Mission, Vision, and Values of WING

Empowering Neurodivergent Individuals Through Advocacy, Education, and Community Building.

WING hopes to be a central place to connect neurodivergent individuals with affirming providers and resources, to create relationships between neurodivergent individuals, and support community care and aid. WING hopes to help professionals understand neurodivergence and become neurodiversity affirming in their practice. Through dispelling misinformation and promoting anti-ableism, we envision a world where every individual is empowered to embrace their uniqueness and flourish.

WING was founded by community of dedicated professionals united by our commitment to advocacy and education. Our mission is to create a community that centers neurodivergent people - a space in which neurodivergent people can be themselves in all their natural ways of being.

WING has four core tenets of its work: education, resources, support and community.  WING hopes to meet these in the following ways

  • EDUCATION - trainings for professionals (therapists, doctors, teachers) and family on neurodivergence in general, types of specific neurodivergence (autism, adhd, etc), and being anti-ableist

  • RESOURCES - connecting people with neurodiversity affirming professionals and connecting people with neurodiversity affirming and anti-ableist information such as books, articles, trainings offered by others

  • COMMUNITY - connecting people with each other through resources, social media, and events such as non-therapeutic book groups and social meet ups

  • ADVOCACY - working with businesses and other groups on being neurodiversity affirming and anti-ableist

Being Neurodiversity Affirming

WING feels strongly that all professionals we recommend must be neurodiversity-affirming.  However, there are many individuals who utilize this term, and yet also promote compliance with a certain way of existing in the world in their work.

Therefore, we want to expand upon what WING means when we refer to being neurodiversity-affirming:

  • Holding the belief that all neurotypes are equally valid

  • Not recommending ABA/behavior therapy as an intervention for neurodivergent people

  • Not recommending Social Skills "training" or Social Thinking curricula as an intervention for neurodivergent people

  • Using clear and non-pathologizing language:

    • Autism is not a disorder, so using the word “Autistic” instead of “ASD” or “Autism Spectrum Disorder.” We recognize that ADHD is also not a disorder and support the development of language that does not identify it as such. 

    • Understanding the language of neurodiversity. For example - neurodiversity refers to ALL of us.  Those who are not neuro-conforming are neurodivergent, as one person cannot be neurodiverse. (for more: https://neuroqueer.com/neurodiversity-terms-and-definitions/)

  • Supporting all ways of communication as valid

  • Supporting accommodation of communication and sensory needs

  • Trusting the person you are working with - the way they experience the world and the ways they do things are right for them, especially when it comes to self-expression, self-regulation, and communication

  • Understanding the neurodiversity paradigm, Damien Milton’s Double Empathy problem, and monotropism (for more information on any of these, see our Media Resources link)

  • Engaging in a continual process of learning and self reflection around the impact of ableism and our own internalized ideas of how things should be

If you wish to start or further your journey to becoming neurodiversity-affirming, we welcome you! Wondering where to begin?

  • Take a look at our Media Resources link for books, podcasts and more, and read, listen, and watch information provided by actually neurodivergent people

  • If you are a clinician, participate in Jennifer Glacel’s “Working with Autistic Young People” workshop

  • If you are not a clinician, ask us about our professional services to help your business or organization become more neurodiversity affirming