Spectrum Life Magazine at Autism Empowerment

Current News

Our Summer 2024 edition of Spectrum Life Magazine is here and is embedded below for easy reading. Please visit www.SpectrumLife.org for all things Spectrum Life Magazine related!

Print distribution will be taking place in Washington and Oregon in mid-July 2024. The online version has been published and is available now at www.SpectrumLife.org/currentissue.

Individual articles for the Summer 2024 issue of Spectrum Life Magazine will all be posted as separate blog posts on SpectrumLife.org by July 12th, 2024. We appreciate you spreading the word with family, friends, employers, educators, and the world!

Our Summer 2024 issue features include:

Do Others Even Want to Understand Me?: (Cover Story) Insights on the responsibility for society to understand Autistic people. | Dr. Anson Service
From the Publisher: New seasons provide new reasons for Autistic enrichment and understanding. | Karen Krejcha
Content for our Community: Content, Community and Connection for a brighter future. | John Krejcha
Testimony: Authentically embracing your unique path. | Karen Krejcha
A Day in the Life of Magnus Hedemark: Advocate for authenticity, personal growth and expansion | interview by Jenny Bristol with illustrations by Rebecca Burgess
#AskingAutistics: Do You Hate Grocery Stores?: Dealing with grocery store sensory overload | Lyric Rivera
Adventure Ready NW: Adaptive Recreation: Empowering lives that thrive. | John Krejcha
Vancouver on Film: Hold My Beer: Vancouver WA film celebrations neurodivergence, craft beer, and community: | Karen Krejcha with Brian Tashima
Mainstreaming and Inclusion Explained: Clarifying misunderstood concepts in schools | Diane Wiscarson
From Classroom Strategies to Homeschool Triumphs | Niko Boskovic
Introduction to Neurodiversity from a Neurodivergent Lens: #AskingAutistics about separation from a neurotypical society | Lyric Rivera
Navigating with Niko: Feeling the Storm: Understanding family stress from a nonspeaking perspective | Niko Boskovic
Echolalia: When Nature Calls: Understanding the meaning behind repeated phrases | Dr. Anson Service
Autism, Growing Up, and Defining Friends: Promoting age-appropriate respect in social groups by Judy Endow
Upcoming Autism Empowerment Activities: Connection, Compassion, Community

Featured Writers, Creators, or Interviewees identifying as Autistic or Neurodivergent:

Please see our Find A Copy page for a listing of cities and locations where you can find a print copy. You may also view and download the full issue below or purchase a mailed print subscription.

The subscription cost in 2024 is $25 for four quarterly mailed issues in the USA and helps cover the cost of printing and postage and support for our 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Autism Empowerment.

If you find value in what we do, please support our work and help us find funding! Paper and postage costs have recently risen to produce Spectrum Life Magazine. We print 14,000 copies each issue, and if we could fulfill all requests from distribution points wanting copies in Washington and Oregon alone, we’d be easily printing over 30,000 copies.

We also greatly appreciate donations to support our nonprofit publication’s creation, production, and distribution. As an autistic-led organization, it’s also very important for us to pay our neurodivergent staff and contributors. (Donations are also tax-deductible in the USA!) Thank you for your consideration and for helping us find donors, funders, and Ambassadors for Autism Acceptance to help!

Current Issue – Summer 2024 – Winter 2023 – Fall 2023 – Summer 2023 – Fall 2022 – Summer 2022 – Spring 2022 –

Winter 2021 – Fall 2021 – Summer 2021 – Spring 2021 – Issues from 2013 – 2020

Also check out our sister publication: Zoom Autism Issue 20: Autism Around the World

The rest of the page below is older and will soon be archived.

The main website for current and past issues of Spectrum Life Magazine from 2013 – 2024 = www.SpectrumLife.org. Thank you!

