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32 Hudson Valley Parent n April 2014 Seeing into the autistic brain An evening with Temple Grandin By LAURA LICATA SULLIVAN R ecently, I unexpectedly met up with some old friends I have not seen in long while. We were all anxious to arrive at the Paramount Theatre in Middletown to listen to Dr. Temple Grandin speak about her new book, "The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across The Spectrum." The evening was made possible by The Autism Society of The Hudson Valley and CUNY Orange. Who is Dr. Temple Grandin? For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Grandin, she is Different kinds of minds exist. — Dr. Temple Grandin one of the most knowledgeable and memorable people living with Autis- tic Spectrum Disorder. Despite her many difficulties, she has been able to pursue an educa- tion and a career. She attributes her success to the persistence of her mother and the mentors who have coached her. Over the years she has written several books and has traveled around the country educating her audience about her life as a person with high-functioning autism. And she certainly has made an impact. I myself have seen her in person twice since my son was first diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) some 14 years ago. The talk About two hours before Grandin's presentation, I got a text from a friend that people were already lin- ing up outside the theatre. I dropped everything at home and rushed to get to Middletown. To my surprise, I still had to park on what seemed the other side of the moon and walk quite a few desolate and dark blocks to arrive at the theatre, just in time to find the last spot in this lot that holds approximately 1,100 people. For the record, over the years I have attended various worthwhile performances at the Paramount The- atre and have never seen the place filled to capacity. Both parents and educators traveled from all over the region for inspiration. Also in attendance were individuals of various ages living with ASD. Dr. Grandin walked onto the stage to a thunderous applause, as if she was a famous rock star. She spoke before a very enthusiastic crowd for 1.5 hours. She allowed for a question and answer session, and there was an opportunity for book signing afterwards. One of the highlights of her presentation was the concept that different kinds of minds contribute to Laura Licata Sullivan, who herself is a mom to a teenager with autism, met with Grandin after her lecture. When Sullivan asked Grandin for parenting advice, she said, "Put him to work, keep trying … and never give up."