A photograph of summertime on Queen’s University campus with red flowers, and ivy on a limestone building.

Welcome to the Desiring Autism and Neurodivergence Symposium at Queen’s University!

JULY 23 - 25, 2024

The goal of the Symposium is to bring together diverse scholars, artists, students, educators, and community to explore shared goals around belonging, access, and justice for autistic and neurodivergent individuals in education. The event features thought-provoking art, workshops, and panels to invite deep engagement about desiring different ways of thinking and being together in schools. This event will result in an open-access, peer-reviewed online resource hub to be hosted at Queen’s University Faculty of Education, a co-edited academic book, and training and includes many mentoring opportunities for autistic and neurodivergent students, artists and scholars. 

Two vital questions drive our event and outreach:

1) What does it mean to desire the difference of autism and ND in education?

2) What do critical, creative, decolonial and intersectional perspectives bring to education that is novel? 

Links for those joining online. You can also find the links in the detailed agenda.

Vanessa Dion Fletcher’s link is here https://dion-fletcher-portfolio.squarespace.com/un-desiring-autism-key-note

For all sessions in Chernoff 213

https://queensu.zoom.us/j/95468725015?pwd=Maiv4spbe4nYWpMk18QJLaDsxShwyd.1 

Meeting ID: 954 6872 5015

Passcode: 389840

For all sessions in Chernoff Auditorium and Chernoff 117

https://queensu.zoom.us/j/99448783794?pwd=rfsbltRFeryqsBA6QRsedmkKVLjsaC.1

Meeting ID: 994 4878 3794


Passcode: 786549

A photograph of the Queen's University Campus

Accessibility

We are devoted to creating an accessible event that exceeds accessibility checklists. As such, we are taking measures to ensure amenities are available to meet as many sensory, physical, communication, cultural, COVID-safety, and other access considerations as possible. Please see the Access Guide for more information.


All spaces for the Symposium are wheelchair accessible. We are strongly-encouraging COVID-masking, have a fragrance-free policy, will be asynchronously recording events, and will be offering ample breaks and a relaxed appraoch to sessions (come and go as needed, move around, bring a comfort or swim item). We also have a quiet, sensory friendly space available for folks to access both in-person and online throughout the event.

Queen's University campus map interface displaying options for locations, building labels, academics, student housing, food and water, and accessibility.
Floor plan of Chernoff Hall at Queen's University, showing classroom and washroom locations, accessible entrances, and elevators. Includes symbols for accessibility, baby and adult change tables, showers, and washroom types. Marked north direction and building number 184.

The Symposium Agenda

This symposium centers work that unsettles settler colonialism, racism, and ableism in education. The event highlights the work and voices of Indigenous, Black, 2SLGBTQIA+, disabled, and neurodivergent individuals, and those individuals working at the intersections of these identities and critical modes of thinking. 

The symposium features mini keynotes and artists including Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Nicole Ineese-Nash, Grant Bruno, Dorothy Taare-Smith, Claire Johnston, Dr. Vijaya Dharan, and Dr. Jacqui Getfield.   

A photograph of a person sitting on a stone ledge reading a book by the Kingston harbour.

A photograph of Chernoff Hall is above. This is where many of the symposium’s talks will take place.

Symposium Access Guide and Policy Information 

We have endeavored to offer as much information as possible in the Access Guide to allow for you, and any of your invited guests, to make informed choices and plan your attendance. To support the accessibility of the symposium, we have created fragrance policies, a Covid-19 and masking policy, and an allergy protocol. You can find these statements below. Please take a few moments to review them.

This event is a relaxed event, meaning all ways of being and moving (moving around the room, bringing a comfort item, taking breaks) are welcome here. Chernoff Room 211 and the Indigenous Gathering Space are available for the duration of the event as dedicated quiet spaces. There are also many beautiful natural and quiet settings on campus and close by including Lake Ontario. If you are joining online, we encourage you to get comfortable - turn your camera on or off, move around, take breaks, bring comfort items or comfort food with you or other that makes you feel at home.

We worked hard to find ASL interpreters for this event; however, we were only able to secure on-line interpreters for Day 2 keynotes. We will be working after the event to expand accessibility, including adding ASL interpretation and audio description to videos, writing plain language versions and more. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Maps

Queen's website directory

Map of campus

To support in way finding, please see the map of Queen’s Campus.

Image of chernoff hall floor plan

Map of Chernoff Hall

Most of the sessions will happen in Chernoff Hall.

Meet Our International Steering Committee

The committee has been meeting and planning for two years to plan this event. We are very excited to be hosting you!

  • Image of a white woman with light brown hair and glasses smiling.

