Our Storytelling Festival, Neurodivergent Voices Live Finds a Champion in Parliament

A rare gift: a planning session with Sadik Al-Hassan, our North Somerset MP, who brings both personal understanding and parliamentary commitment to Neurodivergent Voices Live.

Today was one of those moments I will never forget, especially as an immigrant, it felt like an incredible opportunity to share how important it is to me not just to live in Bristol but to give back to the community here. I sat down with our local MP, Sadik Al-Hassan, to talk about Neurodivergent Voices Live, and he didn’t just nod politely — he said yes. Yes to writing us a letter of support that will strengthen our grant applications and sponsorship efforts. Yes to attending the festival in June 2026. Yes to being a champion for neurodivergent voices in culture!

And here’s the part that meant the most: he spoke openly about his own family, about parenting two neurodivergent kids (one ADHD, one autistic), and he framed everything in terms of the social model of disability — that the barriers are in society, not in us. To hear a politician use that language, with understanding and conviction, was a powerful reminder that culture change is possible at every level.

He is also active in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Autism (APPG), chaired by Marie Tidball, which connects directly to the work we’re doing in Bristol. That means our festival isn’t just a local celebration; it’s part of a much bigger conversation about how we value neurodivergent people in the UK.

So, with deep gratitude: thank you, Sadik Al-Hassan, our North Somerset MP, for stepping into this with us. We’ll be keeping him updated as Neurodivergent Voices Live comes to life and now, with parliamentary support and community leadership behind us, the path forward feels brighter than ever.

(And yes, there were biscuits on the table. Every revolution needs snacks.)

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Curious About Attending?

🎤 Neurodivergent Voices Live is a three-day cultural festival centering autistic and neurodivergent creators.

📍 We The Curious, Bristol + Virtual Access
📅 17–19 June 2026

The programme features live podcast recordings, author readings and Q&As, panel discussions, and evening performances.

🎟 Tickets: General sale opens closer to the date. But you have two ways to get free tickets to the festival right now! Buy my book or by join the Autistic Culture Substack as a paid subscriber.

A virtual ticket option will ensure global participation. If you subscribe to the Substack for free, you’ll get all the updates as they’re released.