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Dear WWU community,  

As Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month here at Western Washington University comes to an end, we want to highlight our awareness of distressing national discourse about autism and the fear and violent outcomes such rhetoric can perpetuate, including the killing of Victor Perez in Idaho, which draw on a long and terrible history of eugenics and ableism. We also understand this in the context of ongoing attacks on the larger disabled community, migrants, undocumented, DACAmented, and mixed-status families, LGBTQIA2S+ community, and other marginalized groups. We unequivocally reject these attacks and affirm everyone’s place in this community. 

Autistic people are valued members of our community exactly as they are. When autism is presented as a "preventable disease," it frames autistic people as needing a cure or eradication. When we accept negative perceptions of autism, especially of high support needs autistic people, it leads to violence towards and disenfranchisement of autistic people, affecting our community here at Western Washington University and throughout the world.  

The Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month Planning Committee, Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative, Disability Access Center, Disability Outreach Center, Counseling and Wellness Center and Institute for Critical Disability Studies of Western Washington University affirm our commitment to all disabled and neurodivergent students, particularly our autistic community at WWU. We recognize that this is a difficult time, and we're here for you. Your well-being and long-term success matter deeply to us. We remain committed to supporting, celebrating, and rising in solidarity with disabled, neurodivergent, and autistic students—today and always.  

While we do not have all the answers, we recognize the need for and importance of community especially in this moment. With that in mind, we will offer processing spaces for the WWU community—students, faculty, and staff—co-hosted by the Disability Access Center, Disability Outreach Center, Counseling and Wellness Center, and Institute for Critical Disability Studies led by a staff therapist, professional staff, and faculty on Wednesday, May 7 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM and Thursday, May 8 from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM located in the Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165).  

AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: These processing spaces are intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. 

Other Ways to Get Involved and Resources on Campus: 

• Disability Outreach Center
  • Neuro Space
    • Next Meeting: Thursday, May 15 from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM in the Disability Outreach Center (Wilson Library 165)
  • Disability Pride Month Planning Committee Interest Form
  • Disability Action Month Planning Committee Interest Form
• Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative
  • Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 6 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM over Microsoft Teams
• Disability Employee Resource Group
  • First Meeting: Thursday, May 8 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 PM over Microsoft Teams
• Institute for Critical Disability Studies
  • Support and Discussion Groups
  • Student Advisory Council
• Counseling and Wellness Center
  • Divergent Minds
• Disability and Neurodivergence Club
• Neurodiversity Institute 
   

In community and solidarity, 
 
Autism and Neurodivergence Celebration Month Planning Committee 
Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative 
Disability Access Center 
Disability Outreach Center 
Institute for Critical Disability Studies 
Counseling and Wellness Center