Autism Adventures Abroad’s First Conference (in Arizona)

It’s great to see things moving forward leaps and bounds in my quest to establish myself professionally in the travel sector as an Autism Expert. While it may not feel like it, it certainly has been a varied and interesting journey in a short space of time. Since the website launched in May of this year (2022) I have had a handful of press trips, numerous guest articles and several invaluable connections – one of which led me to this point. A few months ago, back in Europe, I began the preliminary stages of a partnership with Tourism Diversity Matters (TDM). They were “Founded as the collaborative leader of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and concepts that can address the gaps of ethnic disparities (as well as those of disabled and LGBTQ+ communities) and provide decision-makers in the tourism and events industry access, resources, and tactics to develop more effective Diversity & Inclusion strategies that will engage and retain a diverse workforce.”

My Google search seemed to have paid off, as I have been continuously looking for like-minded individuals and businesses to establish mutually beneficial partnerships.

Following several conversations, I was invited to Mesa, Arizona as a guest speaker for part of Mesa’s final DEI assessment outcome. For those that do not know, Mesa was the world’s first city to be Autism Certified by the IBCCES (International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards).  The process of achieving certification is not easy, as it requires various integral sectors of the city to be trained efficiently in accessibility and inclusivity towards autistic patrons – of course, this extends way past the realms of tourism businesses, focusing on the city itself as a tourist destination.

Separate to the opportunity that presented itself via Tourism Diversity Matters, I had been writing guest articles for the IBCCES’ travel site since just before my website launched. It is satisfying to see the dots beginning to join.

The whole structure for my part of TDM’s presentation in Mesa was agreed well in advance, which allowed me to prepare adequately and avoid any extra stress. I was asked to introduce myself and Autism Adventures Abroad. This was followed by a question-and-answer session with TDM.  We had agreed on those questions on call with another team member the month prior, so I just had to prep my answers. The questions were well-rounded, and I was confident that I raised some very good points in my answers.  The last part was a Q&A with the audience for about 5 minutes.  This tested me the most because, of course, I had no idea what was going to be asked or whether I could answer them.

Anyone that knows me will know that I have suffered badly from stage fright since an early age and talking in front of people was something I had actively avoided.  The whole presentation was in front of the audience (about 25 people).  I carefully prepared notes to look at should my mind freeze up, and while I focused heavily on the notes at the start of my introduction, I then found that I had enough authority and passion about the contents of my presentation to begin speaking confidently about the contents. Oddly enough, I was able to look more at the audience than I would normally find myself able to. By the time the Q&A started, I was feeling confident enough – and I felt I was able to answer all the questions fully (as they were all questions that either related to my experience or the autistic experience as a whole).

I have previously said I wanted to develop my public speaking abilities – something that doesn’t come naturally to someone who is autistic.  I wasn’t sure if I had the ability to make it happen, but now I feel a lot more confident to say yes should I get offered other engagements.

While I had minimal time to explore Mesa as a tourist, it was a fantastic experience to see the inner workings of everything that brought them to this point in time as a forerunner in Autism inclusive travel, as well as getting to be part of a business trip to a new location and feeling like an active member of a team with relevant insights to share. This is something I have craved and, while it still isn’t a regular gig, it has opened my eyes to the possibilities should I finally move past the glass ceiling. About 85% of autistic adults in the world are unemployed (or not in regular employment), and I’m hoping my work can make a difference – even if it is only one person, my work will be worthwhile.

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