When Mamta Mishra’s son Parag was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she felt alone and unsure where to begin. She prayed daily and she did everything she knew to do. She relied on her husband for support and slowly began building a tribe of people who would be there for her and her son.
That was over 20 years ago. Now, Mishra has a degree in special education and is an outspoken advocate for people with ASD. Her goal is to bring awareness to the amazing things people with ASD can do if they have the right tools and the right teachers.
Parag, who is now 30 years old, is a crafty and artistic young man. He makes skin care products using natural materials and sells them in local stores and online. He also made candles in the past, but he is taking a break from that skill at the moment. He also took up painting in recent years. He began painting in abstracts before he started bringing landscapes to life on canvas.
Mishra is a proud mother and enjoys showing off the paintings Parag completes. He uses just about any tool he can to get the canvas to look just right. Sometimes a fork to create trees, sometimes the handle of paintbrushes to add details, other times he will take his mother’s shower loofah to sponge on layers of colors to create flowers.
Mishra tells Parag’s story often as a way of showing what individuals with ASD can do. She is helping other parents and caregivers learn about the disorder and how they can best care for people with it. She specifically hopes to teach others about the importance of vocational training for people with ASD.
That is why she began hosting conferences in Gadsden to bring awareness and to help teach parents, caregivers and others in the community how to best assist people with ASD. She also began a foundation called Autism Foundation of Gadsden Alabama.
“Our goal is to bring hope and happiness for people with autism and their families,” Mishra said. “I want people to know they have support and to know what all is possible. People like Parag can do wonderful thing when given the right encouragement and tools.”
Parag, who at one time was considered “non-verbal,” now has an ever-growing vocabulary, and can vocalize when he wants to take a trip to McDonald’s for one of his favorite treats – French fries.
Mishra said that Parag’s growing ability to speak has been something they have worked on for years, one word at a time.
This year’s conference will focus on the well-being of caregivers, as well as safety issues in emergency situations involving people with ASD.
Attendees who are medical professionals, first responders or teachers can claim up to six hours of continuing medical education or continuing education units for attending the conference.
For teachers in the Gadsden City School system, the conference also counts as a variance day (an in-service day for teachers that usually happens during the summer), thanks to Superintendent Keith Blackwell’s support of the local autism foundation.
“This gives educators an opportunity to attend a high quality cross professional conference and enjoy the summer vacation seamlessly,” Mishra said.
Mishra also said that Sharon Maness, director of special education at Gadsden City Schools, has been a huge supporter, as well.
The target audience is not limited to just educators, though. Mishra wants caregivers, social workers, first responders, medical professionals and family members to attend.
This year’s conference will be held Saturday, April 19 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Venue at Coosa Landing. The theme this year is “Together We Can Make A Difference.”
The cost to attend is $70 per person and the registration fee includes a light breakfast and a boxed lunch, as well as access to the full agenda. Those who cannot attend in person have the option of attending virtually.
Special speakers will be Dr. Anthony Metcalfe, Dr. Shekhar Saxena, Chief Jarrett Williams, Kuryn Wheeler and Mishra. The speakers will cover a wide variety of topics such as the role of families, emergency issues, importance of social stories, wellness for caregivers, and more.
There will also a be a questions and answers panel at the end of the conference which will feature all guest speakers.
For more information, visit www.asdofgadsden.org or email info@asdofgadsden.org.
