How do Autistic adults and allies turn good ideas into lasting change? In this story driven session, Theresa Somerton and Yvonne Spicer, co-founders of Lifetime Abilities in Canada, share a five-step method for building a group rather than carrying an idea alone. Drawing on Canada's community living movement, they show how communities closed institutions and built peer networks by creating structures that met on a schedule and gave every person a job. Attendees leave with one issue named, one group identified, one action planned together, and a date for the next meeting.
This session explores how Autism-related stigma is rooted in systems, not individuals. It emphasizes three key strategies: shifting from “fixing people” to transforming policies and institutions; normalizing neurodiversity through authentic representation and inclusive policy; and redesigning environments to reduce barriers rather than forcing conformity. By integrating research and lived experience, participants will gain practical tools to identify structural stigma and implement changes that foster accessibility, belonging, and equity. Ultimately, the session reframes inclusion as a systemic responsibility.