CARES - Community-led Autism Research, Engagement, and Service

Through art, storytelling, and relationship-centered research, we generate new knowledge about autistic lives, identities, and needs.

CARES (Community-led Autism Research, Engagement, and Service) is about shifting power, fostering connection, and ensuring that research about Autism includes and reflects Autistic perspectives at every level. -Mission-
The mission of CARES is to co-create rigorous, ethical, and community-rooted research in collaboration with autistic individuals—especially those historically excluded from academi

c spaces. CARES centers autistic leadership in all areas of inquiry so that research about us is no longer done without us. We recognize that formal research training is only one kind of knowledge. Lived experience, embodied insight, and alternative ways of knowing are equally valuable. We welcome autistic collaborators—including those with intellectual disabilities as well as non-speaking individuals—to join us as researchers, artists, organizers, and community leaders.

-Goals-
Conduct research that is rigorous, ethical, and grounded in autistic wisdom and lived experience

Create inclusive, safe, and accessible environments that honor diverse communication and support needs

Support autistic people in building skills across research, advocacy, and creative expression

Normalize inclusive, participatory practices across the field of autism research

Stay responsive and evolve through continuous community feedback, reflection, and care

-Acknowledging Our Starting Point-
CARES is a new and growing initiative. We’re building slowly and intentionally, knowing that we won’t get everything right the first time around—and that’s okay. We are committed to transparency, feedback, and course correction as we grow. This is a learning space where we honor imperfection and practice accountability.

-Funding and Compensation-
CARES was honored to receive initial support through start-up grant funding from the Communication Development Center. This funding allows us to pay collaborators for their time, labor, and creativity. We are committed to pursuing ongoing funding so that collaborators continue to be fairly compensated for their work. We also recognize the long-standing exploitation of disabled people through unpaid or sub-minimum wage labor and pledge to resist replicating those harms. Our team members will always have the option to be credited as authors on publications or public-facing work they contribute to.

-Where We Are Now-
CARES is currently led by one PhD student and supported by a growing network of collaborators, artists, and advocates. We are starting small—working in relationship, building trust, and laying the foundation for sustainable, community-led research. Over time, we aim to expand to include more collaborators, diversify our research projects, and create non-traditional pathways into participatory research and advocacy. As we grow, I hope to bring in more autistic collaborators, expand into new research areas, build bridges across academic and community spaces, and co-create training pathways for those interested in doing participatory research. CARES is about growing something rooted, reciprocal, and real—and we’re just getting started. This is research grounded in care, led by community, and built for transformation.

The Moments of Wonder in Sharing Lived Experience — CARES

03/31/2026

CARES is thrilled to announce this week that our new magazine is live! Living Autism, previously described as a blog, is now live as an online multimodal magazine. We hope this shift will broaden what people feel they can submit, as we now have open submissions ready for written, visual, audio, video, and all the content in-between. We invite autistic creators to submit here: https://www.caresinitiative.com/livingautism-submissions-and-information

Kicking off this release, we have a personal essay from artist and lived-experience autism researcher Ivy. In her piece "The Moments of Wonder in Sharing Lived Experience," she explores her experiences as a lived-experience autism researcher. Reader her piece here: https://www.caresinitiative.com/cares-magazine-living-autism/the-moments-of-wonder-in-sharing-lived-experience

The Moments of Wonder in Sharing Lived Experience — CARES There’s a beauty in being seen—one that I never considered before I started my job being autistic and a research fellow in the field of autism. One of the ironic things about lived experience—and autism—is that you must balance wellness and the bravery needed to sustainably step up and talk....

03/23/2026

We appreciate your patience! We originally said our blog's hiatus would end today, but we will be extending it for another week to wrap up some final changes. We will have a new post for you March 30th!

