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Within my normal levels of internal chaos and processing issues, my brain constantly seeks order—trying to make sense of every little thing it encounters throughout my waking hours. Lately, I have been even more confused, overwhelmed, and exhausted than usual by trying to decipher the never ending stream of hypocrisy and "spin" in response to all the blatant falsehoods I wrote about last week. Yes, I understand that confirmation bias goes a long way in explaining how lies become truth for some. When you do your own "research" to seek information that confirms your established beliefs, you will most likely find it. Then, you can use those distorted stories to explain your position even when seemingly contradictory. Because your allegiance to the "cause" is more important. That is the part that baffles me. I think the one that hits the hardest is all of the propaganda around RFK and his "work." People (mainly certain young mothers) support him because of his defiant stance against vaccines, food additives (processed products), and Big Pharma (all problematic in varying degrees). Yet, in his official role, he has removed most precautions for food and drug (and vaccine) safety. If you proclaim that you want safe food and healthy options for your family, wouldn't you want trained scientists on the job making sure the food is not contaminated and there is properly strict oversight of the food and drug industry? Nonetheless, all of the firings of those professionals and the decimation of governmental agencies have been met with loud stories of celebration, claiming "he is only protecting the children." And don't even get me started on the "finding the cause" of autism absurdity with the conspiracy theorists reconciling it by spinning it to fit their narrative. The thing not discussed is that this is one more person placed in a position of authority who has absolutely no professional education or training in the field and zero desire to protect anything except his own self-interests. As with every other bait-and-switch con game over the past three months, follow the money and the power grab to find the real story! This is why it hurts my brain. The levels of self-deception to "prove" that their side is "right" are painful to wrap my head around. Once again, I am simply left trying to make sense out of nonsense. However, all the contrived nonsense suddenly makes sense once I remember that fear is a powerful tool that exploiters, bullies, and con men (people) will always use to their advantage. DRC NewsThe DRC Canton Crew has been on Spring Break this past week. We will be back in the building on Tuesday. The Pop-up Peeps had fun together after a two-week hiatus. At the Norwood Library, they conducted an impromptu experiment with a piece of rusty metal and soda. And there was an art program at the Massena Library at the same time that they participated in on Thursday. During Spring Break, we revived the "Dare to" Series from a few years ago. This was first created to encourage people to break away from their deeply held fears that ultimately hold them back. The intended message is even more critical in today's world. 
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It all begins with lies. Lies about autism. Lies about immigrants. Lies about those living in poverty. Lies about people of color. Lies about Trans folx. Lies about women. Lies about the innocent victims of Gaza. Lies about DEI. Lies about LGBTQIA+. Lies about mental illness. Lies about the humans who are resisting. Lies about absolutely anything that does not fit the narrative of this unlawful regime. Seeing those different from us through the lens of all the lies as the "other" allows them to become the "enemy." Or at least, that is what they would have us believe. It is, after all, one of the oldest forms of propaganda. I can only hope that we (all of us) are smarter than that and that we teach our children, by example, that every person has value and deserves respect no matter who they are. This is your reminder: everything happening right now is by design. Outrage is being played as a distraction—pitting the people who believe the lies against those who don't. Again, I will say - this is not politics; it is about disenfranchising millions by maintaining control of the narrative through bullying and fear-mongering. Atrocities are committed in the name of saving us from the "enemy," and an army of duped followers have been conned into doing all the heavy lifting for them. In the meantime, they direct the flow of dollars to the wealthiest people in the world, shifting the blame and avoiding accountability while staying out of prison. We can't outdo rude and nasty with more rude and nasty. The misguided and misinformed mob and their boss excel at that. On this 250th anniversary of the first revolution against a king, the only way to interrupt and disrupt this storyline is to rise up as a positive force dedicated to ethical soundness to respectfully refute every single lie at every turn with facts, embrace and celebrate all the diversity, goodness, and hopefulness in this world, and send out rays of kindness and compassion that are impossible to ignore. Our young people are intently watching this all play out. In the last few weeks, I have witnessed conversations that included gentle but firm confrontations of inaccuracies and falsehoods — kids sticking up for themselves and the truth — all grounded in patience and thoughtfulness. Based on my observations, I am thrilled to report that our youth have this! DRC NewsThe DRC Canton Crew made the most of our last week before Spring Break with plenty of outside adventures, an informative program about balanced eating with Jackie from GardenShare, and a fun art activity with our favorite guest artist, Kris R, along with our usual fare. Thank you to both of our guests this week for providing new opportunities for us to explore.  Sadly, the Pop-ups were cancelled again this past week. They will be in session next week during Spring Break. Plan on meeting Janine at the Norwood Library on Wednesday and the Massena Library on Thursday.
