Autism Network International

[2] ANI started out as a pen pal group, but when they first met in person, "they felt a sense of belonging, of being understood, of having the same concepts and sharing a language, of being normal.

"[7] Autreat was a United States retreat and conference hosted by Autism Network International for autistic people.

[9] It was a contrast to other autism conferences, which ANI believes are typically about autistic people but are intended for parents and professionals.

Although parents, professionals, and others were welcome, Autreat was specifically designed for autistics, and offers an "Autism-friendly" environment, free of sensory bombardment.

"[12] Autreat inspired similar programs such as AutCon in the Western United States, as well as in other countries, such as Autscape in England and Projekt Empowerment in Sweden.