The term "self-advocacy" has multiple meanings. It can refer to an individual's efforts to take control over his or her own life, be it at home, at school, at work or in relationships. It can also refer to the efforts of a community to take control over the public policy, media, social, societal, cultural and other broader conversations and actions about that community, including activities such as lobbying legislators, engaging in protests and interacting with the media. ASAN works to advance both types of self-advocacy. ASAN’s work is oriented toward improving the representation of the Autistic community in the public conversation about autism and improving the reach of the Autistic community to make it accessible and meaningful for all Autistic people.

Significant representation of self-advocates in the policymaking process is essential to ensure both the legitimacy of the process and the creation of the most effective possible public policy strategies. As with any community, we know our own needs best; however knowledgeable the experts may be about autism issues, we who are ourselves on the autism spectrum necessarily have more awareness of the issues that face our population. To set policy that affects our futures without consultation and participation by Autistic individuals is unacceptable. We have a right to have our voices heard in the national conversation about us.

Those who wish to support Autistic people and our families, and to improve society's understanding of our needs, should ensure that the organizations to which they contribute are structured in such a way as to provide for significant self-advocate representation. Organizations that do not include any Autistic individuals in their leadership and decision-making processes are deeply unrepresentative of the community and damaging to those they purport to represent. Advocacy efforts should be conducted for the benefit of, and always with the meaningful involvement of, the Autistic population as the primary stakeholders.