Who We Are
Autistic Pride Chattanooga is an autistic-led grassroots 501(c)(3) committed to building communities where neurodivergent people can exist safely, joyfully, and "unmasked." Our structure centers a Neurodiverse Advisory Panel, ensuring that lived experience guides every decision we make. We coordinate an ARFID and food insecurity project that connects families with resources and advocates for systemic change. Through collaboration with educators, universities, mental health providers, medical professionals, small businesses, artists, theaters, art centers, law enforcement, and other public or government entities, we’re creating spaces throughout Chattanooga that center Autistic Pride, joy, and culture—spaces where we are not othered, but honored.
We are Autistic Adults who are proud of our Neurodiversity
Our Mission
We Amplify, Center, and Empower Autistic Voices—not only in conversations about autism, but in every conversation where humanity, justice, and imagination belong.
What We Believe
We believe that autistic and neurodivergent people deserve spaces where safety, dignity, and unmasking are possible. Autistic culture, communication, and ways of being are valid, meaningful, and worth celebrating. Lived experience is expertise, and the people most affected by decisions should guide them. We view accessibility as a baseline, not an afterthought, and we build systems that reduce pressure, honor autonomy, and make participation possible for a wide range of needs. Our work is rooted in community care, mutual support, and the understanding that collective change happens when autistic people are centered, respected, and heard.
What We Stand For
Autistic identity is not something to fix, but to honor. We believe that being autistic is not a deficit or a problem to be solved—it is a way of being that deserves respect and celebration. Neurodiversity is part of human diversity, and every mind brings something valuable to the world. When we say we affirm: being autistic is a good thing, we mean it wholeheartedly. It is a declaration of pride, a rejection of stigma, and a reminder that autistic lives enrich our communities in countless ways.
Our commitment is to create spaces where autistic people can show up as themselves—without apology, without "masks," and without fear of being misunderstood. We stand for curiosity, compassion, and collaboration, and we invite others to join us in reshaping the narrative around autism.
Autistic Pride Day
One of the most powerful ways we share this message is through Autistic Pride Day. This global, autistic‑led celebration is more than an event—it is a tool for visibility, affirmation, and change. In Chattanooga, Autistic Pride Day gives us a chance to embody what we stand for: to take up space, to celebrate identity, and to show our community that autistic people are not only present, but proud. It is a moment when our values come alive, when the principles we hold are expressed in joy, connection, and collective imagination.
Vision
Our vision is a community where autistic people are respected, supported, and unapologetically ourselves, with Autistic Pride Day, education, advocacy, mutual aid, and community events.
Invitation
We welcome you into this movement with openness and care. Whether you are autistic, neurodivergent, or an ally, your presence matters. You don’t have to arrive with expertise or answers—just a willingness to listen, learn, and share in community. Together, we are building a culture rooted in respect, joy, and pride—one where every voice is valued and every person belongs.
This invitation is not symbolic; it is real. We want you alongside us as we imagine new possibilities, celebrate autistic identity, and work toward a Chattanooga where difference is honored. Your ideas, your energy, and your support can help shape a future where autistic people are respected, supported, and unapologetically ourselves.
Neurodiverse Advisory Panel (NAP)
At the center of this work is our Neurodiverse Advisory Panel (NAP). The panel is made up of autistic adults whose lived experience guides every decision we make. It is not an add‑on or a committee—it is the heart of our mission. When we say we Amplify, Center, and Empower Autistic Voices, the NAP is how we do it. Every program, every partnership, every initiative begins with the voices of autistic people themselves. The panel ensures that our work is not about autism, but led by autistic and neurodiverse people, for autistic and neurodiverse people.
Through the NAP, Autistic Pride Chattanooga embodies the principle that neurodiverse identity is something to honor. It is our compass, our accountability, and our source of strength.
Stay Connected or Join Us
We are building a vibrant autistic and neurodivergent community both online and in real life. You are welcome to join our Discord server or our Facebook group, and you can follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok. We host regular virtual hangout events, coffee meet‑ups, and unique one‑off community gatherings throughout the year. However you choose to connect, you are invited to be part of a growing community rooted in pride, care, and shared experience.
