From left, Emma V.H., 20, Elliot M., 18, and Lauren M., 23, talk about the program at the CIP Center in Berkeley, Calif., on Thursday, April 19, 2018. The center teaches autistic people on various ends of the spectrum how to function in society, supporting them through college and career. (Laura A. Oda/Bay Area News Group)
Via the East Bay Times - May 2, 2018
Lauren M., Elliot M., Emma V.H. and Jacob K. share lives similar to thousands of teen and twenty-something Berkeley residents — any given day they could be nose-deep in a textbook, up late playing video games with roommates, on a date with a romantic partner, or sharing jokes and gossip.
But what sets them apart is that all four are autistic and are enrolled in a program to teach them how to function on their own. They participate in the program while pursuing a college education.