Listen, Learn and Discover Exciting New Insights on Neurodivergent,
Experience Live (60 and 90-minute) AND Pre-Recorded Workshops
Participate in Three Open Forums: Being Neurodivergent, Education and Parenting

Register Today

Parents and Teens/Adults: $25
Professionals $40

Scholarships are available to Lewis County autistic adults, parents or educators. Before you register, contact Victoria Romero to apply for a scholarship at thelinkcoordinator@outlook.com or call 360-508-4287.

Clock hours and STAR credits will be available for our live sessions on November 13^th. Capital Region ESD 113 will be managing the attendance tracking for these sessions. Participants will receive notifications regarding their Clock Hours and STAR credits via email approximately 10 days after the conference.

Keynote Speaker - Haley Moss - "Assembly Required"

See Keynote Description

Haley Moss is a South Florida native who was diagnosed with autism at age three. Upon receiving her autism diagnosis, her family was told that she would be fortunate to make a friend, graduate high school, or obtain her driver’s license.

Haley has defied the expectations set forth within her initial diagnosis.

Today, she is an attorney, author, artist, and autism advocate who writes and speaks publicly about her journey and gives hope for other autistic people and their families and friends.

Live Afternoon Workshop:
Empowering The Next Generation of Neurodiverse Self Advocates

Advocacy is more than effecting policy change or legislation. Self-advocacy for people with disabilities means effective communication in personal, educational, and professional settings. Skills can create positive change for autistic individuals and their communities. This session will bust advocacy myths, encourage self-advocacy, teach self-advocacy skills and strategies, and identify larger community issues that can be impacted.

Live Workshops - Click on Names For Info on Presenters

Open Books: Communicating With Autistic People
(60 Minutes) – Autistic people communicate differently than allistic people do. When bridging this gap and teaching “social skills” the focus is usually on helping autistics communicate more “normally”. But autistic people are only half the equation. Allistics learning to better communicate with autistic people will result in better communication.

Engaging in Relationships in a Neurodiverse World
(90 Minutes) – We will examine these elements of relationships (1) Types and unspoken rules (friends, family, professional), (2) Keys to building and maintaining (appropriate relationships) (being safe, signs of bullying/abuse, integrity/honesty), (3) Life cycle (how they grow and transition, ending, mourning a lost one) and (4) Nurturing (tools you can use, boundaries, conflict, self-awareness).

Imagine Schools that
are Anti-Racist
(90 Minutes) – This nation is experiencing two pandemics – one attacking our bodies (COVID 19); one attacking our souls (racism). This session will address how the health pandemic has exposed the racial pandemic that is visibly killing Black and Brown people but is actually doing harm to everyone who calls the United States home. In this session you will learn key terminology. You will walk away with reasons you should care. You will leave with strategies to become an ally and make the work of anti-racism practical in your school setting. Erin will leave you both inspired and challenged.

Puberty and Autism
(60 Minutes) – Puberty is a tumultuous time for all adolescents (and their parents). There are physical, developmental and emotional changes, occurring throughout this time. This will be brief primer on the changes that occur during puberty and their effect on the adolescent body and brain. We will discuss the challenges of puberty in children with autism and how parents can help their child, as they move from childhood into adulthood.

Racialized Ableism & Disability Justice in These Turbulent Times
(60 Minutes) – This session will outline disability justice and discuss the current and potential intersectional impacts on disabled Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Participants will leave with a greater understanding of the differences and connections between disability rights (ADA) and disability justice; Have a basic understanding of systemic, environmental, and medical racism, and; Receive interpersonal information and tools on how to begin the process of practicing active antiracism. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to sharpen their analysis on these topics.

Building Partnerships Between Parents and Teachers
(60 Minutes) – The greatest indicator of student success is the strength of the home-school partnership. This requires a dynamic, reciprocal partnership, in which both parties are fully engaged. But what does it mean to engage? As a parent? As a teacher? This session will identify strategies to equip teachers and parents in this crucial partnership.