    Patty Douglas

    Patty Douglas is an Associate Professor of Disability Studies, the Inaugural Research Chair in Student Success and Wellness and Director of the Centre for Community Engagement and Social Change in the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University.

  • Smiling woman with curly hair posing, wearing dark top, hand touching head, black and white portrait.

    Carla Rice

    Carla Rice is a Canada Research Chair and Professor in the College of Social and Applied Human Studies at the University of Guelph, and founder of Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice, an arts-informed research centre with a mandate to foster social well-being, equity, and justice.

  • Person with long curly hair wearing a yellow striped dress, standing against a white background.

    Dorothy Taare Smith

    Dorothy is passionate about challenging the relevance of Western autism assessments and diagnoses practices, and the implications these might have for Māori. A proud Māori woman, Dorothy has extensive experience supporting whānau Māori (Māori families).

  • Image of a Métis person smiling and wearing a beautiful beaded necklace.

    Claire Johnston

    Claire Johnston (they/she) is a Red River Métis and settler visual artist based in Winnipeg/Treaty 1 Territory. As a Two-Spirit Piitoshi-iteeyihtam, Claire descends from many generations of people who work intricately with their hands.

  • A woman with glasses and black hair wearing a teal jacket against a dark background.

    Vijaya Dharan

    Vijaya is the Director of Academic Programmes and Associate Professor at Massey University, Institute of Education. She is a registered psychologist [educational], and a registered teacher currently involved in teaching in the master's in educational and Developmental Psychology and supervising Master’s and doctoral students.

  • Image of a white man with short blond hair.

    Stephen Connolly

    Stephen is an autistic academic and has a keen interest in all things autism with particular focus on Emanciparticipatory research methods, research ethics and inclusion in Higher Education. He comes from a Physical Education and Developmental Psychology background.

  • Image of a white woman with brown hair and a red scarf smiling.

    Nancy Marshall

    Nanca Marshall (MA CYC, RSW) is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at York University, Toronto. She has over 15 years' experience as a Child and Youth Worker (CYW) supporting autistic children, youth, and families with neuro-affirming and relational approaches to care and wellbeing.

  • Person with brown hair and blue eyes wearing a turquoise shirt, smiling at the camera.

    Sherri Liska

    Sherri Liska is a consultant and advocate in the fields of autistic accessibility, education, and joy. As the owner of Freely Divergent Neurodiversity Consulting, she takes a gentle and welcoming approach to helping professionals and families improve their connections to their autistic clients, students, and loved ones.

  • Silhouette of a person wearing a hat with a red background

    Mandy Klein

    Mandy Klein is a 53-year old multiply-disabled autistic advocate and activist. She lives with her autistic husband and autistic son, along with several pets in Central Ontario. She has an essay in the anthology, Typed Words, Loud Voices and a blog, Tales From an Autistic Family. Her writing has been quoted in Autism Ontario’s joint response (through OPAAA) to the Government of Ontario’s Select Committee on Developmental Services Interim Report released March 5, 2014.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Is there a registration fee?

Registration to attend the event is free for all attendees. However, you are encouraged to make a small donation that is comfortable for you to support accessibility and other costs associated with the symposium. All general attendees must purchase their meals or food through registration by July 9th or outside of the dining hall we have reserved (i.e., no same day purchases at the group dinning hall).

Where do I park?

The closest parking to the venue (Chernoff Hall) is permit parking available on Bader Lane and Albert Street. Time limited street parking spaces are also available on Stuart Street and St. Lawrence Avenue.

Campus parking uses pay-and-display machines and/or the HONK app.

Where can I dine if I didn’t purchase group dining?

We have compiled a list of local restaurants around Queen’s and Kingston Downtown if you did not purchase group lunches.

What food is being served at group dining?

Here is the group dining hall.

There will be a list of ingredients on the dining hall menu, and we have requested some common comfort/safe foods folks requested during registration. The dining hall has a salad bar, grill items, pizza, and a stir-fry station. See the above link for more details.

Where are the Zoom links?

The zoom links are embedded into the agenda under “Join here” or here!

Chernoff 213

https://queensu.zoom.us/j/95468725015?pwd=Maiv4spbe4nYWpMk18QJLaDsxShwyd.1 

Auditorium and Chernoff 117 

https://queensu.zoom.us/j/99130887602?pwd=yykrAwtHJTlsterphWrsb85hN3zAGE.1 

What is the suggested attire?

Please wear comfortable clothing for the event. We are taking a relaxed approach to the event. Also, note that we will be outside for the welcome and workshops, so please bring a hat, water, and sunscreen. There is some shade available outside.