How Katie Oswald Built a Community For Autistic Adults, By Autistic Adults
“I got diagnosed [with autism] when I was 38. And so like anything where you go and get a diagnosis, you're like, oh, what are the next steps? And I found out that really there aren't any for when you're diagnosed as an adult. I was looking for information. I was looking for people that I could talk to about their experience who I could relate to. And I just wasn't able to find anything especially in my age range. I'm like, well, maybe I'll create something where there is this space where we can get together and talk to each other and learn from each other's experience and have that sense of belonging.” Katie Oswald is the founder of Full Spectrum Agency, a community for autistic adults. I first met Katie at the Navigating Autism Today conference put on by the Autism Alliance of Michigan. When I learned about all the work she has done to create a community for autistic people, I knew she would be a perfect guest on the podcast and we had a great discussion about the importance of spaces for autistic adults that are created by autistic adults. You will learn: What the “services cliff” is and how it affects autistic adults How Katie is helping autistic voices be heard in government How you can get started with autism advocacy in your own area Plus, learn about Katie’s special interest! Follow-up Questions: How has autism reframed your past struggles? Have you been affected by the services cliff? Is there a meetup group for autistic adults in your city? Guest Bio: Katie Oswald is an Autistic self-advocate and nonprofit founder who works at the intersection of education, disability justice, and real-world systems that weren’t built with Autistic people in mind. She’s the founder of Full Spectrum Agency for Autistic Adults, where she focuses on helping people move from trying to “fix” Autistic people to actually supporting them in ways that work. Katie trains educators and professionals on neurodiversity-affirming practices, with a focus on things like communication differences, sensory needs, and what support really looks like in everyday environments. Her work is grounded in lived experience and centered on a simple idea: Autistic people don’t need to change who they are to belong. Links: Full Spectrum Agency for Autistic Adults https://www.meetup.com/full-spectrum-agency-autistic-adults/ Autistic Self Advocacy Network Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism Kind Theory Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email me at kevin@workingclassautistic.com