Jun
15
Women on the spectrum find a comfort place together
For some adults on the spectrum, a challenge can be finding like-minded people who want to socialize.
For Surene Henderson and Laura Dettloff, that challenge is made even more difficult by the fact that, as women on the spectrum, they often feel out of place in groups dominated by men.
“Autism presents really differently in women than in men,” Henderson explains. “The way autism is talked about in the media is so guy-centric and kid-centric that adult women get lost. It’s so different to be diagnosed as an adult woman.”
Youth and young adults ages 11-20 with autism, intellectual, or other disabilities are invited to participate in a free day of fun on July 27 at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia). "A Musical Day with Mia" will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and will include a tour of Mia, including the Migrations and Now Where Were We? exhibits. Participants also will play music games with Toneworks Music Therapy and make their own art creation with a Mia instructor. This class is funded in part by a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. Space is limited. 
A great and determined group of kids and their caregivers converged on the AuSM parking lot Tuesday night as they received bike riding tips and strategies from expert cyclist Alex Uhler. Uhler shared a number of tips for successful bike riding including purchasing the correct equipment, making bike adjustments, breaking down riding into smaller steps, clothing protection, practice makes perfect pedaling, staying positive and patient, and working toward the sense of independence and accomplishment that your child will experience when learning to ride his or her own bike. 
AuSM is pleased to be working with Twin Cities Pride to offer an "Escape Zone" during the 2017 Pride Festival on June 24 and 25. Individuals with sensory needs at the festival can stop by the tent for air conditioning, quiet, and fidgets. Twin Cities Pride will take place in Loring Park in Minneapolis and there is no cost to participate in this large festival. 
Please join the St. Paul Police Department, Saint Paul Public Schools, and Saint Paul Parks and Recreation for a special edition of Safe Summer Nights, "St. Paul 4 Kids" on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 from 5-7 p.m. at Bridgeview School in St. Paul. The event will include a picnic-style barbecue cookout for children with special needs and their families and caregivers, face painting, a jump house, the K9 unit, mounted patrol, motors unit, and more. Cost: FREE. 
Sponsorships for the 2017 AuSM Golf Classic are selling quickly. If you are interested in showing your support for the Minnesota autism community and sharing your business message with AuSM's website visitors and more than 130 golfers on Aug. 7, reserve your sponsorship today. Sponsorships range from $200 to $5000+. AuSM's 2017 golf event will take place at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wis., and all proceeds will benefit programs and services for our local autism community. 
Registration for 2017 AuSM Summer Camps (Discovery, Hand in Hand, and Wahode) is now closed as all camps are full. If you wish to have your camper's name placed on the waiting list for a specific camp, please contact Terri Borowick at 
Five Arizona and California-based law firms and one dentist have teamed up to offer six $1,000 scholarships to post-secondary students with autism. Scholarships will be awarded in the form of a direct tuition payment to the educational institution chosen by the winning applicant. This could be a university, college, junior college, trade school, or vocational school. You need not be enrolled in school at the time you submit your application, but the funds must be used within one year after the date of the award. You can apply for all six scholarships. The six scholarships are being donated by Black Wynn Personal Injury Lawyers, the Feldman Law Firm, the Kelly Law Team, the Law Office of David P. Shapiro, RJT Criminal Defense, and Dentistry by John Barras. Click on the following links to learn more and apply. Application submissions are due by Feb. 15, 2018.