Attend the Own Your Difference Summit 2026
Where Neurodivergent Voices Matter
You Deserve More Than Awareness
You deserve understanding, connection, and practical tools that can create meaningful change.
Join us for the Own Your Difference Summit 2026, a live virtual experience bringing together neurodivergent voices, families, professionals, educators, advocates, and allies for a full day of honest conversations, valuable perspectives, and ideas you can use in real life.
Friday, October 23, 2026
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time
Live Virtual Event
EARLY-BIRD BOGO OFFER
Get two general admission tickets for only $20.
One purchase includes general admission for two people. Available during early-bird registration only.
Register for yourself and bring a family member, friend, colleague, partner, educator, or advocate at no additional cost.
This summit is designed for people who believe that different does not mean less.
It means worthy.
It means valuable.
It means needed.
It means there is room for every voice, every story, and every piece of the bigger picture.
Awareness Is Only the Beginning
Too many conversations about neurodiversity stop at awareness.
The Own Your Difference Summit goes further.
This summit is designed to help people move beyond surface-level conversations and gain a deeper understanding of what meaningful inclusion, support, advocacy, and belonging actually look like.
Throughout the day, you’ll hear personal experiences, professional insights, practical strategies, and honest conversations from people who are helping create change in families, schools, workplaces, healthcare settings, and communities.
You won’t leave with more empty words.
You’ll leave with new perspectives, practical ideas, and a stronger understanding of how each of us can help create a world where differences aren’t simply accepted, but understood, supported, and valued.
What You’ll Gain From This Experience
A Deeper Understanding
Hear perspectives that challenge assumptions, broaden understanding, and reveal what neurodivergent individuals and families may be experiencing beneath the surface.
Practical Ideas You Can Use
Discover strategies, resources, and approaches you can take into your home, workplace, classroom, organization, or community.
Meaningful Connection
Spend the day with people who understand the importance of belonging and are committed to creating spaces where more people have the opportunity to participate, contribute, and thrive.
What to Expect
The Own Your Difference Summit is more than a collection of presentations. It’s a day created to encourage learning, reflection, connection, and meaningful conversation.
You’ll experience engaging speaker sessions covering topics related to neurodivergence, advocacy, inclusion, personal growth, family support, education, employment, community, and belonging.
Your general admission ticket will also include access to a live panel discussion where speakers can explore important questions, share different perspectives, and continue conversations beyond their individual presentations.
Interactive breakout rooms may also be added to the final summit schedule, giving attendees additional opportunities to connect and participate in smaller conversations.
Because the summit is completely virtual, you can attend from wherever you feel most comfortable.
This Summit is for You
The Own Your Difference Summit welcomes:
Neurodivergent adults who want to hear experiences and perspectives that reflect the complexity of real life.
Parents and caregivers looking for greater understanding, encouragement, and practical guidance.
Educators, employers, healthcare professionals, service providers, and community leaders who want to provide more thoughtful and effective support.
Advocates and allies who are ready to move beyond good intentions and become part of meaningful change.
Anyone who believes people shouldn’t have to hide, shrink, or change who they are to feel that they belong.
You don’t need to be an expert on neurodiversity to attend. You only need a willingness to listen, learn, and see difference from a broader perspective.
Bring Someone into the Conversation
Some experiences are more meaningful when they’re shared.
That’s why our early-bird offer gives you two general admission tickets for only $20.
Bring someone who would benefit from these conversations. Invite a spouse, friend, parent, coworker, educator, manager, service provider, or community leader.
Attend together. Compare what stood out to each of you. Continue the conversations after the summit ends.
One purchase. Two attendees. One powerful day.
Co-Hosted by Susan Tatem and Julie Lavia
Susan Tatem and Julie Lavia created the Own Your Difference Summit to bring people together for conversations that are honest, practical, and capable of creating real change.
The summit brings together lived experience, professional knowledge, diverse perspectives, and a shared belief that difference shouldn’t prevent anyone from experiencing dignity, opportunity, support, or belonging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Own Your Difference Summit virtual?
Yes. The entire summit will be held online, allowing you to attend from your home, office, or another comfortable location.
When will the summit take place?
The summit will be held on Friday, October 23, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
What does the early-bird BOGO offer include?
One $20 purchase includes two general admission tickets to the live virtual summit.
How do I register my second attendee?
This will occur during the checkout process. You will need their name and email address.
Does general admission include the panel discussion?
Yes. General admission includes the speaker sessions and the live panel discussion.
Will there be breakout rooms?
Breakout rooms are being considered as part of the final summit experience. Details will be shared with registered attendees if they’re added to the schedule.
Is the summit only for neurodivergent attendees?
The summit is for neurodivergent people, families, professionals, educators, employers, advocates, allies, and anyone interested in creating greater understanding and more meaningful inclusion.
Your Difference Belongs in the Conversation
You don’t have to have all the right words.
You don’t have to understand every diagnosis, experience, or perspective before you attend.
Come ready to listen. Come ready to learn. Come ready to see what becomes possible when we stop asking people to fit into spaces that weren’t designed for them and start creating spaces where more people can belong.