The Washington Interdisciplinary Neurodiversity Group, WING came about because every time someone learns they are Autistic or that they have a family member who is Autistic, they have to start from scratch to find information in order to understand what this means. If they're lucky, they're able to ignore all of the ableist nonsense that is out there and find the many rich and diverse Actually Autistic voices that exist to show the path ahead.
There are some national and international organizations (such as ASAN in the US and the Autistic Girls Network in the UK) who provide a lovely starting point. However, missing is a locally based, community-based place for neurodivergent folks to be supported and be centered.
It all begins with an idea.
That's what we hope WING will be. At the very least, we want to be a starting point to find neurodiversity-affirming, truly neurodiversity-affirming, resources from clinicians to hairdressers. We also wanted to be a place where autistic and other neurodivergent individuals can connect with those whose nervous systems and brains work similarly to find connection and understanding. As well as a place to find support for those who are neurodivergent and those who support them. For example, an overwhelmed autistic person has a place to go to say "I'm overwhelmed and need help getting some chores done" or a caregiver can reach out and say, "hey, anybody want to trade babysitting duties". We have long-term goals of a place that truly centers neurodivergent individuals, a place to come together and be whatever that may look like.
