Conference 2

I’ve recently returned from my second Southeast Adult Autism Conference, held annually in Chattanooga, Tennessee. My boyfriend and I attended as presenters this year, and I really enjoyed it. I definitely want to present in the future. Our presentation was about the seven pillars of self-care and how they relate to people with autism. We had a good crowd for our talk, and my parents came up to see my presentation. The conference was split into three periods of presentations, and we ended up presenting during the last period of the conference. Actually, I want to explain this conference’s experience from the beginning. 

Michael and I drove up the night before since the conference started early in the morning. The rain driving to Chattanooga was literally torrential. I had to slow down during at least half of the drive so I could try to see what was going on in front of me. We stopped for a quick dinner and then booked it to our hotel. We had both worked that day (albeit for half a day) and were pretty tired. The next morning we got up and headed to the University of Tennessee Chattanooga where the conference is held every year. Michael and I aren’t morning people so we skipped the first period of the morning. Instead, we went a little bit before the second period to meet up and chat with friends.

For some reason, I had expected that the conference itself might’ve looked a bit different from last year. There were different vendors than there were last year, but everything else was the exact same. They used the same rooms from last year for this year’s presentations, and lunch was served in the exact same big room as last year. The main difference, though, was that this year I actually knew people. I remembered two of the presenters who I really connected with last year along with the friends I had made too. It was so wonderful to see everyone again. I’ve started comparing the conference to my version of Disney World.

What I love about the conference is that everyone is just like me. I don’t have to justify or explain my diagnosis. We’re all there because we have had a common set of experiences. We come together to learn and find community. Naturally, I plan on going next year as well. 

We decided to get lunch elsewhere this time around and ended up visiting this cute restaurant that was built from an old auto body shop. Last year I had just awkwardly eaten lunch at the university with a few moms and their sons. One of the moms had taken down my number to chat, but I never heard from her again. No one I have met this year has ghosted me, though!

It was so nice to know people ahead of time instead of the awkward dance of deciding who to approach and trying to gauge whether or not the interaction warrants asking for a phone number or email address. It’s weird that the same social skills that I struggle with in my everyday life are still an impediment to forming meaningful relationships with my fellow neurodivergent peers.

Anyways, the conference ended around three, and afterward, we wandered around downtown Chattanooga for about an hour and fifteen minutes. As we made our way to the footbridge, I spotted some of my least favorite features of an urban area. People standing in fancy clothes with religious literature right at the entrance to the bridge. There were some men standing off to the side in their own group in cargo shorts and cut-off t-shirts offering free prayers. Before anyone feels the need to remind yours truly about everyone’s first amendment rights, I know they were allowed to be there. The following commentary is my personal opinion.

As I have gotten older, I like my privacy more and more. Having someone pray for me is intimate and involves sharing private information. I’m not going to feel comfortable disclosing that to a complete stranger. In regards to the religious people standing there with literature, I question what it is they’re trying to accomplish. I’ve never heard of anyone being converted because of a pamphlet. The work of the church is supposed to be caring for the marginalized, is it not?

Something I’d also like to bring up concerning this is a homeless couple that was asking for donations out on the bridge. All the money they spent on the flyers, the stands for the flyers, and other things could’ve gone to helping that homeless couple, or it could’ve been donated to a local charity that helps those who are unhoused. I’m using this instance as an example of a larger problem. I often don’t understand why churches aren’t using their time and resources to address systemic issues that lead to mass suffering. I’m aware that churches everywhere are having a hard time. I recently read in an article that around one in three churches is at risk of closing within the next ten years. I understand how worrying a situation that must be for churches, but if you’re sending people with hundreds of booklets and booklet stands to awkwardly stare at people in a public space, I’m sure a donation to a food pantry would be manageable.

That all being said, I had a terrific time at the conference this year, and I look forward with bated breath for next year’s conference. Michael and I are still brainstorming for our next presentation’s theme at the moment, and we want it to be something just as helpful for the ASD community as this year’s was. These conferences have done me a lot of good, and I want to help share that goodness with whomever I can however I can.