Author and artist Haley Moss will be the featured speaker during a Peer Power Partners-sponsored program about the myths and truths about autism from 6:30-8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16, at the Hormel Historic Home.

The free presentation is part of the two-day Peer Power Partners mentoring program kick-off for the 2017-2018 programming year. Moss will also give presentations and lead interactive activities with students and school staff in Austin schools.

Moss is a South Florida native and third-year law student at the University of Miami. Although diagnosed with high functioning autism at age 3, she graduated from the University of Florida in 2015 with degrees in psychology and criminology.

During the Oct. 16 community event, Community Autism Resource Specialist Mary Barinka will provide an update about the program. Moss will follow with her presentation on myths and truths about autism, neurodiversity, HER autism, and the importance of embracing differences. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) are available.

During the day Moss will travel between Austin High School, Ellis Middle School and I.J.Holton Intermediate School, giving presentations that will focus on understanding autism, disability awareness, and celebrating our differences while supporting each other.

Moss is a renowned visual pop-artist and author of “Middle School: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About” and “A Freshman Survival Guide for College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Stuff Nobody Tells You About.”

She was also the artist and a contributor for the Autism Women’s Network anthology, “What Every Autistic Girl Wishes Her Parents Knew.”

Her writing has been featured in The Huffington Post, Elite Daily, The Mighty and other websites and publications.  She was most recently honored as a BloghHer 2016 Voices of the Year honoree and one of South Florida’s Young Leaders in Philanthropy. To learn more visit her website at haleymossart.com and follow her on social media.

Peer Power Partners is a mentoring program that pairs youth with special needs and same-aged peers to promote friendships, understanding and advocacy.

Celebrating its fifth year, PPP was launched with the help of the Vision 2020 Community Pride and Spirit Committee and has grown to directly involve over 250 students at three Austin Public Schools. This year Pacelli Catholic Schools will pilot a program as well.

PPP is a collaborative project between the Parenting Resource Center and Austin Schools with funding support from the Hormel Foundation, the Austin Public Education Foundation, and private donations.

For more information, contact Barinka at 507-433-4243, or autism@hormelhistorichome.org