Meet this week's guest editor, Ann Flippin, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Central Virginia (ASCV)! Ann leads a team of motivated staff members who are creating unique and inclusive programs and events all over the region for individuals and loved ones impacted by Autism–the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States. Along the way, she’s creating a movement we can all be part of. Ann’s been recognized by Style Weekly as a 2023 Top 40 Under 40 honoree, and in 2022 the Autism Society of America named the Central Virginia organization Affiliate of the Year.
This week, Ann serves up her recommendations for upcoming events and ways to celebrate inclusivity in this place we love to call home.
Take it away, Ann...
On the James
with Beyond Boundaries
My 32-year-old brother Jamie has autism, and we’ve participated in many ASCV programs together throughout our life. Recently, we enjoyed a pontoon boat ride on the James with fellow ASCV members. Jamie is never one to sit still, but as soon as the boat left the dock his demeanor shifted dramatically to calm and happy. It was the longest amount of time my brother and I have sat and enjoyed an activity together in years!
We are grateful to organizations like Beyond Boundaries and King Fish Boat Rentals who partner with us to make adventures like this possible for individuals with disabilities like my brother. You can see more inclusive programs here.
Vitals:
On the James / James River / Next Up: Rafting, July 28th, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
RVA Duck Race
& Festival of Inclusion
We’re hard at work getting our ducks in a row to create another memorable RVA Duck Race & Festival of Inclusion, Presented by CoStar Group, on August 5.
We were driven to take this longtime beloved Richmond event and add important elements to embrace neurodiversity and create accommodations so everyone in our local autism community can enjoy the festival - thus creating our “Festival of Inclusion.” We’ll feature community partners with activities, sensory zones & sensory rating scales, sign language interpreters, the quiet zone, and more. In addition, we have food trucks, beer, live music, entertainment, and of course, the iconic duck drop and race. Someone goes home with a $10,000 grand prize sponsored by fas mart®, among other unique local prizes. We invite all to come out and join us for a day of fun and inspiration on Brown's Island on August 5!
My kids and I recently attended one of the Children’s Museum’s Special Nights and got to experience the space exhibit “Moon to Mars.” They tried on space suits then build and launch their own rockets! The exhibit will be in town until August 13, so be sure not to miss it! The museum hosts its free “Special Nights” for families with children with disabilities on the third Friday evening of each month.
We are proud to include the Children’s Museum as one of our first partners in our newest program Autism Friendly Communities, made possible with a “Boost” Investment from the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond. Our staff collaborates with business partners to evaluate, adapt, and expand aspects of their business to make it more accessible to our local autism community. Next week, all four KidMed Pediatric Urgent Care centers will officially become designated “Autism Friendly Communities.” Saxon Shoes and The Children's Museum will complete the program and earn their designations next!
We envision an inclusive community where high-quality autism services and support are accessible to all. Our team aims to support, empower, and build connections to improve the lives of all in our local autism community.
Want to get involved? We are always seeking volunteers! You can make a tremendous impact in the lives of the individuals and families we serve. Whether individually or as part of a group, volunteers play a vital role in our mission.
Many volunteer opportunities involve working directly with the youth and families we serve, including mentoring and providing childcare monthly support groups. We also have volunteer opportunities for administrative office support and event support.
Meet this week's guest editor, Elizabeth Redford! Founder of Tablespoons Bakery and co-founder + executive director of the Next Move Program, Elizabeth has worked in the field of special education for the last 14 years. Elizabeth launched Tablespoons to serve as a job training and supported employment site for young adults with developmental disabilities. After its inception as a popular farmer's market stand in 2017, the bakery opened to the public in 2021 in a converted 1930s house in the Westover Hills neighborhood, just blocks away from the original market stand.
A speaker, consultant, advocate and curriculum developer, Elizabeth was named the 2017 Change Agent of the Year by Chamber RVA and was recognized on the 2018 Top 40 Under 40 list by Style Weekly. More recently, she was named the 2019 Distinguished Young Alumna by St. Catherine’s School, featured on the 2020 and 2022 Bold Women of Richmond Lists by Richmond Magazine, and awarded the RVA Power Women Award in the category of Higher Education for 2023.
When she’s not busy with all things Tablespoons, Elizabeth enjoys kayaking, antiquing, and walking her adorable pit bull, Violet. She lives with her family in Forest Hill, very close to the bakery.
This week, Elizabeth serves up her recommendations for upcoming events and ways to celebrate inclusivity in this place we love to call home.
Take it away, Elizabeth...
