People of color who are on the Autism Spectrum face different and additional obstacles than white Americans because of the Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Sachs Center offers African American autistic people or the Black community their own safe space and supportive group experience in New York. We call it BASE: Black Autism Spectrum Experience.
Twice a month, this group meets online for an hour to connect and authentically share their unique perspective as autistic people of color. Once a month, the group gets together for a social outing to have fun and connect. Our goal is to offer support and tools to destigmatize the experience of African American autism.
Previous topics discussed in the group include:
- The feeling of being different
- The pressures from family and society about ASD
- Dating and finding a partner
- Setting boundaries with friends and family
- The best movies and video games on the market (a popular topic)
The Sachs Center also has connections through Birch Family Services of Manhattan to find supportive employment for young adults on the Spectrum, and this could help with vocational challenges faced by black individuals with autism.