The Stanford Neurodiversity Summit was absolutely incredible and has absolutely knocked me on my butt, energy zapping wise. Watch this space for documentation of the amazingness—but don't expect it today. #SNS2026

This will be a mostly-virtual panel (Carol will be there IRL, along with moderator @shannonrosa), so you can watch from anywhere. Virtual Registration is $25, you can watch and send in questions virtually, or you can watch the recording later. #SNS2026

Registration: tinyurl.com/StanfordNDsummit26

Interesting to learn about the passage of SB805 in California. It will potentially increase the amount of services available for autistic people beyond ABA-anything considered evidence-based. Similar bills have passed in 3 otber states. #SNS2026

mailchi.mp/6d0a5d2ab4d6...

Natasha: Autistic organizations need to incorporate more autistic people of color if they actually want to implement change that will benefit people of color.

#SNS2026

Continue note: Police violence, murder

Camille Proctor: If parents get better training, they can better avoid calling 911 in a crisis, because we know that calling 911 almost always leads to a fatality. And also knowing that autism is an explanation—not an excuse—for inexcusable behavior.

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Camille Proctor: People will say that the didnt' know Color of Autism existed, Camille says "did you even look up autism + Black"? She says that it's important to teach Black parents to pivot to meet their children where they are, to use Positive Discipline methods not authoritarian ones.

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Natasha: One of the things the Color of Autism organization does is provide FREE education for families of colors, with a five week caregiver training (which Natasha participates in), it includes navigating the IEP process, and the healthcare process, transitioning to adulthood, SD making,

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Natasha: You need to go to people's culture! She loves anime, says we need to put more autism information in anime environments and cons, for one example.

All people can reexamine their ideas and misconceptions, but they need the OPPORTUNITY to reexamine their ideas.

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Online Q: How can we make good information about neurodivergence more accessible for Black communities.

Natasha: It used to be the church. Now it needs to be the Breakfast Club (podcast), (W)NBA games, raise awareness there. We need to meet people where they're at, despite Respectability.

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Audience member: We are forced into entrepreneurship because of our lack of accommodation for our disabilities keeping us out of systems.

Natasha: We need more universal design.

AM: We're leaving so many competent useful people behind. They are being blocked.

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Audience member: We need more supports for disabled people who want to be in autism supports and services work but who because of their disabilities cannot do things like take standardized tests, or who because of reduced capacity take longer to complete coursework. Race can compound this.

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Natasha: After ECHO training, they are seeing signs of Pediatricians being much more confident in their ability to get autistic children referred for diagnosis, and for supporting families in general.

The ECHO training is portable, any hospital can do it.

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Natasha: The idea is to empower pediatricians to take care of autistic children in general, but also wider issues like supporting an autistic child with GI issues, sleep issues, self-injury difficulties. And also encouraging curiosity and asking questions together in monthly meetings.

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Natasha: Emory in Atlanta has a good program for doing community based and participatory research, ECHO, in which they train pediatricians all over Georgia, especially in rural areas, to detect autism in kids. This is a model of how outreach can happen.

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Natasha: We also need more funding and grants to support Black people who want to work in the field of supporting neurodivergent and autistic Black children and adults.

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Natasha: We need more research on how to help people with food access issues.

We also need more role modeling about what Black autistic people can be, so we can have more professionals doing outreach to Black kids and adults who have flown under the diagnosis radar. We need access.

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Brittany: Yes, it's a void.

Gemma: So grateful to be in a breakout room that has the lights lowered.

She is a dietician and she works on food access. Does Natasha have advice for an early career researcher?

Natasha: "Acting In" manifests in eating disorders, for one example.

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Natasha: So you want life skills, training, and supports for teens and younger adults but culturally aware? That sounds like there not being enough OTs, SLPs, etc. that are Black.

If we want more resources for autistic women, Black women especially—we need more Black women in the field.

#SNS2026

Now we are in the breakout room with Natasha after her keynote.

Brittany: There are not a lot of options for Black autistic people in the SF Bay Area.

Natasha: What kind of resources would you like to see?

Brittany: Black girls need more freely available informational resources.

#SNS2026

Natasha: Access intimacy: Proactively providing people with accessibility options instead of making them ask for it.

#SNS2026