Our Fall 2021 issue feature articles include: IRL Social Skills for Teens & Adults (Cover story) • From the Publisher • Kuni Foundation Philanthropy • Don't Define Me By My Deficits • National Disability Employment Awareness Month • Autistic Behavior and Willfulness • 10 Hobbies That Can Help You Earn Money • Permission to Have Patience • The Do's and Don'ts of Restraint and Seclusion • ADHD & Autism • Ask Spectrum Life • Emotional and Mental Barriers to Fitness • New Leaves Clinic • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Podcasts & Events

Our Summer 2021 issue feature articles include: 10 Years of Autism Empowerment (Cover story) • From the Publisher • Hispanic Disability Support (Pasitos Gigantes) • How to Figure Out if an Autistic Needs Fixing • Double Take • Salmon Creek TOPSoccer • Ten Years of Joel Suzuki • Lessons Learned from COVID-19 • Transitioning to In-Person Learning • One-to-One Support in the Classroom • Ask Spectrum Life • Starting a Healthy Fitness Routine • Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Podcasts & Events

This issue contains lots of fun photos of youth, adults and families who have participated in Autism Empowerment events over the past 10 years. We literally have thousands of pictures and could only fit in a couple dozen, so we’ll include more at SpectrumLife.org throughout the summer and in our special podcast series at AutismEmpowermentPodcast.org as we continue to celebrate 10 Years of Autism Empowerment.

2020 and 2021 Issues during COVID-19 pandemic

Spectrum Life Magazine Winter 2020-2021 Cover Page

Spring 2021

Our Spring 2021 issue feature articles include: Disability EmpowHer Network Mentoring (Cover story) • From the Publisher • Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorder (OCASD) • Mental Age Theory Hurts • I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust • The Good Fight • Autistic Mate Crime • Autism Rocks and Rolls Podcast • KhAnubis on YouTube • How Do FERPA and HIPAA Affect Your Student in Special Education • Teaching Autistic People • Virtual Personal Training • TriStar Family Chiropractic and Scoliosis Center • Ask Spectrum Life / Autism Empowerment Podcast FAQ • Autism and Consequences • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Podcasts & Events

Featured Writers or Interviewees identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Kimi Dyment • Judy Endow • Emily Grodin • Karen Krejcha • Sam Mitchell • Willie KhAnubis Rates • Ivanova Smith

Winter 2020-21

Our Winter 2020-21 issue feature articles include: Recovery Services in the Age of COVID-19 (Cover story) • From the Publisher • My Journey with COVID-19 • Escalating Housing Insecurity in the I/DD Community • Autism Empowerment Podcast • Pandemic Stress from a Parent’s View • Friendometry • Ballad of the Bluerock • Permission to Fail • Autism, Social Greetings and Rhetorical Questions • The Autistic Sensory System • Ask Spectrum Life – Taking Charge of My Health Care Toolkit • Adapting to the New Normal • Sensory KIDS (and Adults too) • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Podcasts & Events

Spring 2020 Issue

Our Spring 2020 issue feature articles include: Making Sense of Sensory Differences (Cover story) • From the Publisher • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • My Day in Olympia • Honoring Joan Kuni • AWEtism We Embrace 2020 • Fluidity in Autistic Thinking • iEmbrace LLC • Removing Barriers at the Oregon Zoo • Placement vs. Location – What Does it Mean? • Giving Children a Voice in Their Discipline • Being Autistic – A Poem by Matteo Musso • Ask Spectrum Life – Common Signs of Autism / CDC Milestone Tracker App • Barriers to Fitness • Neurotherapeutic Pediatric Therapies • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers or Interviewees identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Judy Endow • Karen Krejcha • Matteo Musso • Lindy Treece

The Spring 2020 edition of Spectrum Life Magazine features a tribute to disability advocate and philanthropist, Joan Kuni. Click the picture above to read online or download at Autism Empowerment’s other website, SpectrumLife.org!

