Join Neurodiversitylibrary.org and Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network as we create care packages for local trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people in our community!

You can read about our previous care packages here:
Neurodiversitylibrary.org in the Stanwood-Camano News

We are gathering on July 17th at 5:30 pm at the Stanwood Library Meeting Room to write notes and create art for the care packages. We will also work on thank you notes to our amazing sponsors.

Light snacks and beverages will be provided. Please be COVID-conscious and do not attend if you are feeling sick or have been around someone who is sick. If you are sick, we can work out other ways for you to participate! We will also provide masks and hand sanitizer.

The Stanwood Library is located at 9701 271st St NW in Stanwood, Washington. You can contact Lei with any questions at info@neurodiversitylibrary.org. We hope to see you there!

Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, PFLAG Stanwood-Camano, and NeurodiversityLibrary.Org are working together to create another round of care packages for trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people in Stanwood & Camano Island.

I created an Amazon Wishlist (and I know Amazon is not ideal but it’s the most accessible way for a lot of people to order.) The books on this wishlist are also available at either WinkWink in Bellingham or directly from Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

https://tinyurl.com/SCTransCare

Our goal is to create 20 care packages to uplift and support our trans friends, neighbors, and family in our community. We will include resources, pride swag, and gift cards from supportive local businesses. If you are a local business owner, please consider donating! And if you are a local organization or business interested in having some of these care packages to give, please let me know!

If you are a local professional who is supportive of the trans community, you can drop off business cards at Stanwood Tattoo Company to share in these packages.

Image is a flyer for creating care packages. There is an image of a pink/blue rainbow in the trans pride colors above text that reads:

“Help us create care packages for trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse people in Stanwood & Camano Island.

There’s magic in being seen by people who understand—it gives you permission to keep going.
– Alok Vaid-Menon (they/them) writer & activist

Donate at Stanwood Tattoo Company
10003 270th St NW Suite A
on the old brick road in Stanwood

or email Lei@awnnetwork.org

Are you a supportive local business? You can donate gift cards for care packages too! 

This list compiled by AWN Policy Manager Elio McCabe, and Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network.

These resources can help you understand what is happening under the current administration, ways to resist, and to protect yourself. 

• Executive Orders

1. Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
   1. This is a comprehensive list of every current lawsuit filed in response to executive orders
2. Project 2025 Executive Action Tracker
   1. A list of executive actions detailing which executive actions match up with which Project 2025 proposals.
3. Overview of President Trump’s Executive Actions Impacting LGBTQ+ Health
   1. An overview of Executive Orders that impact LGBTQ+ people’s health and healthcare access. Regularly updated.

• Protect Trans People

1. Messaging and Background on January 20, 2025 Executive Order Seeking to Weaken Legal Protections for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex People
   1. A helpful guide from NWLC (will have to double check source) on what the initial anti-trans EO means and what it doesn’t. NOTE: From January 2025; information may change.
2. How to Delete Yourself From the Internet: Cybersecurity Explained for LGBTQ+ People
   1. An introductory guide to digital privacy for queer people (or other people who are especially at risk right now).
3. Public comment on US passport form changes related to trans
   1. From r/passports, three upcoming Notice for Information requests relating to changing passport applications. The comments on the thread have helpful suggestions for submitting a comment.
4. How to Testify for Trans Rights
   1. A4TE’s in-depth guide for how to testify on behalf of trans rights.

• Protect Immigrants

1. Resources on Protecting Immigrant Students
   1. A list of resources to protect immigrant students, as compiled by NILC, ILRC, and NEA and AFT.
2. Know your rights: Immigrants’ Rights
   1. ACLU’s handy know your rights guide for immigrants. Available in multiple languages.
3. How Cities Can Defend Human Rights in the Face of Mass Deportations
   1. Webinar providing insight into protecting immigrants from an individual and systems level. NOTE: From January 29, 2025; info may change
4. ICE Detention Facility Locator
   1. How to locate loved ones who have been taken into ICE custody.
5. Human Rights Cities Alliance
   1. Network of local, national, and international human rights leaders and to support activists and organizers advancing the human rights city organizing framework. Has many helpful resources.

