Zoom Autism

03/26/2026

Prayers for a Loved One

It’s me Conner. My mom recently received a pain on her right arm. And so, that night I stood right beside her in her bed for a few minutes to give her some comfort. Then I gave her, her stuffed Mickey to cuddle. And now I’m helping her with a few things that she can’t do with her right arm right now because it hurts, like buckling her seatbelt, and turning on and off the lights. We don’t exactly know what caused the pain, but we do know that it might take a while to heal, but I’m positive that it’ll get better, no matter what or how long it takes. And so with your help, I need all of you to help me pray for my dear mother’s healing on both her arm and her health. I’d be so appreciated.

12/15/2023

Have you had the chance yet to explore stories from our latest Around the World issue of Zoom Autism Magazine?

Whose story surprised you the most? Was most fascinating? Where would you like to visit?

12/13/2023

Hello Zoom Autism family! Our sister publication, Spectrum Life Magazine just published their Winter 2023 issue, and just like Zoom, it is available for you to read, share and enjoy online for free!

🌨️ Winter Magic Unveiled!

📘 The Winter 2023 Issue of Spectrum Life Magazine from Autism Empowerment is here, bringing you stories of resilience, inclusion, and empowerment, and a little music too! 🎶

❄️ Explore the power of unity, the beauty of diverse perspectives, and the warmth of shared connections.

Cover Article: Hoop.Camp - 30 Years of Unified Sports 🏀

📘 TABLE OF CONTENTS:
* From the Publisher 🌐 Prioritizing our shared humanity.
* Connections for our Community 🤝 The Power of Content, Community, and Connection.

📢 ADVOCACY
* with Neurodivergent Rebel 🤔 Person with Autism or Autistic Person?
* Navigating with Niko: The role of incubation in finding inner balance.
* Autism, Accommodations, and Differential Expectations 🔄 Deconstructing the double standard.

📚 LIFESPAN
* A Day in the Life of Jenny Bristol📖 Writer, multipotentialite, and devoted family member.
* A Day in the Life of Rebecca Burgess 🎨 Thoughtfully creative illustrator and author.
* Navigating with Niko Boskovic: 🍽️ Sensory sensitivity and the evolution of my palate.

🎉 RECREATION
* Hoop.Camp 🎉 30 years of unified sports and inclusion.
* Ask Spectrum Life 🎶 Holiday caroling the Spectrum Life way!

📝 EDUCATION
* Autism Around The World 🌍 AE’s latest Zoom Autism issue goes international.
* 2023 SW WA Autism Conference Recap 🌐 Reconnecting, Reviving, Rebuilding.

🌈 HEALTH + WELLNESS
* - High Functioning? 🤷 False assumptions about functioning levels lead to harm.
* A Fitness Approach for Every Body 🏋️ Building relationships in inclusive fitness.

🧠 THERAPY
* Pathological Demand Avoidance 🔄 Let’s reframe it: Persistent Drive for Autonomy.
* Upcoming Autism Empowerment Activities 🌈 Connection, Compassion, Community.

This magazine ALSO has a print version. Individual blogs will be posted over the next few days.

Dive in now at spectrumlife.org/winter2023

🌨️ Winter Magic Unveiled!

📘 The Winter 2023 Issue of Spectrum Life Magazine from Autism Empowerment is here, bringing you stories of resilience, inclusion, and empowerment, and a little music too! 🎶

❄️ Explore the power of unity, the beauty of diverse perspectives, and the warmth of shared connections.

Cover Article: Hoop.Camp - 30 Years of Unified Sports 🏀

📘 TABLE OF CONTENTS:
* From the Publisher 🌐 Prioritizing our shared humanity.
* Connections for our Community 🤝 The Power of Content, Community, and Connection.

📢 ADVOCACY
* with Neurodivergent Rebel 🤔 Person with Autism or Autistic Person?
* Navigating with Niko: The role of incubation in finding inner balance.
* Autism, Accommodations, and Differential Expectations 🔄 Deconstructing the double standard.

📚 LIFESPAN
* A Day in the Life of Jenny Bristol📖 Writer, multipotentialite, and devoted family member.
* A Day in the Life of Rebecca Burgess 🎨 Thoughtfully creative illustrator and author.
* Navigating with Niko Boskovic: 🍽️ Sensory sensitivity and the evolution of my palate.

🎉 RECREATION
* Hoop.Camp 🎉 30 years of unified sports and inclusion.
* Ask Spectrum Life 🎶 Holiday caroling the Spectrum Life way!

📝 EDUCATION
* Autism Around The World 🌍 AE’s latest Zoom Autism issue goes international.
* 2023 SW WA Autism Conference Recap 🌐 Reconnecting, Reviving, Rebuilding.

🌈 HEALTH + WELLNESS
* - High Functioning? 🤷 False assumptions about functioning levels lead to harm.
* A Fitness Approach for Every Body 🏋️ Building relationships in inclusive fitness.

🧠 THERAPY
* Pathological Demand Avoidance 🔄 Let’s reframe it: Persistent Drive for Autonomy.
* Upcoming Autism Empowerment Activities 🌈 Connection, Compassion, Community.

We are delivering and mailing this week! Individual blogs will be posted on our website over the next few days.

Dive in now at spectrumlife.org/winter2023 and also check out our Zoom Autism Around the World Issue 20
www.spectrumlife.org/zoomautismissue20

12/13/2023

Family members often ask me how to help their disabled loved one live the fullest life possible. I am always willing to mentor such individuals so they can reach their fullest potential.

