So let's talk about the Autism in Black conference... There are a lot of stigmas that's been surrounding autism for a very long time now. And even today, in 2023, many people still lack compassion and understanding toward autistic people. On top of that, things get even trickier if you come from the black community. Being a part of the minority in America is already hard enough, but being part of the black community while dealing with the stigma that people have about autism just unlocks a whole new level of struggle. I know, for I, myself, am a father of two beautiful children who has autism, and I had to face its challenges when our first daughter was diagnosed at a very early age. This, exactly, is what inspired my wife, Maria Davis-Pierre, to start Autism in Black. Since its launch three years ago, she has dedicated herself to helping parents from the black community who have kids with autism by means of providing education and advocacy services. Part of this is the Autism in Black Conference, an annual event where we invite various experts and resource speakers who are also part of the black, neurodivergent community to educate and empower attendees by speaking about their personal and professional experiences on dealing with autism. Join us today as we talk you through our advocacy at Autism in Black, and how Autism in Black Conference might just be that one big support that you have been longing to have all this time. Why you need to check this episode: Discover the backstory of Autism in Black and why they do what they do; Learn what Autism in Black Conference is all about, and get answers to the most frequently asked questions about it; and Find out who can attend the conference, what topics will be discussed, where and when the conference will be, and what the different available ticket options/packages are "[When] we started Autism in Black, we wanted to support parents raising black autistic children through education and empowerment, and we wanted to flip the game and go into organizations and train them on how to be less harmful to the black disability community." – Maria Davis-Pierre Notable Quotes: "More than half of our speakers are either autistic or they fall under the neurodivergent umbrella… We are actually a conference that is talking about our lived experiences, in addition to our professional experiences. And I think that's what makes us different." – Maria Davis-Pierre "Anyone can come to our conference… However, understand that our content centers only on the black experience. We center our experiences at our conference because our experiences are oftentimes not valued and diminished in other environments and under other circumstances." – Maria Davis-Pierre Sign up at www.listentodrberry.com to join the mailing list. Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member. Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify Links/Resources: Website Instagram Podcast Autism in Black Conference