We are EXTREMELY thankful to the Kuni Foundation, Humanities Washington, and National Endowment for the Humanities for providing Autism Empowerment with grant funding to support Spectrum Life Magazine in 2020. Your support of the Autistic and Autism communities is greatly appreciated!

Due to the pandemic and so many of our distribution locations closed, we did not publish a Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 issue. Our Winter issue became a 2020-2021 issue.

We still have copies of our Spring 2020 issue available through print and online.

2019 Issues

Winter 2019 Issue

Our Winter 2019 issue feature articles include: Rojo the Llama tribute – A LLegacy of LLove (Cover story) • Autistically Thriving • Parents Empowered and Communities Enhanced (PEACE) • Christmas, Autism, and Teaching Kindness • We Are Thankful • Art by Connor • Ask Spectrum Life (podcasts, webcasts and Geek Club Books) • Building Independence Through Self-Advocacy • Modifications, Accommodations, Graduations, Oh My! • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • All About Community • NWCAVE has a DREAM… a World Without Violence • Getting Your Body in Motion for the Holidays • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers or Interviewees identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Judy Endow • Karen Krejcha • Connor Wortendyke • This issue we also have quotes from over 2 dozen community members in our We Are Thankful piece.

Fall 2019 Issue

Featured articles include: The Ties That Bond: Social Support and Autism Families (Cover story) • Bleeding: An Insider’s Account • Communication Supports for Speaking Autistics? • Ask Spectrum Life (Questions focus on Bullying Prevention and Finding Employment) • KultureCity • Think Before Firing Off • Working as an Autistic Para • The Three Ps: Private Schools, Placement and Payment • Skyhook Ninja Fitness • Setting the Healthy Example • Making Friends at Camp Yakety Yak: From Social Sibs to Playmakers • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Judy Endow • Michael Jubaris • Karen Krejcha • Lindy Treece

Summer 2019 Issue

Featured articles include: Avery Brown: EasyPup Dog Training (Cover story) • The Lens of Acceptance • Is Autism a Disability or a Difference? • Autism Society of Oregon • My First Job After College • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Travel and Adventure with Trips Inc. • Planning A Birthday Party for Autistic Children • Nonspeaking but Not Unable • Challenging Measures of School Accountability • 5 Tips for Exercising in Warm Weather • Ask Spectrum Life (Questions focus on: America the Beautiful Access Pass and other autism-related periodicals) • Autism, Death and Mental Health Therapy • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Avery Brown • Judy Endow • Karen Krejcha • Lindy Treece

Spring 2019 Issue

Featured articles include: Advanced Pediatric Therapies (Cover story) • The Pseudo Logic of “Not Autistic Enough” • The Misery of Measles • Autism Is My Address • Ask Spectrum Life (Q & A about IEPs and being openly autistic) • Parks for Inclusion • 7 Steps to Finding the Right Camp for Your Child • What is Collective Teacher Efficacy? • My Child’s Teacher is Ignoring the IEP – What Can I Do? • A Person-Centered Approach to Fitness • Autism, Transition Programs and the Impact of Poverty on Self-Advocacy • We Are Not In Our Own World • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Judy Endow • Karen Krejcha

Featured Poem from a Sibling: Imani Chapin

2018 Issues

Spectrum Life Magazine from Autism Empowerment at www.SpectrumLife.org

Winter 2018 Issue

Featured articles include: Karyl Frankiewicz – Miss Native American USA • Autistics Present Symposium • Helping the “Poor and Disabled” • Autism Serves Across the Lifespan • Holiday Appeal Wish List • A New Joel Suzuki Novel, Just in Time • Kazoodles Kid-Powered Toys • The ABCs of LRE • Overcoming Executive Functioning Deficits • Ask Spectrum Life • Fear, Anxiety and Autistic Behavior • Ask the Personal Trainer • BOLD Pediatric Therapy Center • Spectrum Life Resource Directory is Live • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Judy Endow • Karyl Frankiewicz • Karen Krejcha • Angel Nicki Mann

