Dear Readers:

I am deeply concerned and dismayed about the prevailing "white" image of autism portrayed by the Autism Society (AS), especially in the staging of their Annual Conferences.  

The upcoming Orlando Conference, like others before it, has workshops whose content lacks any reference to issues of race,ethnicity and culture. Also, the conference presenters (speakers) are persons, "experts" who  largely are representative of the "white" race. (See the pixs on the AS Orlando Conference web-site)

The Orlando Conference workshops are void of content that reflects and/or directly addresses the cultural and or cross-cultural dynamics that impact autism in such areas as medical diagnoses, the values, beliefs and mores related to issues of treatment and threapeutic interventions, culturally-sensitive/culturally-appropriate testing/evaluative and research methodologies, tools, community education, and I could go on and on.

Likewise, each year the conference presenters/speakers continue to reflecta very visible lack of racial minority representation. Am I to believe that the Autism Society is incapable of locating and recruiting such "experts," or that there are no such "experts" from racial minority backgrounds with professional qualifications, work experiences, or even with  lived experiences among the growing numbers of non-white persons with autism, or non-white parents of a child or children with autism? 

Maybe , the Autism Society just continues to perceive racial minority people as mere atendees at such conferences. Yet, as some of my collegues have pointed out, one has to look very hard to find the visible reflection of attendees from non-white and/or diverse race and cultural backgrounds at such conferences.

Perhaps, the absence of such representation is in direct relation to the image that the Autism Society portrays in its public documents/promotional materials, as well as in their conference proceedings, with those who are invited to officiate at such conferences and the Society's other major events.

Some may say that autism is colour-blind. However, if you are a racial minorty person dealing with autism in Euro-American "white" communities, you would be very aware of "differences" that goes beyond being simply "different" as a result of autism.   

The Autism Society needs to confront the reality that in the USA, Canada and across the American continent, the increasing growth of the non-white population will  continue to produce corresponding increases in the non-white Autism population. This is a reality that the AS should not continue to ignore, deny or easily downplay.

As an organization that prides itself as being in the vanguard of the autism battle that is about "the different" and about "differences," I continue to hold out the hope that the Autism Society would demonstrate leadership, the will and commitment to reflect and respond to the issue of difference as it relates to the issues of race, culture and autism.  

Weeks ago,  I have written a similar letter to Ms. Kate Simmons, President of  the Autism Society's and have failed to receive a response. 

I wonder if other non-white persons with autisms, parents and other concerned individuals share this perspective. I would be very interested in hearing other perspectives on this matter.

Yours truly, 

Leyland Gudge, Parent of a 21 years old daughter with autism.