• Protect Data

1. Data Rescue Efforts
   1. A google doc detailing the actions of various groups seeking to preserve data before the administration destroys it. Includes links for how to get involved.
2. The Data Rescue Tracker
   1. A comprehensive tracker of data rescue efforts.
3. Data Rescue Project
   1.  The updated website which grew out of the google doc at 4.1.

• Protect Yourself

1. Liberatory and Anti-Carceral Resources for Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Healing
   1. Ly Xinzhen Zhangsun Brown’s incredibly helpful mental health resource list
2. How to Delete Yourself From the Internet: Cybersecurity Explained for LGBTQ+ People
   1. An introductory guide to digital privacy for queer people (or other people who are especially at risk right now).

• Trustworthy News Sources

1. Ground News
   1. Gathers news articles from a wide variety of sources and notes which direction the bias is leaning. Also features articles covered/not covered by the left/right, and a “blindspot” option which tracks your reading preferences and gives you articles you may be missing.
2. First Branch Forecast
   1. An excellent substack newsletter with the inside-baseball view of what happens on the Hill.

• The Difficult Stuff

1. Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise
   1. This is Project 2025.
2. Texas v. Becerra
   1. 17 State AG’s filed this suit against HHS challenging a provision in the introduction to the recent 504 guidance which suggested that gender dysphoria may be an ADA-recognized disability. The suit uses this to then attack Section 504, declaring it to be unconstitutional, and to challenge the “most integrated setting” mandate of Olmstead.
      1. Joint Status Report
         1. An update from the 17 State Attorney Generals. Despite what may have been said to the media, this report indicates a willingness to move ahead with the lawsuit despite recent EOs and an intention to challenge the integration mandate of 504 (but not to prevent disbursement of funds at this time).

1. Trump v. United States
   1. The “kingmaking” Supreme Court decision. This is the case which decided that the president can not be held criminally responsible for any of his actions while in office.

Care packages are now available to pick up at both Stanwood Tattoo Company and at the Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano!

The library, along with numerous volunteers and help from local community members and supportive businesses have created some care packages for local people who are transgender, nonbinary or otherwise gender diverse.

These packages contain trans affirming books, resources and pride swag. Each one has a personal note from a community member as well!

The person does not need to be “out” publicly either. We understand that coming out is personal and different for everyone and safety is a priority. We will not ask any questions, you do not need to register or sign anything. Just simply show up and ask for a trans care package at these locations. We have a limited number available, but I hope to make this an ongoing project in our community.

This is a small way for us to show trans people in Stanwood and Camano Island that they belong here and are important and valuable members of our community. Please pass this on to anyone who you think could benefit from the support.

Stanwood Tattoo Company is located at:
10003 270th St NW
Suite A
Stanwood, Washington 98292

The Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano is located at:
9612 271st St NW
Stanwood, Washington 98292

You can also contact Lei:
lei@neurodiversitylibrary.org
425-791-0869 (text only, please!)

_{Image: Logos of PFLAG Stanwood-Camano, Flora & Fauna, Bean & Brew on 532, Stanwood Cupcakes, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network and Neurodiversitylibrary.org. Center of image is a heart with the Progress Pride colors.}

The Ed Wiley Autism Acceptance Library (neurodiversitylibrary.org) is currently compiling materials to create 20 care packages for local trans and nonbinary individuals. Thanks to generous donations from several organizations, including PFLAG Stanwood-Camano and Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, along with private donations and gift card donations from supportive local businesses (Bean & Brew on 532, Stanwood Cupcakes and Flora & Fauna), we are close to our goal of making these care packages a reality!

The packages will contain:

–Trans Self Care Workbook by Theo Nicole Lorenz
–Trans Affirmations Coloring Book
–A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities by Mady G and JR Zuckerberg
-Coloring pens
-Gift cards to Bean & Brew on 532
-Gift card to Flora & Fauna
-Gift card and stickers from Stanwood Cupcakes
-stickers, buttons and Pride swag
-a personalized note from a supportive community member
-information on local resources and safe spaces in our area

If you are interested in learning more or donating, you can reach out to Lei at lei@neurodiversitylibrary.org or stop into Stanwood Tattoo Company, where the library is located, from noon until 7 pm Wednesday through Sunday and just ask Lei!

