Press Kit/ Media Page
Intro
Autistic Pride Day Chattanooga is part of a global Autistic Pride movement spanning more than 20 years. As one of the few celebrations of its kind in the United States, it is a rare Autistic and neurodiverse-led event, bringing this international tradition to Chattanooga and the Southeast for the first time.
June 20th
2026
Quick Facts
- Event: Autistic Pride Day Chattanooga
- Date: June 20, 2026
- Time: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Location: Chattanooga Downtown Public Library
- Admission: Free and open to the public
- Significance: Autistic-led organization hosting a rare Autistic and neurodiverse-led celebration
About the Event
Autistic Pride Day Chattanooga is a community-centered event designed by and for Autistic people. The event creates space for authentic expression and shared experience.
The event is structured as a “choose your own adventure” experience, inviting participants into Autistic community and culture through varied communication styles, different sensory experiences, and interactive, activity-based spaces.
Artistic expression and special interests take center stage, creating opportunities for connection that are not dependent on conventional social expectations.
Our Story
Autistic Pride Chattanooga
Autistic Pride Chattanooga began as a small group of friends sitting together over milkshakes, talking about a shared concern: the lack of understanding of the lived Autistic experience in our community. At the same time, we recognized something equally important—the joy, identity, and value in being Autistic and neurodiverse.
From the beginning, this work has been led by Autistic and neurodiverse people. Our entire board reflects that.
We started with a simple idea: bring Autistic Pride Day to Chattanooga. As part of a global movement spanning more than 20 years, this would be the first Autistic Pride Day in the Southeast and one of the few held in the United States. We imagined a small gathering—arts and crafts, a potluck, maybe a room in a community center or church. That would have been enough.
The community responded.
What began as a small idea has grown into a “choose your own adventure” event with more than 10 interactive experiences across four floors of the downtown public library. Alongside the event, our grassroots 501(c)(3), Autistic Pride Chattanooga, has grown with it.
That growth reflects the community itself. At the center is our Neurodiverse Advisory Panel, which helps guide the direction of our work. Our Autistics for Safe Food program provides mutual aid, practical support, and education. Our neuroDIVERSEcity initiative works with local businesses to expand understanding of the Autistic lived experience through materials created by Autistic people, and is growing into a broader neurodiverse coalition.
This work continues to be shaped by the people who are part of it.
Key Messaging
- Led by Autistic and neurodiverse people
- Centered on lived experience and identity
- Focused on community and connection
- Reflects diverse communication styles
- Creates space for Autistic culture in public life
Press Release
Autistic Pride Day Chattanooga Brings Global Autistic Pride Movement to the Southeast
CHATTANOOGA, TN — June 20, 2026
Autistic Pride Chattanooga will host the first Autistic Pride Day in the Southeast on June 20, 2026, at the Chattanooga Public Library. Part of a global movement spanning more than 20 years, the event is one of the few Autistic Pride Day celebrations in the United States and brings this international tradition to the region.
The event centers Autistic leadership, lived experience, and community connection. Designed by and for Autistic people, it invites participants into Autistic community and culture through varied communication styles, sensory experiences, and activity-based engagement.
“This event exists because Autistic adults who are proud of their neurodiversity exist,” said Camille Winningham, founder of Autistic Pride Chattanooga. “It should not be revolutionary to say we are proud of who we are. Neurodiversity is part of being human.”
Autistic Pride Day Chattanooga will take place from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM and is free and open to the public.
Thank You to Our Supporters
Our underwriters reflect the community that is bringing Autistic Pride Day to Chattanooga. This event exists because of collective support and shared investment in Autistic community and culture.
We offer full party support from start to finish, handling setup, creative details, and cleanup so families can stay present and enjoy the day without the stress of managing the moving parts.
An artist and crafter who brings hands‑on DIY fun to any event, creating moments of play, creativity, and connection.
The Uncle Iroh Team often shares that Uncle Iroh has been their guiding hero for years. They believe the world needs more gentleness, warmth, and steady wisdom, so they bring that spirit to every event. They create a calming space and offer tea to anyone who needs a quiet moment. If you see the Uncle Iroh Team out in the world, you’re welcome to join them for tea and a breath before continuing your adventure.
Chattooine is a charity costuming group founded in 2004 here in Chattanooga. Our mission is to spread happiness and joy through costuming, contribute to the local community through costumed charity and volunteer work, and encourage creativity while sharing the fun of pop culture and fandoms with others.
REconnect Nature School is a Nature-Immersive, Community-Facing, STEAM-Focused, Microschool for Middle and High School aged students.
Let's Reimagine Education Together. Our approach to education is rooted in the belief that by combining academics with real-world applications, we can prepare our students not only to excel academically but also to become compassionate stewards of this world. Through innovative projects that blend creativity with conservation, students develop a holistic understanding of the interconnectedness between themselves and the world around them.
Barking Legs Theater’s mission is to enhance the community by cultivating and mentoring diverse artists, presenters, and audiences in an accessible and creative environment. We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the work of contemporary performing artists in the Southeast and beyond.
We are committed to supporting and presenting work that challenges the barriers that inhibit new growth and exploration and that push outside the prescribed boundaries of the performing arts. We seek to serve the community through outreach programs, arts projects, and classes.
A group of nerds looking to blend culture and fun into food for every fandom to enjoy! Around here, they like to play with their food, offering multicultural cuisine with fandom flare that invites you to eat your fandom. Come out and join Nerdy4Food in celebrating autistic pride, one bite at a time. They’re the reason the 1st Autistic Pride Day in the Southeast even has a lunch adventure, and we’re grateful for the creativity and problem‑solving that made it possible. Follow them on social media to see the Autistic Pride Day menu as soon as they post it. Go ahead, play with your food!
Chattanooga Tabletop Revue is a charitable company dedicated to using the power of live performance and tabeltop gaming to make a difference. We produce high-energy, unscripted stage shows featuring talented improv actors, with 100% of proceeds going directly to support other charities and community organizations.
Our mission is simple: entertain, engage, and give back. Whether you're attending a live improv performance or rolling dice at a charity game night, you're helping support meaningful causes and strengthening community bonds—one show and one game at a time.
Kari Flowers is a yogi committed to making yoga accessible to all bodies and all nervous systems. Her practice is rooted in the belief that regulation belongs to everyone, and she brings a steady passion for sharing movement, breath, and grounding techniques that support people wherever they are. Kari’s approach centers inclusion, autonomy, and the simple truth that every nervous system deserves tools that help it settle and reconnect.
H*Art Gallery is a Chattanooga nonprofit that creates space for artists who are often overlooked, offering a platform where creativity, dignity, and community meet. Their mission centers artists who have experienced homelessness, disability, mental health challenges, or other barriers, and they provide the support, materials, and opportunities needed for those artists to share their work with the world.
The gallery operates with a simple belief: art is a form of connection, and everyone deserves access to it. Through exhibitions, community partnerships, and hands‑on support, H*Art Gallery uplifts artists whose voices and visions might otherwise go unseen. Their work brings depth, color, and humanity to every space they join.
Contact Us
Email: hello@chattautisticpride.org
Phone: 423-402-0079
Website: chattautisticpride.org
Social: @chattautisticpride
Thank you
Amplifying, Centering, and Empowering Autistic Voices
Autistic people belong in conversations about autism, and we are grateful to be part of that conversation.