Decolonizing Foodways, One Health, and Advocacy: An Autistic Lens on Global Health and Equity — CARES

10/15/2025

This week on our blog, we are delighted to feature anthropologist and global health master's candidate Jenni Parks. In her piece, she posits that that "wellness is not solely an individual matter but is shaped by cultural continuity, environmental stewardship, and equitable access to care." Read her piece, "Decolonizing Foodways, One Health, and Advocacy: An Autistic Lens on Global Health and Equity," here: https://www.caresinitiative.com/cares-blog/decolonizing-foodways-one-health-and-advocacy-an-autistic-lens-on-global-health-and-equity

Decolonizing Foodways, One Health, and Advocacy: An Autistic Lens on Global Health and Equity — CARES Food is not only a source of nutrition; it is a vehicle for memory, identity, and power. What we eat connects us to family, history, and the land. Yet modern industrial food systems often sever these connections, contributing to chronic disease and systemic inequity…

How to heal from autistic burnout — CARES

09/17/2025

This month CARES' weekly blog "Living Autism" launched! Each week, we highlight an autistic guest writer. Every writer is able to choose their topic, modality, and visuals. We encourage any autistic individual (diagnosed or not) who is interested in writing for us to submit their information in our interest form located on our main blog page. People of all backgrounds are welcome, professional blogging/writing experience not required.

This week on our blog, we had the privilege to host Sam Fisher, an undergraduate student and autism researcher. He wrote about his experience with autistic burnout and his journey towards healing. Read more here: https://jesicarbates.com/cares-blog/navigating-and-healing-from-autistic-burnout

Have you experienced autistic burnout? How did you cope?

How to heal from autistic burnout — CARES Burnout—everyone experiences a sense of burnout at some point in their lives. For autistic people, burnout can present in unique ways, including symptoms like chronic fatigue, exhaustion, and regression of life skills. This experience is commonly referred to as “autistic burnout,” which has be...

08/18/2025

Are you on the autism spectrum? CARES is currently looking for guest writers on the autism spectrum to talk about their lived experiences. No formal blogging experience (or diagnosis) necessary.

This coming September we will be starting up our blog Living Autism, a blog for autistic people by autistic people, and we are looking to platform autistic people of all backgrounds!

To sign up, scan the QR code or click the Google form below:
https://forms.gle/YWNQkvpZRE2j9Ttk8

08/04/2025

We need your help! Our call for art submissions has been extended through to September 30th! Please note this is an international study, so people in other countries can submit.

Study Title: Exploring Emotions Through Art: Expressions of Perception and Experiences of Stimming from the Autistic Perspective.
This is part of a social research project at Louisiana State University.
We are studying artistic expressions of stimming from the autistic perspective.
We’re looking for participants to complete a brief online survey and submit art. Do YOU know anyone who may be interested?

Survey & Submission Link: https://lsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ctC3Z7j0qIpmOsm?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwK-rPhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp6zVIqUKBbMz_Bdq1uCp7VCA-iQHDXmBNtdsqsdRMBu1Cqw5KtMl54ybQNFP_aem_15bd94epSieJPMqPnyh8Jw

Photos from CARES - Community-led Autism Research, Engagement, and Service's post

07/31/2025

We've extended the deadline for our art submissions again, now through September 30th! Check us out at the QR code or at https://lsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ctC3Z7j0qIpmOsm

[Image ID: The first slide is the meme of Bernie Sanders asking for financial assistance, edited to say "We are once again extending our study submission deadline." The second slide is a blue and purple flyer with an updated call for art submissions. Text reads: "Call for art submissions. Art as expression: exploring emotions and identity through stimming. The CARES team, a collaborative cohort of autistic researchers, invites autistic artists (18+) to submit original artwork exploring: emotions, identity, communication, and expression of stimming through visual art. Submission type: 2D visual art (no AI art please). Honorarium, if selected: $100. Submission deadline: August 31 2025. Contact: Jesica R. Bates at [email protected]." Text at the bottom of the page says: "Not all submissions will be included but all contributors will be acknowledged. Centering autistic voices through participatory research and art. LSU IRB approved." On the right hand side of the flyer is a QR code with the same link as in the captions for submissions.]