Two women who were brought together through their different parenting experiences with autism are among the keynote speakers at a major conference being held in the capital city today.

Embracing Neurodiversity will explore the many issues, challenges, and wonders experienced within the autism spectrum.

Americans Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards are the authors of “I Will Die On This Hill” which outlines what they’ve learned and are continuing to learn about autism.

Jules of Minnesota is an autistic parent, while Meghan of Virginia is the mother of two autistic children who met in an online forum.

Jules Edwards says she and Meghan came from two different perspectives, but eventually came together toward a mutual goal.

She admits “we were definitely not on the same page initially” but “over time we got to know each other” and found a number of topics on which they were passionate including communication, accessibility and inclusion. Edwards says their approaches to those topics were different, but they found a path for other people with different perspectives to come together toward a similar outcome.

Executive Director of the Autism Society, Paul Walsh says today’s conference has a wide range of speakers with important messages about neurodiversity.

“Everything to do with the disability community….is driven by the expression ‘nothing about us without us’,” says Walsh. As a result they’ve brought together an amazing team of people to reflect what they’re hearing in the community.

Embracing Neurodiversity is underway today at MUN’s Signal Hill campus.