Aspis Rencontres, a new Montreal non-profit organization, held its first fair featuring artists, artisans and entrepreneurs with autism.
The unique event offers a chance for people living on the spectrum to showcase their outstanding work and initiatives.
“It makes me proud to show my art and to be an autism advocate,” said Kenza Deschenes-Kherchi, a jewelry artist participating in the fair.
Deschenes-Kherchi is within the autism spectrum, as are most people running the kiosks at the fair. She wants visitors who stop by to take the time to get to know her.
“To see that people with autism have talents; they are not just autistic people, they have talents,” Deschenes-Kherchi said.
The fair is organized by Sylvain Bernier, founder of Aspis-Rencontres.
The non-profit hosts weekly meetings with neurotypical people and those who are within the autism spectrum.
The initiative was sparked by Bernier’s recent Aspergers diagnosis.
He says his diagnosis helped him understand why, even though he’s had a successful career as a university teacher, he’s always had issues interacting with others in the workplace.
He said he wants to prevent others from having to struggle needlessly, for “youngsters to get this experience in this safe environment and be ready to fight the world, because it’s a fight.”
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He wants others to make an effort to understand neuro-divergent people like him, people whose brains are just wired a little differently.
“Come and see that autism is not like ‘Rain Man’ or anything that they see on TV,” Bernier said.
Marie-Ève Lefebvre, a Université de Montréal autism researcher, agrees. She says it’s important for neurotypical people to be open.
“It’s part of the social inclusion that is every day life,” Lefebvre says. “Having opportunities like that, to be more and more normal, it just makes it easier for them.”
As for Deschenes-Kherchi, she wants everyone to understand that even though we are all different, we can always find common ground.
“Sometimes people are scared of people with autism but they shouldn’t be scared,” Deschenes-Kherchi said. “They should be able to create connection, because we’re good people.”