FRCAE Takeover: CUNY Neurodiversity Conference Tomorrow!

9:00 AM – 9:10 AM

Welcoming Remarks

9:10 AM – 9:50 AM

Keynote Address: Supporting Nonspeaking Autistic Joy

Vikram Jaswal is Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia and Editor in Chief of the Journal of Cognition and Development.

He received his BA in Psychology from Columbia University, an MSc in Neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh, and his PhD in Psychology from Stanford University. He is a developmental psychologist whose current research focuses on communication and social interaction in autism, particularly nonspeaking autistic people. His work is inspired and informed by and done in collaboration with autistic people and their families.

Dr.Vikram Jaswal – University of Virginia

10:00 AM

This session translates findings from a national, longitudinal project examining autistic undergraduates’ perspectives on friendship and belonging. Grounded in a disability belonging framework that emphasizes social relationships and self advocacy, we highlight how autistic students describe building connections in ways that may not match conventional campus expectations, but still foster genuine community. Three student-defined pathways to friendship and belonging will be discussed, including engaging in autistic spaces, practicing autistic authenticity (including the opportunities and risks of unmasking), and bonding over shared interests.

Karly Isaacson – Michigan State University
Katie McDermott – College Autism Network
Brett Nachman – University of Pittsburgh
Brad Cox

11:00 AM

In higher education, disclosing disability and/or neurodivergence is often met with a lack of understanding, outright suspicion, and the implications that one’s traits are unprofessional. This stigma often prevents individuals from being their authentic selves and accessing the support they need. Less than 10% of disabled, chronically ill, or neurodivergent professionals in the US report their condition to their employer (Hassard et al., 2024). However, broadening our lens to include neurodivergent and disabled joy is necessary to dismantle barriers to success and belonging. Participants will curate a collection of strategies and resources around building joyful, neurodivergent-affirming workspaces.

Carly Lesoski – Dartmouth College
Brooke Shafar – Wayne State University

1:00 PM

Neurodivergent students across CUNY often encounter barriers that extend beyond access to accommodations, including unmet mental health needs, exclusionary practices, and limited opportunities for authentic belonging. This session highlights a neurodiversity-affirming model developed at LaGuardia Community College that integrates mental health support, executive functioning coaching, Universal Design for Learning, and intersectional inclusion strategies. Through case examples, practitioner dialogue, and audience reflection, participants will explore practical approaches for shifting campus narratives from compliance-based access toward neurodivergent joy, autonomy, and belonging across academic and student support spaces.

Jean Lockhart – Wellness Center
Desiree Rodriguez – Wellness Center
Regina Varin-Mignano – Wellness Center

2:00 PM

Physical spaces play a vital yet often overlooked role in fostering belonging, safety, and success in higher education. This session centers neurodivergent perspectives to explore how existing campus spaces can move beyond basic accessibility toward intentional, joy-centered inclusion. Grounded in lived experience, student feedback, cultural awareness, and neurodiversity-affirming design, it examines how environments can create barriers or build connection. Participants will consider the impact of sensory input on daily engagement, as well as how communication, marketing, safety, and maintenance decisions shape who feels welcome. The session highlights a spectrum of accessibility, from low-cost improvements to fully developed sensory-friendly spaces.

Kirstin Kot – University of Calgary
Taylor Robinson – University of Calgary

3:00 PM

This session takes inclusive educators into crip cyberspace, sharing research into resistant pedagogy within online neurodivergent community. Using critical discourse analysis, this research collected three months of TikTok posts made by self-identified neurodivergent individuals, to examine online neurodivergent community through the lens of “crip liberatory pedagogy.” This lens is informed by the principles of disability justice, Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed, and Kafai (2021)’s discussion of education within disabled, queer of color community. Session participants will gain ideas for fostering inclusion within their educational spaces grounded in the pedagogical methods and curricular content of neurodivergent community on social media.

Andrea Parente, JD – Temple University
Isabella Ramirez de Arellano, MA