Archipelago Autistic Project

artist

The vision of Autistic Archipelago – “I will be looking for places with the heart, sanctuaries, people of the Golden rule – the islands of our Archipelago”.   I wrote this, in the early spring of 2013 as I drove away from home that held no answers. There was no country for autistic man. And as I drove, crisscrossing the country in search of it, I came to Albuquerque and met people who were groundbreaking the Ocate Cliffs – an autistic island. It then became clear to me, that the country I searched for, will not happen on its own, and so my dream has evolved, and in time it grew to become a vision of the Archipelago with integrated communities, enterprises, places of work, services, schools, restaurants, theaters, and homes – run by autistic people, for autistic people – islands that together would form an emancipated country of our own – an Autistic Archipelago”.

At the time (2013) Autistic Space was the emerging theme of our community. It was mostly virtual, existing in physical space only briefly (for a few days here and there for a group), without a permanent home.  

So we have started a project called  Archipelago Autistic, the purpose of which is creation of Autistic spaces of permanence sprinkled all over the world; establishing a physical empowered presence of our own, in the places that are friendly and nurturing, the places we can call Home – the Autistic Islands.  At this phase the project concentrates on creation of Autistic Retreats in physical places – the places of Healing, Renewal, and Transformation. 

Autistic Retreats: We look for places situated in the nature**, ideally bordering the farmland, not too far from a friendly town, and the bodies of water, and we build retreats there with structures that can be as light as Bedouin tents, or a yurt, or some modern Eco- friendly design, leaving a light imprint. The place should be friendly to every age, calling you to explore, and to contemplate, and to recollect, and to dream and crystallize your knowledge, as only you yourself know how, while one may be guided by great teachers who would be invited to come. It’ll be open to all people, accessible and free for autistic families. We expect to have many international students who would come there as volunteers and work alongside us serving our guests, and we are working on it.

These retreats create an opportunity for autistic family to experience a better, free of stress way [for all] to vacation and travel, as well as an opportunity for a family to invest in the future of their autistic children. It is also an opportunity for others to learn about autistic ways, and interact and learn from each other in environments that are nourishing to all. The Archipelago is  governed by Constitution [in a process of being defined] that will ensure the freedom and dignity of autistic people, living, working, and traveling in it.
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That‘s what we are set to build and accomplish in different places in the world, and we have already two sites in progress in the States (one of them is GAIA*, in the heart of Adirondacks, the other one in New Mexico, on a top of a mesa at 9000 feet above sea – a sky island in the desert, nearby the resort of Taos).  These two islands together herald the beginning of the makings of Archipelago Autistic. The objective of this project is to support this initiative in every state and in the countries all over the world.

The details of the Adirondack Project – GAIA  – This project [inspired by Ocate Cliffs in New Mexico] begins with the construction of the second such retreat (on a smaller scale, with a light imprint – dubbed GAIA) in the Adirondacks, New York, – a physical autistic island in the Nature where autistic people can be at home and in the sanctuary of the nature.

Autistic Retreats International (Israel) – We have found in Israel three potential locations that were liked. One on the outskirts of Ganey Aviv, on the land of Moshav that has no use for it, next to an Eucalyptus forest and groves of fruit bearing trees. This would be the first island and a starting point for a traveling autistic family. The next one is in the valley of Cranes between hills of Tabor and Megiddo, at the foothills. And the third, on the north side of sea of Galilee, in a Holy land, where sloping hills descent to the water. 

We are not alone in our efforts. In addition to GAIA, and Ocate Cliffs through an independent effort by a vibrant group known as Asperger Experts  – a  new Autistic Island is emerging in the Pacific Northwest – near Seattle & Portland, state of Washington.

It is called Acceptance – A Transformational Retreat Center and Eventual Village and School                          /update May 2017/

* GAIA loosely stands for Grounds of Autistic Island in the Adirondacks

** “Nature is the best teacher and healer – it provides the stimulus, and the challenge, as well as the punishment and the reward” – Erin Kenny (Take Away the Walls).