Last week, I briefly touched on the concept of success and how it looks different for everyone. This week, I will share one success story that has had several years to mature. This particular kiddo joined us during the pandemic. He is diagnosed autistic with pretty severe anxiety - so bad that he experienced chronic stomach issues that could not be resolved despite the doctors' best efforts. During his first weeks, he spent most of his time alone, on the old iMac playing an antiquated version of Minecraft. When not doing that, he was pacing around the backyard. Within a month, he interacted more with the other kids, and by the time the new academic year rolled around, he was an integral part of the crew. Within another year, he was so connected to the group and our mission that I asked him to be our junior apprentice. This is his second year in that roll. This is not to say that his anxiety disappeared. There are still days I find him pacing the backyard or that he stays home with a stomach upset; nonetheless, those episodes are few. However, besides walking the SUNY Canton - Grasse River Trail, he has avoided going off campus with us. Once, he tried to go skating and had to be brought back because his anxiety was through the roof. That is why I was so very proud of him last week. When planning our field trip to Nicandri Nature Center, after explaining that it was 45 minutes from Canton, I asked him to look it up and decide if he wanted to go with us. Within moments, he came back with a huge grin and said, "That place looks awesome! Yes, I want to go!" While there, I checked in with him several times to discover he was visibly having a great time. He is enthralled with anything related to nature and adores walking and hiking. When we returned to the Center that afternoon, I told him how proud I was of him, and he looked back at me with a huge smile and said, "Actually, I am proud of me too!" This is just one of so many success stories from this year alone. By trusting kids and providing them the space and time to grow and learn more about themselves and the world around them, we help them build the confidence to push against their personal boundaries to do the things that feel scary. It is both intensely satisfying and humbling to watch as they emerge on the other side of that fear, feeling deeply proud of themselves. DRC NewsThe Canton crew had a very full week with plenty of outside adventures, including some fishing excursions. They also moved the old couch to the shed in the backyard that they had cleaned up earlier in the week to create another cozy hangout spot. Thank you to Ian Corse for stopping in on his way home to Chicago to install the drawing tablets and programs on our computers.  The Pop-ups were canceled this past week due to illness. Janine hopes to be back with her Peeps next week at the Norwood and Massena Libraries. Summer Program
Monday, a teen and I sat on the porch at pick-up time. (I was their ride home for the day, and we were waiting for other kids to leave.) They asked, "Did you know today is Trans Day of Visibility?" I responded, "Yes, did you see the DRC Social Media post this morning?" After looking at the post and giving me a big thumbs up with a grin, they said, "And April is Autism Awareness Month." I replied, "I know," and then went on to say that for whatever reason I can't quite explain, as someone who is AuDHD, I have a hard time with the language used around autism and, more broadly, around neurodivergence. I don't like to use "awareness," but I don't think the word "acceptance" gets us there either. I am hoping the process of writing about it here will bring me some clarity. Using the word awareness seems disingenuous. I mean, who at this time in our history doesn't know that autistic people exist and are an essential component of our diverse world? And using the word acceptance feels like we are begging others to recognize us as humans. Some would call this semantics, but I believe it surpasses bickering about vocabulary. It goes back to pathologizing autism as a disorder. It is right there in the name - Autism Spectrum Disorder. And, to make things even more problematic, an official diagnosis (something that may take years to attain) is needed to receive many of the recommended supports - which only ingrains the need to pathologize. Science has finally begun to realize that autism is a differently wired brain - neither good nor bad - just different. It is time for practitioners and the rest of the world to catch up. I will not argue that autism often comes with a host of disabilities, including nonspeaking, verbal processing, auditory processing, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc. However, with learned life hacks and various therapies such as OT and Speech, as well as all the other positive supports, autistic folks can function successfully in this world. Especially considering that assistive technologies aimed at helping us navigate the world are continuously evolving. Yes, some will need a lifetime of support and won't ever be completely independent, but I maintain that success has a broad range of meanings — feeling happy and fulfilled is just one. To be clear, we should never remediate or try to expunge autism from the individual - instead, we should be teaching them how to work with and around their disabilities. We don't need fixing! This is why I also don't like the term "intervention," often used to talk about therapeutic tactics that try to "fix" an autistic trait. For me, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia (clumsiness), social anxiety, sensory overwhelm, auditory processing, and wrangling all of the contradictions of both autism and ADHD are all things that I have dealt with my entire life without truly understanding until very recently that, indeed, they are all disabilities. I have developed numerous strategies over the years to compensate and maneuver through life and all the tasks required to run an NFP - which then means many are surprised when they learn that I am AuDHD. However, I am consciously working on masking less often and embracing more of the creative energy that is an enormous part of my neurodivergence. Sixty years of hiding my true self is a hard habit to break. I am beyond grateful to all the kiddos I spend my days with for showing me how it is done. Now, back to what this month dedicated to autism should be named — it should definitely include words that celebrate, honor, value, and show respect — not simply accept or acknowledge that we exist. Let me know if you have any ideas. DRC NewsThe Canton Crew had busy but chill week filled with plenty of adventures.  On Friday, the DRC Pop-ups Peeps and the Canton Crew had the opportunity to visit the Nicandri Nature Center together. The two groups finally had the chance to meet after an entire year of being in separate venues. Thanks again to Linda & Lucas, the educators at Nicandri. The kids had a ton of fun learning about owls and then dissecting the owl pellets. We discovered that we have a few bone enthusiasts in the group. BL took home most of the tiny bones the other kids found in their pellets. The guided hike included some obligatory spring mud, to almost everyone's delight.  The Pop-ups Peeps also had a special treat on Thursday. A big thank you to Andy and Jamey from Teens Help at the St Lawrence Health Initiative for coming to the Massena Library to spend time and discuss some important topics with our teens.  Earth Month This Earth month, DRC is focusing its attention on the inspirational voices of young climate activists from around the world  |
