Anyone Going to The AAC Conference?

[bentHnau]

Association for Autistic Community

Is anyone planning to attend? Anyone wish they could attend?

 

[AgentPalpatine]

I have no plans to attend the conference this year, perhaps a different year. I am looking forward to hearing how the event went.

 

[Aspieistj]

I woukd definitely go if it were closer, just to see if I found it worthwhile. I would love a chance to interact with other Aspies but have no experience dealing with severe autism. I do know that I would try to be pleasant to someone profoundly affected, but I don't know anyone who is. My interest is in Asperger Syndrome and I would prefer to atttend a conference specific to AS. I hate the term "high functioning autism" because I feel it insults those with more severe autism. I sincerely wish the term Asperger Syndrome were still in the diagnosis of those on the spectrum.

 

[AgentPalpatine]

I woukd definitely go if it were closer, just to see if I found it worthwhile.

One area where I think Autreat (the event that AAC in many respects is following up on) was behind in was marketing the experience of attending. Those I know who attended were okay with it, but It seemed that getting marketing content out was beyond the ability of the organizers.

At this point in time, I don't know how AAC will do in marketing and outreach.

 

[AspieSam]

I went last yr. minus the menu ( which was awful), which thankfully is fixed now, for the first time this summer. It was pretty great! There were non Aspies there. But, most of us, were Aspies. I'm going again. Just not this summer. I was going to be a speaker. But, I decided to skip this summer. But, if it's in a doable location next yr. I'm defiantly going. It's pretty easy to just not hang around those you don't wish to associate with, most of the time. There are hundreds or nearly that of attendees. I'm not saying all the speakers were great. Because they weren't all great. But, what makes it so awesome is the community and how you can just be your quirky self. And people will respect you despite it. If not outright like or love you for it.

 

[AgentPalpatine]

There are hundreds or nearly that of attendees. I'm not saying all the speakers were great. Because they weren't all great. But, what makes it so awesome is the community and how you can just be your quirky self. And people will respect you despite it. If not outright like or love you for it.

AspieSam, thank you for the information. For what it's worth, you've given more information in the quoted 4 sentences than most.

Where do you think would be a "doable location" for the event?

 

[AspieSam]

Your welcome. I'm glad you found it jam packed with helpful detail. I often aim for that or something as equally impressive, when possible. Thanks for showing appreciation! As for your question that depends on to whom your asking. Doable for whom? Most of the US? Me? The whole world? The Aspies leading it? Whom? Regardless, it ideally should have great public transport to it and be somewhere sensory friendly. It should also be somewhere if kept in a very similiar set up that has very good if not great food. In my opinion. Last year, most of us were from the US. There were tops 10 ( I think a little less) international attendees. 1 from Japan or Korea, a few from Canada, and some english lady from England or London.

 

[AgentPalpatine]

Your welcome. I'm glad you found it jam packed with helpful detail. I often aim for that or something as equally impressive, when possible. Thanks for showing appreciation! As for your question that depends on to whom your asking. Doable for whom? Most of the US? Me? The whole world? The Aspies leading it? Whom? Regardless, it ideally should have great public transport to it and be somewhere sensory friendly. It should also be somewhere if kept in a very similiar set up that has very good if not great food. In my opinion. Last year, most of us were from the US. There were tops 10 ( I think a little less) international attendees. 1 from Japan or Korea, a few from Canada, and some english lady from England or London.

I could have phrased my prior post a bit better.

Are you indicating that California, PA does not have "great public transport"? One of the biggest issues I've read in the past about prospective attendees is that many found difficulty in arranging economical transportation out to the host location.

I know the event was previously held a few years ago outside of Philadelphia, but I don't know if there were any issues that led to the change in location. I suspect that such a location would encourage more attendees, but that also brings in the issues of how many attendees and pricing structures.

AutHaven (Colorado), in many respects, went a different route. AutHaven was designed as a smaller event, where costs were controlled by using existing community resources and donations as much as possible. Also, the event organizers arranged local transportation for anyone who could reach the Denver metropolitan area. It's a model that seems to show promise.

 

[AspieSam]

That's an understatement! Unless you drove or carpooled with someone most everyone else traveled threw Pittsburg. Then your only reliable easy way to get there was either a cab (expensive for 1 person) or rent a car. I took a bus. Most who didn't do a car or cab option( which was like no one) took a minimum of 3 buses from Pittsburg. And then waited around forever for someone from Autreat to come get them. Or too find strangers from Autreat to catch a cab with from the last bus stop. In the middle of basically nowhere. But, it was kinda close to Autreat then. My transportation to get there 1 way was a train. Followed buy a long bus ride. And then two small bus rides. I showed up super early and helped prep the week with others. After wandering around campus looking for my Autreat leader contact. Named Jim. Who at that point NEVER answered his phone despite my thorough direct communication prep with him on my arrival time and plan. Don't recommend my method. Also, the school maybe discontinuing summer bus access this summer according to what an agent told me last year from that bus company. However, my bus routes were cheap. It's not hard to get to Pittsburg from some places. But, it isn't cheap except via some bus routes. Hope that helps. It took me a lot of work to figure it all out. Amtrack goes to Pittsburg. So does some major bus companies. There's an airport somewhere kinda near it too.

 

[AspieSam]

Authaven is a lot smaller. I know about it. It had the ability for that sorta thing. It was shorter and more personal, kinda. So it can. Autreat is what

 

[AspieSam]

AAC is. Sorry, my tablet froze above. AAC is run buy a tiny staff. And has limited funds and capability's. Also, they try hard in priding themselves on a low cost for the week to run. And for every participant. Due to the population served. They also try hard to be sensory friendly and the Autreat team visits and approves personally every location before confirming each place. Last year, location, and the food menu type were my biggest negatives about it. Other then that it was pretty great. Some didn't mind the food. Many including me did however. These are atleast part of why they left the Philly location. ( not the food reason) the food was the way it was because of the guy who ran the week. He's no longer running it anymore. I made a mistake above. The leaders name I mentioned above was Stan not Jim. Jim was someone else there.

 

[paloftoon]

Is anyone going to Sept. 2016?