Some of you are wondering, "What is Autario?"

The Autarian Idea is rooted in the belief that we, Autistics, are better off solving our problems ourselves than relying on the elite to solve issues they don't or won't understand.

We feel that as Autarians, the only "disabilities" we deal with are those caused by society not understanding us.

At the same time, many of us have dreams we've held onto our whole lives, that we gave up on after graduating high school.

Many of us are stuck on benefits or fast food or sheltered workshop jobs. We are typically shunted into these situations, only to to be told to shut up and accept it.

We are better than this. We deserve better. Our neighbours and friends and our towns deserve better.

Our vision gives Autistic folk in Ontario and around the world what we crave. Community, friendship, a safe roof over our heads, happiness in life, happiness at work, and the freedom and agency to make our own path without somebody wagging their finger saying "you can't do that! You're special needs!".

My own story, is that of wanting a career in the transport industry. I have 34 years of knowledge of all types of machinery and the industries they're used in, and how they're used, and can even operate them. Though I am lucky to have had seat time, lots of us who have the interest, resign ourselves away from the job for fear of our "handicaps" disqualifying us.

It is our view that if you can name your passion/"special interest", you can find any job for anybody in it.

In our community, anyone can be anything. Not just Autarians, but our neighbours as well.

When we talk about community programmes, we don't just talk about Special Olympics or bowling in an old dingy alley. We talk about building the stuff in Toronto, in Barrie and Orillia. We talk about clubs where we go out into the community to meet the many diverse people who make up the community to not only learn, but also help out. We want activities and places where we can share our hobbies and passions not just with each other, but the community at large. We want to be able to bounce, stim, dance and play freely and be proud of who we are.

We see ourselves as much of an integral part of our communities, be it Simcoe County, Mushkegowuk, York, Toronto, Durham, Niagara, Waterloo, as everybody else is. We want our life to revolve around service, happiness, helpfulness, and using the many passions we have, to either carve our niche in the world, and/or building our community upwards in a way where our municipal councils don't have to beg the Province and Feds to listen to us. We don't want to just live in farms out on the land, but in the cores of our beautiful downtowns too, and in all corners of our cities and towns. Being in the community is important. The more people see Autarians working, changing things and being who we are meant to be, the more people that will be converted away from the ideas that Autism is a "disease" to be "cured" or that we are a "drain on society".

Food security, housing security, energy security. These issues affect Autarians and neurodiverse folks dearly. They affect our counties at large dearly too. We want to not only advocate for solutions, beyond griping on Facebook, but also actively take stakes in such projects. Whether protecting farmland, helping our counties take control of our electricity and communications networks, our transport networks, and jointly operating them, this is where our passions and specialised interests, hobbies and skills can help.

We resolutely encourage Autarian entrepreneurialism. Just like any job can be found through a passion, you can form any type of business based on your passion as well. Whether it's machines, video games, fandoms, or art, if there's a passion, there's a business in it. We would actively support entrepreneurialism.

We want communities that cater to the diverse country we live in, and will actively take stake in it. Committees like Santa Claus Parades, Fall Fairs, and the offerings and availability of activities at Parks and Rec departments, are slowly fading due to people retiring alongside the fact that people don't want to volunteer.

Autarians would take up that charge. We openly encourage our community to engage with boards of festivals, parades, etc, so they keep giving the magic they gave us as children. We volunteer at all these events, whether for Christmas and Easter, Passover and Hanukkah, or for New Year's, Canada Day or summer festivals.

As well, we believe we are a culture of two identities. The Autarian identity is a combination of both the Autistic culture we create and the regional culture we live in, as well as those of our ancestors, whomever they are. We encourage our community members to participate in both the new Autarian culture and their ancestral traditions, and share them with their kin, with us, and our community and country. An Autarian can wear a cross, a kippah, a turban, or other piece of cultural/religious heritage, and will be Autarian always. We encourage the sharing of culture, traditions, food, language and lore. and we hope that one day, Autarian culture and even speech, will be a combination of what comes from the Autistic and Regional cultures of Ontario, and those of the diverse people and nations who call her home.

We are as part of our communities as everybody else who calls our lands home. We hope whoever reads this is inspired. Those who wish to join us--our doors are always open.