Meet Our Leaders
These are some of the autistic and neurodivergent community members who guide Autistic Pride Chattanooga with lived experience, integrity, and a commitment to building spaces where our community can exist safely, joyfully, and "unmasked."
Camille Winningham
Camille Winningham is the Chair of Autistic Pride Chattanooga. She identifies as self‑diagnosed, actually autistic, and brings years of lived experience, community care, and grassroots organizing to this work. After supporting the international Autistic Pride Day movement for years, Camille had the idea to bring an autistic‑led Autistic Pride Day celebration to Chattanooga. She is helping initiate this effort alongside our leaders to build a local space rooted in autistic culture, joy, and community leadership.
Chair
Deborah Bond
Neurodiverse Advisory Panel Liaison
Deborah Bond serves as the liaison for our Neurodiverse Advisory Panel, ensuring that autistic and otherwise neurodivergent community members directly shape the direction of Autistic Pride Chattanooga. As NAP Liaison, Deb facilitates communication between our leadership and the panel, supports members in sharing their ideas and concerns, and helps translate community insight into concrete action. She identifies as AuDHD and brings the lived experience of raising a child with ARFID, which also informs her stewardship of the first Safe Food Fridge in our Autistics for Safe Food program. Deb’s work helps keep APC accountable to the people we serve and grounded in the realities of our community.
Alison VanWinkle
Treasurer
Alison VanWinkle serves as the Treasurer of Autistic Pride Chattanooga. She has been an advocate in our local autistic community for over a decade, offering steady support, perspective, and encouragement to autistic people and their families. As someone who experiences sensory overwhelm but still loves a good market festival or concert, Alison understands firsthand the challenges of navigating public spaces in our lively Chattanooga. She brings that lived experience into her leadership, helping ensure that our work remains grounded in accessibility, sensory awareness, and community care.
Patti Rangel
Secretary
Patti Rangel serves as the Secretary of Autistic Pride Chattanooga. She has been a steady resource to the autistic community for years, offering guidance, support, and practical knowledge drawn from lived experience. Patti is deeply informed in how to self‑accommodate in activities of daily living and self‑care, and she brings that insight into her work with APC. Her presence helps ensure that our organizational processes remain grounded, accessible, and responsive to the real needs of our community.
Our Ambassadors
Ambassadors are the welcoming presence of Autistic Pride Chattanooga. They help our work stay connected to our values and to one another, keeping the whole thing grounded and human. Each Ambassador tends to a specific part of our mission, offering clarity, care, and steady attention to the places where our community needs it most. They help us notice what matters, strengthen relationships, and carry forward the kind of work that lets neurodiverse people feel seen, supported, and at home in this movement.
St. Jude Afolake Olubodun
St. Jude Afolake Olubodun is Autistic Pride Chattanooga’s Intersectional Justice Ambassador. He is a Black, autistic, disabled, trans single parent and one of the most respected voices in today’s neurodiversity affirming movement. His work is rooted in lived experience, harm reduction, and transformative justice, and he brings clarity, compassion, and truth to every space he enters. As our Intersectional Justice Ambassador, St. Jude helps us stay aligned with the realities faced by marginalized autistic people. He guides APC in noticing where our structures need care, where our community needs protection, and how we can move with integrity, consent, and dignity. His leadership strengthens our commitment to building a neurodiverse community where people who have been pushed to the margins can feel seen, supported, and at home.
Carrie Bryant
Carrie Bryant is Autistic Pride Chattanooga’s Volunteer Ambassador. She is someone who shows up for our community and for Chattanooga at large, often before anyone even asks. Carrie notices what others miss, solves problems quietly, and creates the kind of steady, human support that helps volunteers feel safe, welcomed, and able to participate in ways that match their strengths and capacity. She cares for our volunteers with real attention, making sure people have what they need, feel supported in the ways that work for them, and never feel pressured to take on more than they can hold. Carrie helps people find roles that fit who they are and fosters the flexible, strengths‑based spirit at the heart of volunteering with Autistic Pride Chattanooga. Her presence strengthens the core of our neurodiverse community and helps people feel at home in the work.
(706) 406-1026
Intersectional Justice Ambassador
Volunteer Ambassador
