History
The TACA began with 10 families in a living room in 2000. In 2001, TACA established chapters in San Fernando Valley, CA. In 2002, TACA sent out its first e-newsletter and launched the TACAnow.org website. TACA in Costa Mesa moved to a larger location due to the increasing number of parents attending meetings. The first version of the parent binder became available around this time. It is later renamed the Autism Journey Guide. TACA established two California chapters in the Inland Empire and South Bay. 200,000 of TACA’s “My Child Has Autism” cards are distributed for the first time. In 2005, TACA’s first family and friends campaign raised $30,000. TACA established the 1st Adopt a Family holiday program. In 2006, TACA’s first printed newsletter was distributed. Autism Journey Guide and DVD is released. TACA & Jack FM team up for Jack’s first show concert. In 2007, the first TACA Leadership conference was held. TACA establishes the Los Angeles chapter. 1st Ante Up for Autism raises $370,000. In 2008, Lisa Ackerman became a full-time volunteer TACA executive director. TACA then established the Visalia and Santa Rosa Chapters. Grandma Sharon and Julie Ward were present at the first Recovered Kids Meeting. The first TACA picnic is held at Camp James in Irvine, CA. The 2nd Annual Leadership Conference with 60 in attendance takes place. TACA goes nationwide with new chapters in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. TACA’s Live Chat is launched at TACAnow.org. In 2014, TACA joined with six other anti-autism rights organizations to form the Autism Policy Reform Coalition, an umbrella organization dedicated to reverting the provisions of the Autism CARES Act of 2014 so they are the same as those of the Combating Autism Act of 2006. In 2019, TACA changed their name's abbreviation from ''Talk About Curing Autism'' to ''The Autism Community in Action''. to better describe what the organization does for the autism community. ''"The Autism Community in Action expresses exactly who we are and what we do," said Lisa Ackerman, co-founder and Executive Director. "While we are changing our name, there will be no change to our programs or services which are provided to the autism community almost entirely at no charge."'' More recently, TACA has released news publications to raise awareness to the rates of autism in America, citing a CDC study finding that 1:36 Americans fell within the autism spectrum.Relationship with the anti-vaccine movement
2000s
Among other critics, David Gorski identified TACA as "a group that promotes the idea that vaccines cause autism, as well as advocates dubious 'biomedical' treatments to 'cure' autism". TACA was one of the sponsor groups of the Green our Vaccines march in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2008, along with Generation Rescue. Actress and noted anti-vaccine activist Jenny McCarthy and then-boyfriend Jim Carrey were prominently featured at the rally, along with several speakers making specific links between vaccines and autism.2010s
In 2010, when the medical journal '' The Lancet'' issued a full retraction of Andrew Wakefield's research paper linking vaccines and autism, Rebecca Estepp, speaking for TACA, insisted she still trusted Wakefield's research. In 2015, the co-coordinator of TACA's Maryland chapter indicated that even though they question vaccines, her group was not a follower of McCarthy.2020s
TACA’s stance post-Board of directors
Lisa Ackerman – secretary/executive directorSee also
* Vaccine hesitancy * Autism SpeaksReferences
External links
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Autism Community in Action Autism-related organizations based in the United States Charities based in California Organizations established in 2000 Anti-vaccination in the United States 2000 establishments in the United States