Join us for a special virtual edition of our annual celebration and fundraising event from Thursday, November 12 through Sunday, November 15th. [[link removed]] We’re so excited to share the gala with disability community members and allies from across the country and around the world, who usually wouldn’t be able to attend in-person.
We’re happy to announce the panelists who will be joining us for our panels on LGBTQ rights and racial justice!
Colorful swirls come from a microphone underneath photos of the panelists. Their names are above their photos, from left to right: Sandy Ho, Mariah Person, Max Barrows, Lydia X. Z. Brown, and Héctor Manuel Ramírez. Text at the top reads “2020 Virtual Gala” and “Racial Justice & Neurodiversity Panel” [[link removed]]
This summer, widespread protests against police violence drew renewed national attention to racial injustice. The stories of Matthew Rushin [[link removed]] and Neli Latson [[link removed]] remind us of the disproportionate effect of police violence on Black autistic people. The disability community must work to end police violence and systematic racism — and understanding the intersection of racism and ableism is an important part of that work. Join us to learn from disabled advocates of color as we discuss topics like health care disparities facing people of color, anti-racism work in the neurodiversity movement and more.
Sandy Ho is a research associate with the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, as well as a community organizer in the Boston area focused on disability justice and intersectionality. She is the founder of the Disability & Intersectionality Summit. Sandy is a disabled Asian-American queer woman.
Mariah Person received their official autism diagnosis at the age of 25, in July 2019. They are an aspiring dance movement therapist, intending to help people to heal and develop through movement, and help others understand the significance of stimming. Currently, they create accessibility-conscious curriculums for their dance/creative movement students. Mariah is still on the recovery end of burnout & is exploring how they can be of use to communities again. Last year, they put on their first "autistic space" event called Express Unbound, and are looking forward to continuing creating autistic-led accessible social spaces in the future.
Max Barrows is Outreach Director for Green Mountain Self-Advocates, a position he has held since 2007. He mentors youth and adults with developmental disabilities to speak up for themselves and become leaders. Max connects with people on all levels advocating for true-inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. In his work, he advances the message that when you meet an individual with a disability, presume competence. He received a White House Champions of Change award for this work in 2015. On a personal level, Max has a very high interest in extreme weather and he likes to watch college and professional sports.
Named one of the most impactful Asians in America by Gold House Foundation, Lydia X. Z. Brown is an internationally recognized disability justice advocate and attorney whose work has focused on interpersonal and state violence against multiply-marginalized disabled people living at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, nation, and language. They are Policy Counsel for Privacy and Data at the Center for Democracy and Technology; Adjunct Lecturer in Disability Studies at Georgetown University; Director of Policy, Advocacy, & External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; and founder and volunteer director of the Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color's Interdependence, Survival, and Empowerment.
Héctor Manuel Ramírez is an Autistic Chiricahua Apache and Mexican Two Spirits person that lives in Yaanga, Tongva-Los Angeles, CA the ancestral lands of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. He is a disability rights advocate & board member for the National Disability Rights Network & Disability Rights California.
The panel will be moderated by Noor Pervez.
Colorful swirls come from a microphone underneath photos of the panelists. Their names are above their photos, from left to right: Vivian Ly, Annie Segarra, Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán, John Marble, and Donnie TC Denome. Text at the top reads “2020 Virtual Gala” and “LGBTQ Rights & Neurodiversity Panel” [[link removed]]
Many autistic people are also lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ), and our overlapping communities share many challenges [[link removed]] and goals. In this panel, we’ll hear from autistic LGBTQ people about intersectionality, accessibility in queer spaces, representation, and more.
Vivian Ly is an Autistic, disabled, queer, Cantonese settler on Coast Salish territory who dreams of a world where no one is left behind. Vivian's work with Autistics United Canada focuses on disability justice, community care, and Autistic-led policy and research. While studying neuroscience at SFU, Vivian creates campus change with the SFU Disability and Neurodiversity Alliance.
Annie Segarra, also known as Annie Elainey, is an American YouTuber, artist, and is a vocal advocate for disability and LGBTQIA+ rights. Segarra uses she and they pronouns, is queer, Latinx, and disabled, advocates for accessibility, body positivity, and media representation of marginalized communities.
Victoria M. Rodríguez-Roldán is the Senior Policy Manager for AIDS United, where she brings her own unique intersectional specialties to the fight against the HIV epidemic. Particular areas of expertise and focus are the intersections of issues affecting people living at the intersections of transgender identity, disability and mental illness through a social justice lens. She currently serves in the board of directors of HIPS, an organization dedicated to harm reduction for sex work and drug use in the District of Columbia and of Equality New York, the Empire State’s leading LGBTQ equality organization. Victoria holds a B.A. in psychology with honors from the University of Puerto Rico, and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. She lives in the Washington, DC area.
John Marble is the founder of Pivot and is a writer and speaker on innovation, autism, and neurodiversity. In 2009, he was appointed by President Obama to the United States Office of Personnel Management. There, his work focused on workforce development, innovation, and incorporating into government services the best practices and thinking of Silicon Valley. In addition to his White House service, he has served as an advisor and aide to Secretary Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry, and Vice President Al Gore. John lives in San Francisco. He is autistic.
Donnie TC Denome (they/them) is a gay, non-binary, semi-speaking autistic advocate, an award-winning journalist, and a freelance graphic designer. They are currently a Master's of Public Health student whose research and advocacy focuses on improving health outcomes for autistic adults and adults who use AAC.
The panel will be moderated by Samantha Crane.
We look forward to hearing from our panelists at our annual gala and hope that you can come celebrate with us! [[link removed]]
We ask that our gala attendees donate if they are able, but no donation will be required to attend our virtual gala events. Proceeds will support our advocacy work and programs for the coming year, and allow us to continue working to empower disabled people across the country.
Master of Ceremonies: Nicole Cliffe
Transitions to Adulthood panelists : Jordyn Zimmerman, Ivanova Smith, Brent White, Hari Srinivasan, and Ashley Mabry
Ask a Non-Autistic Person panelists : Allegra Heath-Stout, Emily Ladau, Patrick Cokley, Elena Hung, and Maria Town
Harriet McBryde Johnson Award for Nonfiction: Hannah Gadsby
Ally of the Year Award: Michelle Bishop
More honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
You can RSVP to our Facebook event [[link removed]] and invite your friends!
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
PO Box 66122
Washington, DC 20035
United States
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