Image description:
Flyer with diagonal rainbow stripes on bottom portion. Top right of image is the Stanwood & Camano Island Pride logo, a rainbow over rainbow mountains and water with text that reads “Stanwood & Camano Island Pride”
Middle left of image is the logo of neurodiversitylibrary.org, a purple cartoon flappy narwhal with bubbles around them. The logo of the Community Resource Center is under and to the side of that. It is a teal colored door with four windows and a red heart above it. Text reads: “Community Resource Center of Stanwood Camano”
Text on flyer reads:
Join us for a Community Conversation with Michelle Huntley, organizer of Stanwood-Camano Pride 2022
What did we learn at Pride and what comes next?
Do LGBTQIA+ citizens feel safe, valued and supported in Stanwood & Camano Island?
How can others in our community be better allies?
September 6, 2022
6:00 PM
Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano
9612 271st ST NW
Stanwood, WA
For more information contact:
Lei Wiley-Mydske
info@neurodiversitylibrary.org
425-791-0869 (Text Only Please)

Guest post by Dom Bryan, friend of the library and neurodivergent and disabled student at Western Washington University. This essay is shared in their exact words:

Local Institutionalized Oppression is Western Washington University’s form of Operation

TLDR: Western is full of classists, ableists, jerks, and ambiguous policy. Western is a state-assisted institution, receiving $28 million this year in assistance from the state. This means your tax dollars go towards perpetuating a system that harms disabled bodies. Please read it.

My name is Dom Bryan. I am 26 years old. Bi-racial. Queer. Disabled. Poor. ADHD. I am a 4.0 first-gen student, who just finished my first year back in the classroom on a full financial ride. However, due to my slow progress in physical therapy, Western would rather grant me a waiver until they deem, I am no longer crippled than facilitating sensible access. My medical team assured me if I were to return to campus without any assistance, I would wind up permanently disabled. No one should have to choose between their body/health and the education they pay for.

The following stories are all true stories. However, the names have been changed to keep people’s identities safe.

“Hello, my name is Cassidy. I dropped out of college due to a heart condition. A heart condition that made traversing campus difficult. One that Western refused to accommodate.”

“Hello, my name is Zach. I have MS and use a wheelchair for my symptoms. I went from being a full time student to one class a quarter because Western banned equitable online access. They also failed to accommodate me. I was told I would be accommodated, then was informed I would not be on the first day of the Spring quarter in March of 2022. In order to get around campus, it was easier for me to ditch my wheelchair and suffer the consequences of that choice. However, dealing with the pain hasn’t been easy. I have yet to decide if I will quit pursuing college and my dream career.”

“Hello, my name is Mars. I am a faculty member that is under contract NOT an employee with tenure. I am a glorified substitute teacher. My offerings for online classes were removed from the fall registrar because I refused to teach in person. I have severe osteoporosis. They wanted to stick me on the 5 th floor. They’ve revised the buildings, removing phones from all the classrooms, and only leaving one per floor to be utilized. If I am caught on my personal phone, I am facing immediate termination. Regardless of the circumstance.”

“Hello, I am Tiffany. I still have not been offered disabled living spaces within the dorms. I almost dropped out last quarter. The only access to and from campus is a long 4-story flight of stairs or up a steep hill that is strictly for the community transit bus. This area is never de-iced.

Hello, I am Jacob. I was academically dismissed by the dean because I was hospitalized with sepsis in the middle of a quarter. As a result, my financial aid was frozen. It took 3 months after I was released from the hospital to become re-enrolled. I had to pay my tuition out of pocket for the freeze on my account. I still haven’t been reimbursed.”

Can you see a running theme? Western’s disability access committee admits they are not trained medical staff. They do not have anyone on their team with a medical background. Yet just like insurance companies, they decide what accommodations people need for their bodies. Even if those decisions conflict with medical treatments, wellness plans, and quality of life.

DISABLED BODIES ARE HUMAN BODIES

This department is ran by able-bodied and neurotypical people. They can not understand a reality where someone’s body, mind, or environment are active constraints. They can not understand a reality where someone didn’t cause injury to themselves. They can not understand that we are all one car accident, slip or fall, or violent situation away from a disabled body. We all end up disabled. So why does the institution that claims to be the most progressive, accepting, and the most diverse campus in Washington operate in this way?

Do you know what the difference is between Western and other colleges in this state? Other colleges do not lie to you about their mission, vision, and values. They are sworn to uphold these statements in order to continue their accreditation status.

