CUNY Neurodiversity Conference Recap
By Dawn Smith and Pam Judd
In honor of CUNY Disability Awareness Month and in concert with their growing work to increase access for neurodivergent students, CUNY Disability Programs hosted the 6th CUNY Neurodiversity Conference on April 5th and April 19th. This year’s theme was Neurodiversity and Mental Health: Navigating Wellness.
CareerReady! President Pam Judd and Newsletter Editor Dawn Smith were excited to attend April 5th’s virtual conference to hear the engaging and informed insights of those working to address disparities of neurodivergent wellness in higher education and beyond. April 19th’s conference at LaGuardia Community College was another outstanding day of learning for all. CareerReady! Program Coordinator Elaine Rogers, Project Manager Chinmae Deshmukkh, and President Pam Judd were thrilled to be part of it!
April 5th opened with an illuminating keynote address by Dr. Monique Botha of the University of Stirling. Quoting their Striving to Transform Autism Research Together - Scotland (STARTS) study, Dr. Botha stated that while the great majority of autism research funds and hours continue to be diverted toward looking for causes of autism, autistic people rated mental health conditions and mental wellbeing as their top priority. They went on to define wellbeing as “a product of being well-resourced, having agency and self-determination, [and] being genuinely heard and respected within society.” At a systems level, Dr. Botha prescribed four actions to increase neurodivergent wellness: we need to recognize and address neuro-normativity; create interventions to lessen stigma and marginalization; act against ableism, victimization, and violence; and provide welcoming and accessible spaces. A collection of distinguished presenters took on these tasks, offering clarifying research, lived experiences, and best practices. It was an outstanding conference!
CareerReady! President Pam Judd and Newsletter Editor Dawn Smith were excited to attend April 5th’s virtual conference to hear the engaging and informed insights of those working to address disparities of neurodivergent wellness in higher education and beyond. April 19th’s conference at LaGuardia Community College was another outstanding day of learning for all. CareerReady! Program Coordinator Elaine Rogers, Project Manager Chinmae Deshmukkh, and President Pam Judd were thrilled to be part of it!
April 5th opened with an illuminating keynote address by Dr. Monique Botha of the University of Stirling. Quoting their Striving to Transform Autism Research Together - Scotland (STARTS) study, Dr. Botha stated that while the great majority of autism research funds and hours continue to be diverted toward looking for causes of autism, autistic people rated mental health conditions and mental wellbeing as their top priority. They went on to define wellbeing as “a product of being well-resourced, having agency and self-determination, [and] being genuinely heard and respected within society.” At a systems level, Dr. Botha prescribed four actions to increase neurodivergent wellness: we need to recognize and address neuro-normativity; create interventions to lessen stigma and marginalization; act against ableism, victimization, and violence; and provide welcoming and accessible spaces. A collection of distinguished presenters took on these tasks, offering clarifying research, lived experiences, and best practices. It was an outstanding conference!