I love Azerbaijan and her people and really want to help improve things for autistics, people with other disabilities and their families. I hope to build bridges between them and their communities and society around them.

via Bill Peters, House of Dreams
How Communities in Azerbaijan Include Their Neighbors with Disabilities
via Zoom Autism: Autism Around the World

12/12/2023

25 Amazing Autistic Artists Around the World 💚❤🧡💜
The world around us is filled with many wonderful, creative, passionate, talented autistic people. In this feature, we are happy to introduce you to different artists, musicians, and performers from around the globe. 🎨🎼

In addition to representing a variety of different cultures, we have included people with abilities that range across the autism spectrum. Some are nonspeaking. One is speaking but does not read or write. One also has Down syndrome. One is also blind. Many are under 20 years old. One is in her 60s and has three Guinness World Records to her name.

You’ll meet artists who are supporting their families with blossoming entrepreneurial enterprises. Many also use their giftings to promote autistic advocacy and disability rights. One of our favorite autism ambassadors to learn about was Huillo, a 12-year-old songwriter and musician from Mexico who performed his song “Different is OK” onstage with his favorite band, Coldplay. What a way to promote inclusion!

👍 Hope you enjoy this awesome feature!

https://www.spectrumlife.org/blog/25-amazing-autistic-artists-around-the-world

25 Amazing Autistic Artists Around the World 💚❤🧡💜

The world around us is filled with many wonderful, creative, passionate, talented autistic people. In this feature, we are happy to introduce you to different artists, musicians, and performers from around the globe. 🎨🎼

In addition to representing a variety of different cultures, we have included people with abilities that range across the autism spectrum. Some are nonspeaking. One is speaking but does not read or write. One also has Down syndrome. One is also blind. Many are under 20 years old. One is in her 60s and has three Guinness World Records to her name.

You’ll meet artists who are supporting their families with blossoming entrepreneurial enterprises. Many also use their giftings to promote autistic advocacy and disability rights. One of our favorite autism ambassadors to learn about was Huillo , a 12-year-old songwriter and musician from Mexico who performed his song “Different is OK” onstage with his favorite band, Coldplay. What a way to promote inclusion!

👍 Hope you enjoy this awesome feature!

https://www.spectrumlife.org/blog/25-amazing-autistic-artists-around-the-world

12/12/2023

My younger brother Misha is diagnosed autistic, while I am peer-reviewed autistic. I am also the director of Child With Future Foundation. We advocate for autistic rights and run a number of projects in Ukraine.

Before the full-scale invasion, my brother and I were staying at our parents’ house. With COVID, it was easier to stay together on the outskirts of Kyiv rather than in the city center in an apartment. By that point, Russian troops had been loitering near Ukrainian borders for months. Most of us did not believe anything would happen. It was just a scare tactic, we hoped.

News for me came with my mom bursting into my bedroom with the words, “Ira, wake up! The war has started.”

via Iryna Sergiyenko, Child With Future
Wake up! The war has started.
An Autistic Lens on the War In Ukraine

12/11/2023

Together, we from every nation of the world can learn from each other. We can help each other and work as a team. Together, we can make the biggest community for people with disabilities ever.

Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide, it's a small world after all.

via Conner Cummings
Cummings & Goings
Zoom Autism Magazine, Autism Around the World

https://www.spectrumlife.org/blog/cummings-and-goings-it-s-a-small-world-after-all



Conquer for Conner - My Special Love

12/11/2023

"There is so much to learn about supporting autistic people to lead fulfilling and productive lives as the rule rather than the exception. None of us has all the answers. However, in collaboration with our international autism community, we can access many more of these answers than any one of us can do alone." - Dr. Stephen Shore

via Dr. Stephen Shore, Guest Editor for Zoom Autism Magazine Issue 20: Autism Around the World

https://www.spectrumlife.org/zoomautismissue20

12/06/2023

🌐 Exciting News Alert! 🌈 Dive into a global adventure with Zoom Autism Magazine's latest issue - "Autism Around the World - Global Perspectives and Storytelling" 🌍✨

Here is what you can expect inside our 68-page issue:

📖 Cummings & Goings: It's A Small World After All by Conner Cummings
📬 Letter from the Guest Editor by Dr. Stephen Shore

In our cover story: Autism Around the World
Explore captivating stories from around the globe:

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan: Embracing Neighbors with Disabilities by Bill Peters
🇧🇪 Belgium: Autistic Mentorship & Advocacy by Mario Devis
🇨🇦 Canada: Advocacy Reaching the World by Karen Simmons
🇮🇳 India: Changing Autism Therapy in India by Manish Samnani
🇵🇪 Peru: Autistic Individuals Supporting Families by Dr. Liliana Mayo
🇷🇸 🇺🇸 Serbia/USA: Navigating the World with Niko Boskovic
🇺🇦 Ukraine: Autistic Lens on the War in Ukraine by Iryna Sergiyenko
🇺🇸 USA: Autism and Moving Around the World by Scott Campbell

🌍 Discover a wealth of additional resources:

🤝 Connections for Military Families
🎨 25 Amazing Autistic Artists from 6 Continents
🧠 Globetrotting Advice from Dr. Stephen Shore
🌐 Global Autism Organizations Directory from 150+ countries!

Meet talented writers, artists, and performers from across the spectrum! 🌟

🇦🇺 🇦🇿 🇧🇪 🇧🇷 🇨🇦 🇨🇴 🇪🇨 🇫🇷 🇬🇪 🇮🇳 🇯🇵 🇰🇪 🇲🇽 🇳🇬 🇳🇿 🇵🇭 🇿🇦 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 🇺🇸

👁️‍🗨 At ZOOM Autism Magazine and Autism Empowerment, we celebrate the diversity of the spectrum and every unique story within it. Join us in seeing autism through the lenses of beauty, strength, and mighty potential! ✨

Explore perspectives around the globe at www.spectrumlife.org/zoomautismissue20 🚀

🌈