Autistic Pride Chattanooga

05/21/2026

We have a waitlist of 4 right now for safe food request. Please help us meet these needs today. A little goes a long way. www.chattautisticpride.org/autistics-for-safe-food/

05/21/2026

05/21/2026

05/21/2026

When you allow autistic adults in the room

Every year, the International Society for Autism Research brings together the world’s leading autism scientists. This year, 2,400 researchers from 75 countries gathered in Prague for INSAR 2026.

The themes that dominated the conference reflect where the field is right now — and where the gaps are most urgent.

Mental health was front and centre. Study after study confirmed what the community already knows: anxiety and depression affect the majority of autistic people, and current interventions are failing. Researchers called for autism-specific mental health pathways as a matter of urgency.

Late and missed diagnosis was another major thread — particularly in women, non-binary people, and adults of colour, who continue to be diagnosed years or decades later than their white male counterparts.

Employment, housing, and ageing also featured prominently — the lifespan outcomes that the autism community has been asking researchers to prioritise for years.

And throughout the conference, a recurring call: include autistic people in the research process. Not as subjects. As collaborators.

2,400 researchers. 75 countries. One community watching closely.

But the real test is to see how quickly the solutions will be implemented.

Source: INSAR 2026 / Spectrum News

05/20/2026

Daryl Hannah was seven years old when doctors recommended she be institutionalised.

She was autistic. In the 1960s, that meant very little was understood about how her mind worked — and even less was done to support it.

Her mother refused.

Instead, Daryl found refuge in films. She would watch the same movies over and over, absorbing every detail, retreating into worlds she could control. It became an obsession. And eventually, a career.

Blade Runner. Splash. Steel Magnolias. Kill Bill.

Decades of work across Hollywood’s biggest films — all while managing severe social anxiety and sensory sensitivities that made red carpets and press days genuinely overwhelming.

She missed her own premieres. Turned down interviews. Was labelled difficult and antisocial by an industry that had no framework to understand her.

She didn’t speak publicly about her autism for years. When she finally did, she described it not as something to overcome — but as the very thing that made her extraordinary.

The same brain that struggled in Hollywood’s social world saw everything on screen with uncommon clarity.

Doctors wanted to remove her from the world. She spent her life showing it something it had never seen before.

Source: People / The Guardian

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

The Summer Snack Safe Food Drive
​With school out and programs like Summer EBT being cut, finding reliable food is harder than ever. For many in our community, especially those with ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder), safe foods are the essential, consistent staples that allow them to actually put fuel in their bodies.
​Often, these safe foods are items we consider snacks. The consistency of these specific foods is what makes them a reliable lifeline when other resources aren't available.
​We are hosting this drive to bridge the gap during a time of greater need. We are looking for snacks to help keep our community fueled and secure. While we appreciate any support, individual-sized bags and packs greatly help with distribution and provide the consistency needed for these safe foods.
​Items we are looking for (not an exhaustive list):
​Individual bags of chips, pretzels, or popcorn
​Single-serve cookie or cracker packs
​Fruit cups and pouches
​Granola and protein bars
​Individual mac-and-cheese or noodle cups
​How to Donate:
​Drop off items at: Portland Street Community Fridge (1710 Portland Street)
​Shop our Amazon Wishlist https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/10IVJVLNBDCZ0?ref_=wl_share
​Every donation helps ensure our neighbors have the reliable fuel they need this summer.

05/20/2026

The request board at the Portland Street Community Corner is filling up! We’re looking to restock some essentials, including drinks and frozen treats to beat the heat. Swing by and drop off what you can—every bit helps keep our neighbors fed!
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