by Roger J. Jou, MD, MPH, PhD
The Autistic Pride Day Extravaganza & Car Show will take place Tuesday, June 18, 2019 from 5pm-9pm at the JCC of Greater New Haven (360 Amity Rd, Woodbridge, CT 06525). Project CASY (Community Autism Socials at Yale) will be hosting this event in partnership with Autism Resources & Services Connecticut (ASRC) and the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Greater New Haven.
While Autistic Pride Day is not new, the Extravaganza & Car Show is a new concept. The general theme of the event is autism acceptance which includes both self-acceptance and acceptance from the world community. The latter is expressed through the event itself which is an inclusive social recreation event for all persons: autism spectrum, neurotypical, or those with other neurodevelopmental / neurocognitive differences. It is a celebration of these differences and how they enhance shared enjoyment in myriad social recreation activities. In addition, self-acceptance is creatively expressed through a series of enthusiastic speakers who are on the autism spectrum but have different communication styles.
Below is a tentative summary of the evening of June 18 from 5pm - 9pm:
5-6pm: Signing in and settling in; casual meet, greet, and eat. Starting at 5pm, there will be a special resource fair lasting until 9pm. Exhibitors are professionals dedicated to serving the autism community and will present their work to interested individuals. Weather permitting, we anticipate a large sensory-friendly car show in the side parking lot. Show cars of all years, makes and models are welcome.
6-7pm: Event hosts will give opening remarks and introduce our keynote speaker Andrew Komarow founder of Planning Across the Spectrum [https://planningacrossthespectrum.com]. After the keynote, hosts will introduce the next segment which includes a series of brief talks given by various adults on the autism spectrum. Around 7pm, JCC staff will give a brief visual presentation for facility orientation and location of the evening’s many activities.
7-9pm: Social recreation activities throughout JCC’s facility. The facility has many rooms and sections that enable conducting numerous activities in parallel. Here is a tentative list: mini golf, paddle ball, climbing wall, Playscape, CASY video game arcade, tabletop games, CASY speed-friending, crafting workshop, story time for children, playground for children, fitness education, sensory toys for children, quiet room for adults, quiet rooms for children, and conversation space. Please note this list is subject to change. Attendees can also visit with exhibitors in the resource fair and socialize/network along the exhibitor corridor, café and lounges. Of note, all exhibitors are asked to donate a door prize which they will raffle off before the end of the night. While participation in the raffle is free for attendees, there are specific rules for participating which will be announced at the event.
Project CASY membership and hosted events are free. Neither membership to Project CASY nor JCC of Greater New Haven is required to attend this event. Admission is free, but please RSVP at your earliest convenience. Guests are welcome, but please be sure to include them in your RSVP. There is plenty of free parking available at the JCC of Greater New Haven. The location is easily accessible by public transportation.
Project CASY is sponsored in part by The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Adult Autism Research Fund, a generous gift from the Rosen family, and the research/clinical practice of Dr. Roger Jou at the Yale Child Study Center. As always, please consider sharing with your community or network.#ProjectCASY
YOU’RE INVITED!
Autistic Pride Day EXTRAVAGANZA & CAR SHOW
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
5pm-9pm @ JCC of Greater New Haven
Free admission, RSVP required
More info, updates, and RSVP:
www.meetup.com/ProjectCASY/events/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2260331370900795/?ti=ia
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/autistic-pride-day-extravaganz…
Contact: roger.jou@yale.edu or 203-927-3970 (talk/text)
