Andrea Villegas is stepping back onto the Asperger World Meeting's virtual stage, this time for a fourth consecutive year. The Colombian psychologist, mother of an autistic young man and director of the Fundación Federico García Villegas “Soy diferente, soy como tú” (Cali, Colombia), is — edition after edition since 2022 — the only speaker present at all four editions of the event.
Three years of one thread
Her path through the Meeting has been closing a circle: in 2022 she spoke about identity and the terms used to name the condition; in 2023, about critical-thinking skills as a protective tool; and in 2024, about bullying as a suicide risk factor in the autistic population, with the family as a safety net. Each edition widened the circle: from the person, to their thinking, to the environment around them.
2026: the family as the first territory of citizenship
For the 4th Meeting, Villegas announces “The family as the first territory of citizenship in Asperger/Autism.” The title alone hints at the next step in that circle: before school, work or any social space, it is at home that a person first exercises what it means to have a voice, to be taken into account and to belong.
Framing the family as a “territory of citizenship” is a way of saying that inclusion doesn't start out in the street: it starts at the table, in everyday decisions, in whether an Asperger child or teenager is consulted, given explanations, and given a real place in the rules of their own home. That early practice — exercising rights and responsibilities inside the family unit — follows from the approach Villegas has built across her three previous talks, and is the base on which participation at school, at work and in the community is later built.
The full content of the talk will be revealed on the day of the event, but the continuity with her recurring themes — identity, self-esteem, protection from the environment — is already there in the title.
How to watch it live
The 4th Asperger World Meeting streams on November 14 and 15, 2026, virtual and completely free. Andrea Villegas takes part on the first day, November 14, alongside other voices from the Spanish-speaking Asperger community. Full details and registration are on the event page.
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Who is Andrea Villegas?
She is a psychologist, mother of an autistic young man, and director of the Fundación Federico García Villegas “Soy diferente, soy como tú” (Cali, Colombia). She is the only speaker present at all four editions of the Asperger World Meeting, from 2022 to 2026.
What is Andrea Villegas's talk about at the 4th Asperger World Meeting?
It's titled “The family as the first territory of citizenship in Asperger/Autism” and addresses the family as the first space where an Asperger or autistic person exercises voice, participation and belonging, before doing so at school, at work or in society.
When is the 4th Asperger World Meeting 2026?
On November 14 and 15, 2026, virtual and completely free. Andrea Villegas takes part on the first day, November 14. Registration and the rest of the program are available at encuentromundialdelasperger.org/2026.