your support, and may I wish you a 2022 that's better than 2021.

Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán, J.D.
Board Chairperson
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
[link removed]


Autistic Self Advocacy Network
PO Box 66122
Washington, DC 20035
United States
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