Archives

Jordan at Chabuya

Hey, check this out! It’s Jordan in front of his artwork on display at Chaybuya Tokyo Noodle Bar! I can’t think of a more perfect Jewish Inclusion Month event. Chabuya is displaying art from typical and special needs students from Jordan’s school nightly this month in a slide show exhibition in the restaurant.

FACT’s Networking Ambassador

By Christina Kantzavelos Imagine walking into a room full of business hungry entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, business owners, insurance agents, and so forth on the first Wednesday of every month to network your heart out. A group of people who most likely would not think about working with young adults with developmental disabilities, and if so, would have a far advanced social stigma towards that population. Imagine the person who walks into that room is William Wagnon, FACT’s very own ambassador…
Continue reading 

Speakers Bureau

Do you want to get information about living on the spectrum straight from the horses mouth? FACT’s Emerging Leaders are a group of young men and women who share their hearts and minds, as they talk about their lives on the spectrum. With great wisdom, they speak about what they believe all should know about their hopes, fears and rights and those of their peers. and welcome any and all questions . They have spoken to parents and professionals, students…
Continue reading 

The Strictures of Structure

It is a commonly held belief that those on the autism spectrum require structure. Without schedules and predictability many believe this individuals become anxious, shut down, meltdown. These anxious or avoidant behaviors are often explained as a reaction to uncertainly. The world is indeed a confusing place, and it is true that providing structure that reduces the amount of uncertainties we encounter. Those who care for and work with individuals on the spectrum may recognize certain behaviors, such as constant…
Continue reading 

Ksusha’s Seminar

We are pleased to announce that on Wednesday, August 1st, the first of Ksusha’s Seminar Series was held at our GAP location, and was a HUGE success. Over 30 adults with various developmental disabilities from four different organizations were in attendance. As a young woman on the autism spectrum, Ksusha Miretski, a Generating All Possibilities(GAP) participant, decided that she wanted to create a stronger community for those with disabilities within Los Angeles. She felt that this would be most easily…
Continue reading 

Olivia’s Culmination Speech

Hi, my name is Olivia Konell. This is my 6th year at Mar Vista Elementary. Like other kids, I am a different person leaving Mar Vista than I was when I started here in kindergarten. Unlike other kids, I had more challenges because of having autism. Everything to me seemed harder. Most kids in kindergarten know lots of words, but I didn’t. It was harder for me to communicate with people to ask them to play. It was hard to…
Continue reading 

Breaking Barriers – Local CSUCI student redefines autism

By: Michael Sullivan 05/17/2012Original Article: VCReporter Calvin Nye, 23, of Camarillo, is the first CSUCI graduate to self-disclose that he had been diagnosed with autism. Calvin Nye, 23, is one of more than 1,300 students who will be graduating this weekend from Cal State University, Channel Islands (CSUCI). Actually, he graduated in December, but will participate in the commencement ceremony to officially commemorate his achievement. Calvin is a fine arts major, having spent most of his life drawing. His latest…
Continue reading 

Changes to the DSM-V

Many parents are unsure of what the changes of ASD criteria in the DSM-V will mean. Catherine Lord, part of the committee drafting the new criteria recently gave a presentation at the HELP Group, which I was fortunate enough to attend. As a big part of FACT is being able to educate the community, and we’d like to shed some light and clarify what these changes mean for families living with ASD. While the proposal to group Autism, High Functioning…
Continue reading