What can you do?

• You can send a letter to the board of trustees, discussing your distress about this information. Providing accommodations under state law, include:

•  First floor accommodations. (They say it’s too difficult to get faculty to change classrooms.)

•  ADEQUATE accessible parking. (They currently lottery out their disabled spots. They have more disabled students than spots. For the low price of $99 a quarter, you can sometimes park in disabled parking. If the spots are full you are to park in the nearest empty spot. My particular building? They only have 2 spots. 2.)
• Equitable remote access. (While they do have some remote classes offered this fall quarter. They have effectively priced out poor folks. They have attached an additional $230.00 per credit fee on top of base tuition. That’s an additional $1,100-$1,800 in fees per class. Fee waivers are not available.) The fact they are still offering access means that they are capable of offering access. However, they are choosing to create the barriers they swear standing against.

•  ADA access, signage, and bathrooms. (Some bathrooms the ADA stall isn’t large enough to accommodate a wheelchair user. They have to use the bathroom with the stall door open.)

Closing:

•  If students have to pay this high permit fee for parking, there should be guaranteed parking for disabled students. Just like an apartment complex. If I pay for the parking spot, I can always park there.

•  If you can offer online access to the highest bidders? You can offer it to all.

•  Disabled bodies are human bodies. No one should be forced to use the bathroom with the door open because you refuse to renovate the stalls to provide privacy for those in wheelchairs.

• They continue to run up the clock and discourage disabled students. Without any options students feel it is necessary to drop out.

• They give the DAC $1.2 million in funding every year. Of that funding $800,000 is use for salaries. Leaving less than a quarter to provide students with accommodations. These numbers were pulled directly from the year actuals/budget. They claim to be broke yet, they have 32 million sitting in reserves. To qualify as a reserve, fund a business must be able to access the cash asset in 60-90 days. Not to mention, they have large profits.

Vaccines, Covid and Neurodivergent Narwhals! Thank you so much to Tiffany Tuttle Collins, who provided image descriptions for this social story!

We will return to in-person hours at the library in September! We will be meeting once regularly on the first Tuesday of the month at the Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano. We will be holding all events in the evening with exact times TBA for each event.

We will have library materials available for browsing and lending, along with scheduled speakers each month.

Our first speaker will be Satin-Deseree Arnett, founder of SAFE. Satin will be speaking on the topic of equity & diversity in our community on September 7, 2021 at 6:30 pm at the Resource Center. We hope to see you there!

Image Description:
Blue/green and cream color flyer. In a circular frame on the left is a picture of Satin-Deseree Arnett, she is wearing a red jacket with arms crossed and smiling with long, dark hair.
Cream colored text on the flyer reads:
Ed Wiley Autism Acceptance Library & Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano presents:
Equity & Diversity:
A Community Conversation
with
Satin-Deseree Arnett
Founder of S.A.F.E.
September 7, 2021
6:30-8:00 PM
Community Resource Center
9612 271st St NW
Stanwood, WA 98292
For more information contact:
Lei Wiley-Mydske
lei@neurodiversitylibrary.org
425-791-0869
(Text only please)
All attendees are expected to follow any Community Resource Center COVID safety guidelines!
*Library materials will be available for browsing/lending at this event!
Image on lower left is Community Resource Center logo, a teal colored door with a red heart above it and text that reads: Community Resource Center of Stanwood-Camano

Since the shutdowns last year, the library has been on a long hiatus. We’ve continued working to create content and stock new books, but have not had a lending day since March of 2020 and we really miss all of you! While regular lending days may not happen for a while longer, we are now able to take appointments to share lending materials or to answer any questions you have about resources, autism and neurodiversity!

As of April, both of our neurodiversity librarians are fully vaccinated. However, we will continue to wear masks in any indoor meeting space until the mask mandate is lifted STATEWIDE in Washington state. We ask that all patrons do the same when meeting in public, indoor spaces. We do have family members who are either too young or otherwise unable to be vaccinated, and we want to continue to keep everybody safe.

To make an appointment, all you need to do is send us an email at either:

info@neurodiversitylibrary.org

or

lei@neurodiversitylibrary.org

We also hope to start scheduling some local educational events in the near future. What neurodiversity & disability related topics would you like to see discussed in Stanwood? Send us an email and let us know!