Fall 2018 Issue

Featured articles include: A Note to Start the School Year • Caetextia: The Topsy-Turvy World of Autism • Autism and Meaningful Employment • Ask Spectrum Life (Topics: Suicide Ideation & Autism-friendly Halloween) • Sucking It Up to Pass as Non-Autistic • Gaming Across the Generations • Instruments Ballet Academy • My Child is Being Picked On – What Should I Do? (A Parent’s Guide to Bullying) • It Takes A Village • Ask the Personal Trainer • Dogs For Better Lives • Autism and Psychiatric Diagnoses• Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Alex S. Allen • Judy Endow • Karen Krejcha

Summer 2018 Issue

Featured articles include: A Letter For All Our Students • Peer Support in the School System • The Wallet Card • Autism and Non-Fluid Speech • Ask Spectrum Life • Empowering Women & Girls with Autism • Autism and Disability in Literature • A Spectrum of Fictional Characters • How to Get An IEP • Social Goals in the School Environment • Spectra Gymnastics • Ask the Personal Trainer • When the Best Therapy is Love • Spectrum Life Resource Directory is Live • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Michael John Carley • Judy Endow • Jasmyn Jones • Karen Krejcha

Spring 2018 Issue

Featured articles include: feature articles include: Autistic Adults Do Not Look Like Autistic Children • Welcome to Spectrum Life • Autism Awareness and Acceptance • Tic Talk • Ask Spectrum Life • Hooked on Fishing • Self-Care That Makes Sense • Mainstreaming and Inclusion • Differentiation, Accommodation and Modification • Ask The Personal Trainer • Juice: The Not So Healthy Soda Alternative • The Many Benefits of BEHCA • Spectrum Life Resource Directory • Autism Empowerment Events

Featured Writers identifying as Autistic or on the Autism Spectrum: Dimitri Conejo • Judy Endow • Karen Krejcha

2017 Issues

Winter 2017 Issue

Featured articles include: 12 Ways to Spread Holiday Cheer • From The Publisher • Autism Is Agape (Love) • #UsToo – You Are Not Alone • An Expedition to Entrepreneurship featuring Spencer Kelly • The Inside of Me – A poem by Matteo Musso • Dear Spectrums Readers • Autistic Characters in Fiction • Before and After School Activities • All Our Students • Specialty Athletic Training • Healthy Holiday Exercise Ideas • Autism and Mental Health – The Autistic Operating System • Luke’s Journey Autism Fund • Provider Partner Directory • Upcoming Autism Empowerment Events

Spectrums Summer 2017 Issue

Summer 2017 Issue

Featured articles include: Passion Projects – Division in the Autism Community – Stories from the Spectrum: We Know Who We Are – Stephen’s Place – To Disclose or Not to Disclose – Autism on the Seas – 7 Sensory Friendly Summer Activities – That Great New Library Card Smell – Transportation and Special Education Students – Creating Visuals Instantly for Unpredictable Activities – Human Trafficking – Realities of Being an Autistic Therapist – Provider Partner Directory – Upcoming Autism Empowerment Events

Spectrums Spring 2017 Issue

Spring 2017 Issue

Featured articles include: A Journey of Music & Magic • The Big Deal about Small Talk • Autism Does Not Define Me • Consumer Advocacy in Autism Research • Swindells Resource Center • Choose Your Battles • Understanding Neurodiversity • A Parent/Teacher’s Guide to an IEP Meeting • Autism Service Animals in the IEP? • Autistic Burnout and Aging • A Spectrum of Support • Family Navigators • Parents, Precision Medicine, Autism and Genetics • Provider Partner Directory • Autism Empowerment Events – Provider Partner Directory – Upcoming Autism Empowerment Events

2016 Issues

Spectrums Summer 2016 Issue

Summer 2016 Issue – the 1st issue as a nonprofit program of Autism Empowerment. Click the cover photo to read the issue online.

