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ASAN July Newsletter
sunny a grassy park with a cityscape in the background
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Dear friend,

This Disability Pride Month has seen its fair share of losses, but it has also seen our community and many others fighting and pushing back. Read on to see what we’ve been doing and how you can join in this month.

This month, Congress passed their reconciliation budget bill [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/after-budget-bill-passes-were-staying-in-the-fight/], enacting major cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and more. Congress has cut these lifesaving services to fund tax breaks for billionaires. Because of their actions, many people will lose supports, our health care, our jobs, our communities, and ultimately our lives. This bill is a display of cruelty and contempt for the disabled community. We join you in deep grief for what comes next. As always, there is more work to do. State-level advocacy will be crucial as we fight to prevent states from cutting home and community-based services (HCBS) [autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/hcbsrule-2/#this-rule-rules-the-hcbs-settings-rule-and-you]. If you live in the US, start contacting your Governor and state representatives to urge them to preserve HCBS — and don’t stop until they take action. You’re not in this fight alone: state organizations like local Arc chapters, Centers for Independent Living, and Developmental Disabilities Councils can help you advocate for HCBS in your state. We will keep fighting and hope you will continue to fight alongside us.

Public education is an important part of making our society better for everyone. It teaches things like reading, writing, language, math, and other things to 50 million students. That includes millions of disabled students. Equal access to education is important for every part of our lives, including where we work, where we live, and how we get health care. It means that more people can learn and advocate for themselves. But the recent attacks on public education and protection are putting disabled students at risk. It’s important that we know our rights — and learn how to fight for them. In case you missed it, you can check out the recording of this month’s webinar “IDEA, 504, and ADA — what are they and why do they matter? [www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG18VRFaDwLaNvwNQkdjGOYKugK3AARtF]” — just in time for back to school season!

Plain language is an important part of making things accessible for disabled people. Plain language works because disabled people are part of writing it. Disabled people use our lived experience to make sure plain language is accessible. ASAN wrote a statement [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/asan-says-no-generative-ai-in-plain-language/] to tell people we do not need artificial intelligence to do this work when we know disabled people do it best. We tested artificial intelligence programs by telling them to write in plain language, and they made big mistakes that prove they should not be used to make writing accessible. We hope anyone who writes in plain language will not use generative AI.

If you want to keep the learning going, this month is just right for you! In a time when so many of our rights are under threat, learning together is a powerful act of resistance. This August, we’re hosting a series of Back to School learning sessions — and you’re invited! All month long, we’ll be highlighting the power of community-led education. We’ll host three learning sessions, led by autistic self-advocates and community members, on topics that go beyond our usual focus. These sessions are designed to deepen our understanding, sharpen our skills, and prepare us to take action — whether in our neighborhoods or on the national stage. Keep an eye out for more info on these upcoming sessions. It’s never too late to learn — and we learn best together. Whether you’re brand new to advocacy or a longtime organizer, this series will offer new ideas, strategies, and solidarity in a time when all three are urgently needed.

This month we were excited to share a blog post from Jada Thompson, an activist, content creator, speaker, ACI [autisticadvocacy.org/aci] alumnus, and singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. You can read “There’s nothing wrong with you” here [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/theres-nothing-wrong-with-you/].

As we move through this month, we recognize and honor the holidays, celebrations, and important events that hold meaning for our community and beyond. 
* Ashura
* Birthday of Haile Selassie I
* Martyrdom of the Báb
* Saint James' Day

We know there are more holidays that we didn't know to list here. Whether this month brings moments of joy, reflection, remembrance, or connection for you, we wish you peace and fulfillment. We hope this month brings opportunities for growth, kindness, and support.

Our community has faced devastating losses these last few months, but we know that even when our tactics change, our goals — and our determination to reach them — stays the same. Our work continues, and we do it alongside our community. Together, we will keep pushing back and working toward a better future for all of us.