Pre-Recorded Workshops

Available Online to Registered Conference Participants Starting Nov. 6, 2020 Pre-Recorded Workshops Are 15-45 Minutes Each

Click on Presenter Names For Info On Our 2020 Presenters

Dr. Kimberly Johnson – Toilet Training in Children with Developmental Diagnosis

Children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental diagnoses often have more difficulty with toilet training for a variety of reasons. This presentation will discuss the most common challenges and medical issues that can delay the toilet training process as well as possible solutions to these challenges.

Monica Meyer – Distance Learning: Tips and Tools for Student Success
Each of us have our own learning style and instructional needs; distance learning has proven to be more than challenging. In this presentation we will discuss creative Tips and Tools through instructional modifications and curriculum adaptations that can enhance student progress and success through more than just computer screen learning.

Monica Meyer – Distance Learning: Transition from High School To Career
In ordinary times,Transition from High School to career has been stressful. We now find ourselves in a pandemic with instruction delivered virtually and access to our community problematic. In this presentation you will learn about innovative strategies, resources and reviews from people who are making it work.

Victoria Romero – My Child’s On The Spectrum: What Next?

My child has just been diagnosed and it is all overwhelming. What are our next steps? What really is autism? What does this mean for my child and my family? What are my options for therapy? What resources are available to me and my child?

Early intervention and the difference it will make for lifelong success. Feedback from adults on the spectrum that went without early intervention and what differences it would have made for them. Why is an early diagnosis so important? Learn all the answers to these questions in this presentation.

Arzu Forough/WAAA – ABCs of IEPs

An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) must be individualized, meaning that it must be tailored to each individual student’s needs. The IEP is a written statement of an educational program for a student eligible for special education that is developed, reviewed, and revised at least annually by an IEP team.

Sara Gardner – Autism Cultural Responsiveness | Neurodiversity Navigators Program @ Bellevue College

Explores autism as a culture, including tools for interacting in a culturally responsive manner. Participants will learn to recognize and respond to communication patterns and needs of autistic people and will learn ways to apply best practices in their lives and work. An overview of Neurodiversity Navigators program is included.

Liz Pritchard – Unmasked: Inspiring Inclusion Through Illustration

This session will be an open discussion designed to answer questions and provide insights regarding networking and self-advocacy tips, and making connections through the creative arts. We will discuss how to make one’s greatest challenge their greatest gift, all labels aside.

Sophia Apgar – Post Secondary Success: Personal Experiences and Recommendations

Participants will receive recommendations for supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorders in post-secondary education. Based on Sophia’s experiences as a college student on the spectrum, strategies will include structures to establish, skills to pre-teach, and guidelines to help students more confidently navigate the differences between high school and college.

Becca Lory Hector – Self-Defined Living: Creating a Life You Don’t Need a Vacation From

Autistic adults often find that society, family, cultural norms, or even a boss define what makes life successful, acceptable, and even happy. Self Defined Living will be explained, along with why it is so essential to autistic quality of life. Simple techniques will be shared that autistics can use to create their best lives as their authentic selves.

Audra Sisak – Developing Skills in the Natural Environment

Get to know five different tips/tricks parents can use in natural teaching environments. Parents rely on virtual learning and parent training via email or computer. Learn some fun ideas that are easy for parents to do with their kids to help maintain goals. Content promotes adaptive living skills, self-advocacy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and academics.

Dr. Heather Dimmitt – Autistic Self-Advocacy: How To Empower Yourself or Your Child

I will share my personal journey to discuss challenges that some autistic people face in identifying, validating, and communicating our needs, and offer a practical step-by-step method that I developed for how to develop self-advocacy skills to improve life for autistic people of all ages.

Jen Malia – My Storytelling as an Autistic Author and Advocate

Drawing on my personal essays for publications such as The New York Times and my children’s picture book, Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism, I will share how storytelling has helped me learn to accept my autism and be a better mom to my autistic kids.

Amanda Sherry – Getting Started With DDA

Learn the steps families can take to get a Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) determination and start services. You will learn about eligibility and the intake process, benefits and waivers available to access Home and Community Based Services.