About.
Autistic Adults NYC is an Autistic-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the Autistic community of NYC.
Our mission is to serve the Autistic community of NYC and the Tri-state Area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) through community building, education, and advocacy. We aim to be an Autistic-run organization, prioritizing representation in leadership and decision-making roles. Committed to inclusivity and accessibility, we focus on reaching underserved and economically disadvantaged members, offering accessible programs to create an inclusive space where all Autistic individuals can thrive.
Autistic people in NYC face unique challenges. Being in such a loud, busy, and chaotic city makes it extremely difficult for Autistic people to connect and thrive. As a whole, our community faces large amounts of disconnection and isolation.
Autistic Adults NYC started on Meetup.com in July of 2022 with a simple picnic meetup at Central Park. We’ve grown substantially since then, introducing a variety of different programs and serving Autistics from around the Tri-State area and beyond. We remain an Autistic-run organization, and strongly believe in the importance of input from the community we serve in creating our programs, developing our resources, and informing our positions.
Our purpose as an organization is to serve the Autistic community through various social and educational programs, advocacy and resources. We aim to create a supportive environment where Autistics can thrive in NYC. We hope to provide a safe space for us to network and make friends, and advocate for Autistic people of NYC and beyond.
Our events and programs are open to any Autistic person, formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed.
Are you Autistic and interested in joining us? Click the link below!
Board of Directors
Nicole Russell - President, Executive Director
Nicole Russell currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, and was diagnosed as Autistic in August 2021 shortly after moving to Brooklyn from Texas. After a long journey of adjusting to city life, a new diagnosis, and struggling to find community, she founded Autistic Adults NYC. Since starting the organization, she has continued to enjoy facilitating events and compiling resources for the community, along with director duties. Her special interests include disability advocacy, music, and animals. More about Nicole
Sarah Cogen - Vice President
Sarah Cogen is a proud Autistic and physically disabled self advocate. They are part way through their Master of Science in Education degree at Hunter College, specializing in the high needs Autistic preschool population. They currently work in an inclusive preschool classroom. In their personal life, they love (quietly!) listening to classic rock, going to Broadway musicals and plays, and wandering through museums with friends.
Sarah Fowler - Secretary
Sarah is a software engineer working in climate change mitigation, and was assessed as Autistic late in life, at age 40. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and a very rambunctious cat, and spends her time knitting, gaming, reading, birdwatching, seeing performance art, and stressing out. She's always learning something strange and new; this year, she began learning taxidermy and fire eating.
Benjamin Jacobs - Board Member
Ben Jacobs is an Information Governance professional, currently working at a law firm. He has years of experience working for nonprofits, including being a CityYear Corp Member and working at a YMCA in Massachusetts. He also possesses a master degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons University. His favorite part about New York City is its gorgeous parks. You might see him there in his spare time taking pictures of local wildlife and plants.
Alice Walker - Board Member
Alice is an adwoman by day, writer by night, and autistic 24/7. She has worked with a variety of non-profits, and is passionate about using the powers she learnt from capitalism for good. She has spoken in public, appeared on podcasts, and written articles as part of her advocacy work. Her interests are—as you might expect—wide-ranging, obscure, and highly specific.
