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Autism Speaks Protest In Washington DC Nov 6th
Information provided by Autism Protest - Published: 2010-10-13
The Washington DC Chapter of the Autism Self Advocacy Network is planning on protesting Autism Speaks during their November 6th Fundraiser Walk.
Members of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Chapter of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network will be demonstrating against Autism Speaks’ Walk for Autism on Saturday November 6th on the National Mall from 8:00am - 1:00pm. Autistic Activists and their allies across the disability community will carry signs and distribute fliers to walk participants between 14th & 15th Streets and Jefferson & Madison Drives. The National Mall demonstration is part of a series of demonstrations being held across the United States this autumn.
This demonstration is intended to draw walk participants’ attention to Autism Speaks’ lack of representation for those it claims to serve; its exploitative advertising and fundraising practices which compare having a child with Autism to being in a fatal situation, and the failure of Autism Speaks to spend money in ways that help Autistic people across the life-span.
Complaints Against Autism Speaks Include:
* Only four cents out of every dollar raised by Autism Speaks goes toward family support services.
* Although Autism Speaks claims to speak for autistic people, it does not have, and never has had, even one autistic person on its board of directors or in its leadership. This is far out of line with the mainstream of the disability community, where individuals with disabilities work side by side with family members, professionals, and others to achieve quality of life and equality of opportunity.
* Autism Speaks has time and again compared life on the autism spectrum to potentially fatal situations, such as car crashes, hypothermia, cancer and AIDS. Citing the 1 in 110 incidence rate, founder Bob Wright claimed in April 2010, “No country can afford to lose one per cent of its population.”
* Autism Speaks' rates of executive pay are the highest in the autism world, with annual salaries as high as $600,000 a year - roughly the amount raised at last year's walk in Columbus.
After Autism Speaks released its I Am Autism PSA last fall, ASAN held protests across the U.S., in Columbus, Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Portland, Oregon, protests that received widespread local press coverage. Additionally, over 60 national and regional disability organizations - including the Arc of the United States, TASH, the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law and the National Council on Independent Living - signed a joint letter urging donors to rescind their support for the organization.
Please join local Autistic Activists demonstrating against the upcoming Autism Speaks’ Walk for Autism Charity Fundraiser on November 6th. All prospective demonstration attendees are encouraged to bring their families and friends, the more people that support us the better! We will start to gather at 8am between 14th & 15th Streets and Jefferson & Madison Drives.
All who plan to attend are encouraged to bring a demonstration sign with them, please make a large sign with a slogan such as: Nothing About Us Without Us!, I am A Person Not A Puzzle Piece!, or Autism Speaks Does Not Speak For Us!
Not Currently Available
- This web page is from the Disabled World 2010 Health Disability Events section which provides: List of coming health medical and disability events for 2010 from USA Australia Canada and the UK.
- Autistic Community Condemns Autism Speaks
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