With warm wishes,
The Team at ASAN

* ASAN signed onto a letter from Advocates for Trans Equality opposing Representative Greene’s transphobic bill attempting to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors.
* We signed onto the The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights’ (LCCHR) Hate Crimes Task Force FY26 Appropriations letter [civilrights.org/resource/hate-crimes-task-force-letter-to-house-on-fy26-appropriations/].
* ASAN signed onto a letter from the Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination (CPSD) for CAP funding in FY26 Appropriations.
* We signed onto comments from the National Organization on Disability (NOD) and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) about Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is about disabled people’s right in employment.
* ASAN signed and helped write a letter and press release that condemns the withdrawal of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) NPRM.
* We signed onto a letter from the Center for American Progress (CAP) and Little Lobbyists to Senator Hassan about getting adult changing tables in the Capitol Complex's bathroom.
* ASAN signed onto a letter from Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) Rights Task Force about Protection & Advocacy (P&A) funding.
* We signed onto a letter from Public Citizen opposing the nomination of Casey Means for Surgeon General.
* ASAN signed onto multiple letters about housing appropriations, including one on general appropriations, one calling for full funding in opposition to the President's FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request, and one calling for retaining voucher programs.
* We signed onto a letter from the National Coalition on Accessible Voting in support of funding for Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access.
* As a part of CCD, we signed onto letters in support of funding for the Assistive Technology (AT) Act Programs [www.c-c-d.org/fichiers/CCD-AT-Act-Letter-to-House-FY2026.pdf] and for the U.S. Access Board [www.c-c-d.org/fichiers/CCD-US-Access-Board-Letter-to-House-FY2026.pdf].
* ASAN signed onto a letter opposing the nomination of Assistant U.S. Attorney Panuccio for U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Commissioner.
* We signed onto a letter from the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) on the FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Ed) funding.
* As a part of CCD, ASAN signed onto a letter on the independent living request [www.c-c-d.org/fichiers/CCD-Health-DD-Autism-and-FS-TF-Letter-on-the-FY26-Independent-Living-Request.pdf].
* ASAN endorsed the 119th Congress reintroduction of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
* We signed onto a letter in opposition to the HHS notice redefining "federal public benefits" to restrict access for various immigrant groups to vital health care services.
* ASAN signed onto a letter from CHN about the Labor-HHS-Ed appropriations.
* We signed onto a letter from the National Women's Law Center (NWLC) about FY26 appropriations letter urging against reproductive care and gender-affirming care coverage exclusions in the Military Health System (MHS).
* ASAN signed onto a letter from the National Fair Housing Alliance in response to reports that HUD is planning to dismiss or reverse a number of major housing discrimination cases based on an EO rejecting disparate impact standards.
* We signed onto LCCHR's letter opposing the anti-DEI components of FY26 appropriations bills.

autisticadvocacy.org/donate [autisticadvocacy.org/donate]

autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/after-budget-bill-passes-were-staying-in-the-fight/ [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/after-budget-bill-passes-were-staying-in-the-fight/] After Budget Bill Passes, We’re Staying in the Fight [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/after-budget-bill-passes-were-staying-in-the-fight/]

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG18VRFaDwLaNvwNQkdjGOYKugK3AARtF [www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG18VRFaDwLaNvwNQkdjGOYKugK3AARtF] IDEA, 504, and ADA — what are they and why do they matter? [www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG18VRFaDwLaNvwNQkdjGOYKugK3AARtF]

autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/theres-nothing-wrong-with-you/ [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/theres-nothing-wrong-with-you/] There’s nothing wrong with you [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/theres-nothing-wrong-with-you/]

autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/asan-says-no-generative-ai-in-plain-language/ [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/asan-says-no-generative-ai-in-plain-language/] ASAN Says No Generative AI in Plain Language [autisticadvocacy.org/2025/07/asan-says-no-generative-ai-in-plain-language/]

Autistic Self Advocacy Network
PO Box 66122
Washington, DC 20035
United States
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