Diverse Mind Designs (DMD) Makers Market

Amy Smart grew up in Port Elgin, Ontario and has loved reading and writing stories from a very young age. Some of her favourite books growing up included The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and The Warriors Series by Erin Hunter. These books and many others inspired her to write middle grade fiction. She wrote the first draft of what would become The Necklace when she was in ninth grade. Amy moved to Saskatchewan to attend college in 2011 and currently lives there with her two cats Louie and Stormy. She was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism in July 2024 and is hoping to raise awareness about both conditions while also promoting her work.

Welcome to Rainbow Sweets: Where Delight Meets Diversity!  Based in Innisfil, Ontario, we are a family business that takes pride in being LGBTQ+ owned. In the realm of freeze-dried candy, we bring a distinctive touch to the table. What distinguishes us is our steadfast dedication to creating freeze-dried confections that go beyond the ordinary, pushing the boundaries of taste and experience. We produce small batches of candy to guarantee each piece meets the highest quality standards.  

I am an author of Sci Fi novels and love making things with my hands. Bracelet making is a special interest of mine.

Experiencing the world differently is Kyle's gift, and these Malas represent how he experiences his world. Born with CHARGE syndrome, deafness and ASD, Kyle is learning to embrace all of life's experiences, and these Malas are his gift to you.

Colour conscious playdough and other resources to get children learning about race and inclusion.

Benjamin Lachapelle (self described “Animal Knower”) is a 22-year-old Canadian Autistic artist and author-illustrator of children’s books from Quebec. Diagnosed with autism at age 3, he is a prolific, multidisciplinary artist with a singular focus on animals, his passion since he was a young child.  Ben uses art to manage his feelings and express himself. He channels his joys and his anxieties for animals through his paintings, sculptures, stories, and illustrations. His work has been exhibited in numerous events and commissioned by organizations, businesses, and private collectors throughout North America.   Benjamin has written and illustrated several children’s books including How Tall is a Yeti? and Pace-Ants (a book about patience). 

Artist at heart and motivated to inspire and provide creative neurodivergent spirits a platform for expression, communication, skill building and community. I am passionate about the creation process and wish to provide neurodivergent people with the opportunity to explore, learn, grow and communicate through art. Diagnosed at 39 years old, I wish to support, elevate pave an inclusive pathway for expression.

I'm a creative philosopher and art maker. Neurodivergent brain and atypical mind. Love cats and art so I combine my two loves to create whimsical, unconventional art.

I look at pictures and build military models From scratch. Anything from tanks to warships, Aircraft, To rifles, Trucks to different armoured vehicles. All built from looking at pictures, From Wood.

Katie is a passionate photographer from Oshawa, Ontario, specializing in zoo photography. With over ten years of experience and a diploma from Durham College, she discovered her calling during a visit to her local zoo, where the sights and sounds of the animals ignited her creativity.

Since then, she has dedicated herself to capturing wildlife's beauty and essence, tirelessly honing her skills. Despite facing challenges as an autistic individual, Katie continues to seek growth and push the boundaries of her art, embodying resilience and the power of pursuing one's passion.

The Stimulating ASD Bear was born from the inspiring story of a committed mother, faced with the challenges of everyday life with her children, including Autistic twins .One of them is non-verbal , a reality that transformed her outlook on life and gave new meaning to her mission.

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Drawing on her experience, her personal research, and 16 weeks of specialized training with the CRDI , she created the Stimulating TSA Bear : an educational and sensory plush toy designed to support children living with autism spectrum disorder in their daily development.