Opening Doors for All: Accessibility & Neurodiversity in Fair Housing

Accessibility Keynote Speaker:

Samyuktha Neeraja

Samyuktha is a disability advocate and steward of DEIA+. Her presentation focuses on sharing her experiences as an Indian-Hindu American woman with dwarfism and how organizations can be more inclusive for people from minoritized backgrounds.

Samyuktha Neeraja, MPH, CAE, lives in the Chicago area and has worked in the association management industry for over 9 years. Her current position is the State Association Relations Manager at the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.

In addition, Samyuktha co-hosts the “A Little Perspective” podcast, which is a platform for lifting up voices from marginalized groups. She's co-authored the best-selling anthology, “A Little Perspective: Real Stories of Little Ladies", and is a member of the Association Forum Welcoming Environment Committee & the American Society of Association Executive (ASAE) Accessibility Task Force. Samyuktha is also the Immediate Past President of Benedictine University's Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Monica Cooper
Community Outreach Coordinator
FEAT of Louisville

A leading expert on neurodiversity, Monica Cooper will share valuable insights into the importance of embracing diverse cognitive abilities. Highlighting how understanding and supporting neurodivergent individuals can foster a more inclusive and innovative environment in both the workplace and society.

Monica will cover the benefits of recognizing neurodiverse perspectives, breaking down stereotypes, and implementing strategies to accommodate different ways of thinking. As a mother of three boys—Isaac (17), Ian (15), and Elijah (12)— Monica never imagined the challenges and triumphs that would come with raising children, two of whom have Autism.

Monica will also discuss The Autism Friendly Business Initiative (AFBI) through Feat of Louisville. The AFBI will equip your organization with the tools necessary to better serve the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) population.

Ryan Davis
VP of Culture
National Association of REALTORS®

As part of our Fair Housing & DEI Summit we will have our Brave Space segment once again.

A “brave space” is a place where people of all identities feel encouraged to speak freely, even if what they share is outside the norm, uncomfortable or challenging. This open dialogue is used to challenge personal biases and create room to learn from one another.

During this session, all questions will be submitted anonymously. No question will be off limits. Come with an open mind and challenge yourself to participate!

Our goal is that this discussion will lead to honest, understanding and informative feedback from our fellow attendees on how challenges and misunderstandings might be addressed. Topics on generational/cultural/religious/orientation differences, unfair housing, equality vs. equity, ageism, bias, micro-aggressions, etc., are expected to be discussed.