Sportable:
River City Rumble
The River City Rumble Wheelchair Rugby Tournament is the first of its kind in this region! It will be led by our friends at Sportable and will take place this weekend, July 14-16 at Highland Springs High School. Sign up to volunteer, or attend and cheer on the athletes! Teams from coast to coast will participate.
Vitals:
River City Rumble / Highland Springs High School / 200 S Airport Dr, Highland Springs / July 14-16, 2023
Humble Haven Yoga
Studio
I highly recommend dropping by and experiencing any of the class or program offerings at Humble Haven Yoga. Our friends and partners at the studio are launching a brand new yoga class for children with disabilities. We can't wait! They also regularly offer inclusive programming for our graduates.
Consider dropping by the Robinson Theatre Community Arts Center for a HIIT the Weights class (2 full body rounds + core + cool down stretch and breathe) with Brandy W. Stoney on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15 am – 7:00 am. You can also reach out to Brandy on Instagram @_beeesquad_ to schedule a private session. As the chief movement officer at Beee Squad, she's always ready to help get women, and especially women of color, into lifting and wellness.
Tablespoons is a nonprofit bakery that works each day to combat the 70% unemployment rate for young adults with developmental disabilities. We serve up job training and supported employment, in addition to a variety of cookies, sammies, muffins, cookie dough pies, and Ironclad Coffees. You can root our students on, see what's in the case that day or learn more about our mission on social media at @Tablespoonsbakery.
And, we have Cookie Club next week! Brand new flavors for July, including our take on Good Humor Popsicle flavors, will hit the case on July 18th.
Our larger non-profit, Next Move, also has the annual Capable Exhibition currently open at The Virginia Museum of History & Culture. The exhibition is open to the public and features portraits of adults with disabilities who live in Virginia and are making the Commonwealth better! It invites all of us to see a more inclusive future and celebrate the disability community. The annual campaign is live at @nextmoveprogram.
Meet this week's guest editor, Lauren Oakey! Lauren is a local children’s book author who published her first book, Waiting for Adeline, in 2021with Brandylane Publishing in Richmond. She's a UVA graduate who has worked mostly in nonprofits as well as lived overseas in both Italy and Switzerland. She moved to Richmond in 2005, and believes that the James River, the growing restaurant scene, and the VMFA are some of her finest assets. Lauren spends time writing personal essays for her blog, running her three children around (we can relate!!), and practicing yoga and photography when she can. Her second book, Adeline by the Sea, is out now!
This week, we're lucky enough to have Lauren make her personal recommendations for upcoming events and other ways to support the community around us, and celebrate this place we love to call home.
Take it away, Lauren...
Richmond Symphony
with No BS Brass
The Richmond Symphony does a beautiful job of combining the pieces we know and love from Beethoven and Mozart to exposing us to new composers and their music. The conductor helps keep the programming current by collaborating with the Richmond Ballet or inviting soloists with jaw-dropping talent, and she is an absolute joy to watch. I love getting dressed up, going out to dinner near the Carpenter Theater, and then going to the symphony by myself or with my husband. For July 4th, they will do the “Red, White and Lights” event with NO BS! Brass and a laser light show finale.
Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of childhood abuse and neglect. Its five main programs work to support children through advocacy, awareness, treatment and strengthening families. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, when SCAN hosts both the Blue & White Ball and the Progressive Dinner to raise funds to maintain and grow their programs. I have loved volunteering for these events and sitting on the Board, and working with the dedicated staff.
I first met Johnzelle in 2021, when he helped a family member work through a long-standing mental health issue. As a therapist, he is kind, authentic and effective. But he also works over-time as a stay-at-home parent to his daughter, and hosting the podcast, “Perfectly Imperfect: a podcast that explores mental health, especially for people of color,” where he highlighted my first book, Waiting for Adeline. Finally, he writes consistently on his blog, sends a weekly newsletter, and is working on a memoir. You can find him at Panoramic Counseling online or for in-person therapy sessions.
Vitals: Contact Johnzelle / For guidance, direction, and mental health support.
About Lauren's newest book - Adeline by the Sea
Adeline by the Sea is a book about what it means to be brave. The narrator, Henry, (or “Bones”) spends the day with his family at the beach, visiting with Grandpa, watching the purple martins from the wrap-around porch, and playing in the ocean with his sisters. But Henry has a protective spirit, and he keeps a close eye on his younger sister, Adeline. So when Adeline decides she wants to jump into the North Carolina sound, Henry must learn the important difference between protecting someone, and loving them enough to let go.
Like her first book, Adeline by the Sea was inspired by Lauren’s experience with her own children. She believes that her books are appropriate for both children and adults, and they make wonderful gifts! It is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.
Go
