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Hi from documentarian wanting to chat with folk in San Francisco Bay Area

Cianna Stewart

Cianna Stewart

Filmmaker
V.I.P Member
Hello all!

I'm a documentary filmmaker. I don't think I'm on the spectrum but I can definitely relate to those who are. I seem to have spent much of my time acting as an interpreter between NTs and Aspies and this led me to thinking about making a documentary somehow on this topic.

I'm still in the early phases of the film's development. The idea is to take a look at the assertion that there's a high prevalence of Aspergers in the Bay Area (an assertion that I intuitively believe but will research its veracity), and then to extend beyond that into wondering about the impact/implications of that. I believe that the impact is felt both locally and globally since so much of what originates out of San Francisco and Silicon Valley affects cultures everywhere.

If you're in the Bay Area and are open to talking about your experiences and thoughts, I'd love to hear from you. It can be off the record if you like, though I of course am definitely hoping to find people who are willing to be recorded.

Thanks & I look forward to hearing from you!
--cianna
 
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Hi,
Not in that area, but wanted to ask you if you have any actual evidence for a higher concentration of Aspergers in the Bay Area. Aspergers btw no longer exists as a recognized seperate condition in the USA as per latest medical guideline publication.
 
As I said, I'm in early research and will be investigating this very question. None of the research I've is definitive, but suggestive that the SF Bay Area and other areas that have hi-tech industry have high concentrations of people with Aspergers. (I am not suggesting that SF is higher than all other places) The fact that it's no longer a separate condition is actually making it a bit harder to parse out newer studies since all on the autism spectrum are lumped together.
 
Cianna Stewart said:
As I said, I'm in early research and will be investigating this very question. None of the research I've is definitive, but suggestive that the SF Bay Area and other areas that have hi-tech industry have high concentrations of people with Aspergers. (I am not suggesting that SF is higher than all other places) The fact that it's no longer a separate condition is actually making it a bit harder to parse out newer studies since all on the autism spectrum are lumped together.
Click to expand...


I worked about two years as a web designer in the Bay Area back in the late 90s for a software entertainment developer.

Looking back, I suspect perhaps as much as half of the people I came into contact with were on the spectrum of autism. Too bad at the time though I didn't have a clue about them or myself. I just felt at home there...loved the job. But the dot-com crash ended it all.

Yeah, I'm certain you can still find a lot of us all over Silicon Valley...
 
Cianna - I'm afraid I'm about half-way around the world from S.F.

I did, however achieve at a very high level in I.T. after failing spectacularly at first year university (that was probably the best thing that happened to me after the age of 17) - OK after the birth of my two children :)

I strongly suspect that if I did not get into software development I would have become some kind of 'under-achieving' loser.

I didn't know about my AS until very late in life and am still coming to terms with it.
 
You might get some usuable data appraoching it obliquely. For instance the children and known genetic component. More studies center on kids. Also see studies on 'clusters' found and some data on children of those with higher ed.

 
I was rushed to post last, but to expand a bit:

Unless you can find a scientific study to support your theory its just anecdotal. If you find/interview autistics working in the area you have something, but can't say there are more autistics in this area or field then other areas or fields.

Studies or information on working adults will be hard to find. Many HFA autistics do not know they are, others are self-diagnosed only. Those with diagnosis will be protected from you finding out.

But we do know that children of autistics have significantly higher occurance of autism themselves. In fact its the greatest risk increase known so far. An unusual ammount of autistic kids in one area needs an explanation. Is it environmental? Some environmental factors are known to increase risk of autism. Some are likely yet to be found. Is it genetic? ie, a higher concentration of autistic adults?

There are quite a few autism 'clusters' identfied in the US. There are studies to look up on it. One is the area you are looking at. See chart in my first post. The highest density is Silcon Valley. It is logical to claim that an unusual density of autistic parents in the area may be a cause of the higher number of autistic children.

As I also mentioned briefly above, other studies have shown some increased incidence of autism in children of highly educated parent(s). This might indicate undiagnosed HFA parents.

There might be other indirect approaches. I would dig around the valley online looking for support groups, professional organizations, etc. Something pointing to greater need for autistic support in the area.
 
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