Laughing Skies

It's been a strange month for Bard as of late. Change abound with working with new students and adjusting to new settings. I am feel that I feeling my oats and growing into a bigger shoes.

Mel from Aspie Rhetoric told me about a few weeks ago (late Aug) about a housing summit in MO hosted by various Self-advocacy groups on community support. From that seed I was invited by Ari to represent the Columbus ASAN chapter and help build initiatives for community living. This is a bit undertaking and I was more than thrilled to do this.

Here I am in the Central US in good ol' land of BBQ, Jazz, streetcars named Desire and corn. Hopefully becoming more than a snarky slightly bitter bard into a truly courageous and hard working adult. I am watching the skies laugh with lighting and I am glad that I had the opportunity to come.

Ari, Savannah, Paula, Scott, Elsia and Scott Robertson and myself had supper tonight preparing for the summit meeting with NLYN and SABE that is joining us. We discussed what it means to be in the community and what it means to not be in the community, accessibility, supports, choices, control and resources. It was really productive and (scored free milk) and this will set the tone for the upcoming meeting.

My goals are simply to set the gears in motion. Accessibility and resources are going to be my main stand points, I will also talk about being in the quagmire of bureaucracy and initiatives on how give the tools necessary for those with cognitive issues and non verbals, so they can find more equal footing with typical and passing peers.

I will be forthright and even downright assertive on this. I am hoping to prove myself to the rest of ASAN that I have goals and ideals but not just that. But the pit bull tenacity for change. After all, Tikaani's stubbornness is not a weakness but a positive trait ;)