Featured articles include: Dads Helping Dads – My Life – Mighty Mitch – PHAME – Social Club for Tweens and Teens – Autism Serves Kids Care Club – Winning the war on grooming – Understanding Social Communication Disorder – Stories from the Spectrum: Faking It – Luke’s Ride raises Therapy Funds – Directory of Community Provider Partners

The Fall 2016 issue of Spectrums was distributed in the Southwest Washington and Portland, Oregon metro area during mid-September 2016. Please click cover photo to view online.

Featured articles include: Voter Rights for the I/DD Community – Disability Employment Awareness Month – Letting Go of “Normal” – Autism “Rocks” – Pokemon Go Trainers Catch Autism Acceptance – Bridging the Gap with Teachers – 11 Ways to Strengthen Friendships – Bullying Prevention & Disability Harassment in the Workplace – Stories from the Spectrum: Pokemon Go Has Done Great Things for my Family – Awetism We Embrace – Upcoming Autism Empowerment Events – Directory of Community Provider Partners

The Winter 2016 issue of Spectrums was in December 2016. Please click cover photo to view online.

Featured articles include: Martial Arts & Autism – Striving for Disability Equity – Special Celebrations – Advocating for Community Inclusion – A Literary Hero for All Abilities – Holiday Travel – Dear Spectrums Readers: End of Year Appeal – From Surviving to Thriving – Educational Toy Guide – Great Expectations – Holidays and Breaks in Routine – Blackbelts for Butterflies – Introduction to State DD Services – Upcoming Autism Empowerment Events – Directory of Community Provider Partners

Past Issues

If you would like to view the Spectrum Life Magazine website which includes all past issues of the magazine and a plethora of autism-related resources within the Southwest Washington and Portland metro community, you can do so by going to the following link:

Spectrum Life Magazine – Formerly Spectrums Magazine

Past Portland/Vancouver Issue Covers

These issues were originally printed between 2013 and 2015. You click the photo for each cover to read online at www.SpectrumLife.org where we have copies of all past issues in online magazine format. We also have individual articles online as blog posts.

These publications were published online only. If you click the photo, you can read the Holiday Guide 2013 issue online. You can also download a free copy of Spectrums 68 page Spring 2015 Autism Resource Directory. Autism Empowerment has updated this on our new Spectrum Life Resource Directory website in 2018 at www.SpectrumLife.org and plans a new print directory update in 2019.

Spectrums 2015 Spring Resource Directory

History of Spectrum Life Magazine

In 2018, Autism Empowerment rebranded and expanded our nonprofit print and online publication, Spectrum Life Magazine. First, we changed our name from Spectrums Magazine to Spectrum Life Magazine. Then we created a new website with additional articles, special events, and the most robust autism and disability-related resource directory in our region. Additionally, we added copies of all back issues of the magazine in both electronic magazine and blog article format. Readers can read all issues from 2013 through the present directly on our SpectrumLife.org website. We have also presented cover pictures and descriptions of past issues below for Autism Empowerment site visitors who enjoy seeing the work that we are doing to support the autism community.

Our online Spectrum Life resource directory currently has over 1,200 listings of autism-friendly service providers. It replaces the local resource directory listing we used to have on the Autism Empowerment website (prior to 2019) and gives providers an opportunity to update their own listings, share photos, videos and create events. Most of the local resources are based in Washington and Oregon, although we do have national resources around the country.

With financial and emotional support from donors and sponsors, we plan to expand nationwide. Many of our articles are already suited to a national audience so be sure to tell your friends, family and colleagues about us and help us to take our nonprofit publication to the next level. Our magazine has an autistic editor and many autistic contributing writers. We also have a diverse Spectrum Life Editorial Advisory Board and a wide range of contributing columnists and writers.

For donation and sponsorship opportunities, please contact John Krejcha at spectrumlife@autismempowerment.org.