KINGSTON, Jamaica — Adverse weather and early logistical hurdles failed to derail a much-anticipated community-focused autism event held this past weekend, as organizers and attendees pushed forward with the “Learn. Play. Connect.” Autism Awareness Workshop to build stronger support networks for neurodivergent residents and their families. The gathering united hundreds of stakeholders from across the island, including caregivers, classroom educators, and local community leaders, all gathered with a shared goal of deepening public understanding of autism spectrum disorder and expanding accessible local resources.
The event was spearheaded by Shanique Nelson, who holds the title of Intercontinental Queen of Jamaica. Nelson drew from her own lived experience as a parent raising a child on the autism spectrum to design the workshop’s program, prioritizing real-world guidance and peer connection over abstract discussion. Though unseasonably heavy rainfall pushed back the event’s start time and forced minor adjustments to the planned schedule, organizers quickly adapted, and the rest of the day’s activities unfolded with almost no further disruption.
Per an official press statement from the organizing team, attendees arrived continuously throughout the day, engaging actively with a lineup of educational sessions and open conversations. Two leading local experts led core presentations: Laren Hartley, who shares an autism diagnosis, offered personal insights into what it means to live with the condition, while Peta-Gaye Forbes Robinson centered her talk on boosting public autism awareness, expanding formal community support systems, and sharing actionable, everyday strategies for families new to navigating autism-related challenges. Both presentations filled critical information gaps, leaving many first-time attendees with clear, practical guidance they had struggled to find elsewhere.
One of the day’s most anticipated components was a candid panel discussion made up entirely of parents raising autistic children. Moderated by Deidre Ferguson, the panel featured three caregivers — Esther Waugh, Sheriece Blake, and Darrion Blake — who opened up about their personal journeys, the unexpected joys and unspoken struggles of caregiving, and the gaps in public support that Jamaican families still face. Their honest sharing resonated deeply with attendees, many of whom reported feeling less alone in their own experiences after the discussion.
Local organizations stepped up to make the event possible, with Transformational Worship Centre donating both event space and full technical support for the day’s activities. Additional sponsorship and in-kind contributions came from four other local groups: The Party Vault, DABS Creative Designs, McIntosh Photography, and Classic Queen International Ja. To accommodate attending families, organizers also set up a fully supervised, child-friendly play area, which let kids engage in age-appropriate games and activities while caregivers participated in adult-focused workshop sessions.
In post-event comments, organizers emphasized that the workshop was never intended to be a one-off gathering. Instead, the core mission is to spark long-term cultural change: encouraging greater public awareness of autism, challenging harmful stigmas, and fostering far more inclusive community approaches to neurodiversity across Jamaica. Early feedback from attendees has already led organizers to begin planning similar workshops for other parishes across the island in the coming year.