Education Rooted in Community and Courage: Spring 2025 at AuSM

At a time when autistic people are facing cuts to services and growing barriers to inclusion, AuSM’s education programs have never been more essential—or more impactful. This spring, our community came together in record numbers to learn, grow, connect, and reclaim what makes us strong. From our landmark 30th Annual Minnesota Autism Conference to affirming, future-focused workshops, we are proud to continue offering resources that are rooted in real-world relevance, neurodiversity-affirming practices, and autistic voices.

A Conference That Created Space—and Power

Our 30th Annual Minnesota Autism Conference was a reminder of just how powerful our community can be when we gather with purpose. Three phenomenal keynote speakers brought insight and inspiration, while hundreds of attendees shared space, stories, and solutions.

Here’s what some of them had to say:

“This is my second year attending the MN Autism Conference, and I’m so glad I came. I walked away with a reminder that I am not broken as an autistic person, and with strategies to help me thrive.”

“There are very few places in my daily life where I don’t feel excluded, misunderstood, or just completely drained from the constant advocacy required to simply exist… What surprises me each year I attend this conference is how emotional I feel just being in a space where I’m seen, heard, understood, and accepted.”

“Accessibility and accommodations were excellent. I deeply appreciate AuSM’s attentiveness in meeting participants where they’re at.”

“Thank you—life changing.”

As always, our focus was on creating a space where autistic people, families, and professionals could learn from one another in a setting that prioritized inclusion, clarity, and care.

Workshops That Meet You Where You Are

This year’s workshops have tackled essential, timely topics—and we’re just getting started. So far in 2025, we’ve held four successful sessions:

• Maximizing Your Disability Services helped individuals and families navigate systems and advocate for supports that align with their goals.

• What’s New With The Zones of Regulation gave educators and caregivers the tools to implement a research-informed, neurodiverse-affirming approach to emotional regulation.

• Policy Power: Advocacy Skills for an Inclusive Future empowered autistic adults and their allies to shape the policies that affect their lives.

• Neurodivergent Intimacy explored communication, consent, and connection through a lens that honored diverse identities and relationships.

Each session was designed to be accessible, engaging, and deeply relevant to the real lives of autistic people and those who support them.

What’s Next: Tech, Sex Ed, and AuDHD Insight

Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue offering powerful learning opportunities through the rest of the year:

• Tech That Works for You (June 26) will help people understand how to use assistive technology and remote support—and how to get them covered through their waiver.

• Demystifying “The Sex Talk” tackles the often-exclusionary ways sex ed is taught, and offers tools that empower autistic people and their support systems.

• Now and Venn explores the unique experiences of AuDHD individuals (those who are both autistic and ADHD) and offers strategies for self-understanding and thriving.

Click here to learn more about our upcoming workshops or to register.

AuSM’s education programming is growing, adapting, and evolving—but it’s always rooted in our mission: to enhance the lives of people in Minnesota’s autism community through education, advocacy, and support. Thank you for being part of that mission. We can’t wait to keep learning with you.