Renewed Hope for My People - The Autism Community

The beneficiaries of my company's CSR event today included autism schools. I volunteered with the team of volunteers who played the role of hosts
__________________

THE EXPERIENCE (MORNING)

In the morning, my sub-team hosted an autism-focused school which integrates mainstream academic curriculum together with life readiness skills in their school programme. I told the teachers I am autistic too.

It was an enriching experience to relate to like-minded students whom I see so much of myself in them and able to connect with within the first 5 minutes of conversing. 

More importantly, by the way they communicate, and express themselves, I saw so much potential in them to be the next generation of autistic leaders to further our cause for our autism community. Before they left the event, I told some of the school teachers these:
  • When I see these students, I see hope
  • I hope they can build/groom this next generation of leaders to build our future - the future of the autism community.
  • And to one day step up WITH us to COLLABORATE with the current team of autistic adults to build the future of our community TOGETHER

Some of the teachers thanked me for the encouraging words. Well, I hope it keeps them going to continue their good work.
___________

THE EXPERIENCE (AFTERNOON)

In the afternoon, I was assigned to the sub-team hosting another autism school, one which has a curriculum that emphasises social-emotional learning, functional literacy, daily living skills and a few other areas.

A different experience which also contributed to the overall enriching experience. Before they left, I could not resist talking to all the teachers telling them I am autistic, had an enriching experience with the students and to spread a similar message of hope as I did to the teachers in the morning
_________________________

LIGHT UP OTHERS' CANDLES - GIVE HOPE

I am so grateful for this priceless experience. 
It gave me RENEWED hope, one that is timely and much needed for me, in light of the current happening around our community now - progress and meaningful advocacy work, yet also setbacks… Future plans with a vision, exciting yet daunting, and a burden weighing on us on whether there can be enough autistics of the next generation to step up as leaders to collaborate with us….
and with that burden in mind, relating to these autistic kids today who display much potential, it dawned on me: there is hope!
Imagine this imagery: if the journey for the autism community is represented by candles and
- every progress, or every time we are given hope, joy, love etc, lights up one more candle 
- every setback, or every time we face sadness,etc. puts out one more candle 
Even when many candles are put out, as long as there is at least one candle still burning, there is still hope. And the candle(s) still burning can light up other candles. 

These students LIGHTED MY CANDLE by interacting with me and allowing me to catch a glimpse of the HOPE we have IN THEM as the next generation of autistics of whom some are emerging leaders! 😁😊👍.

May these students CONTINUE to INSPIRE others in the autism community. They HAVE INSPIRED ME at this event.

I am sure these students have caused some of the volunteers to be added into the list of people WHOSE LIVES are TOUCHED BY the AUTISM SPECTRUM.
I hope that in my interaction with the students and teachers, I lighted their candles… they certainly lighted up mine! And I hope they in-turn light up more candles in the autism community, that together we may shine forth brightly and glow! As one people!
Hope begets hope. The more hope we give to each other, the more hope we have for ourselves… individually and collectively 
To everyone in the autism community - autistics, caregivers, and professionals alike - I encourage you to light up someone else's candle in our community today!


Comments

  1. Wesley11 October 2019 at 22:05

    These students LIGHTED MY CANDLE by interacting with me and allowing me to catch a glimpse of the HOPE we have IN THEM as the next generation of autistics of whom some are emerging leaders! 😁😊👍.

    May these students CONTINUE to INSPIRE others in the autism community. They HAVE INSPIRED ME at this event.

    I am sure these students have caused some of the volunteers to be added into the list of people WHOSE LIVES are TOUCHED BY the AUTISM SPECTRUM.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown18 October 2019 at 14:12

    If you could one day give the above heart-thumping speech as an MP, I'll move to your ward, Wes! You cladded the right words with intensity and verve. Atta on! 💗 🙏 ⚽ 💚 🎵

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Workplace Fairness Legislation needs to mandate reasonable accommodations to adequately protect persons with disabilities including autistics

Introduction of the Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL): It was announced in Ministry of Manpower (MOM) press release on 12 February 2023  that the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness released an interim report on their recommendations for Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL). The summary of the recommendations can be found in Annex A of the MOM press release and the full interim report can be downloaded at  go.gov.sg/wfl . It is a good step towards protecting minority groups against discrimination. A gap in the WFL - missing "reasonable accommodations", and why it must be included However, what is lacking is the recommendations do NOT include mandating that employers make reasonable accommodations in the workplace despite its clear necessity to ensure persons with disabilities (PWDs) are adequately protected. A requirement for "reasonable accommodations" is aligned with the United Nations (UN) Conventions on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) r...
Read more

Poem for "A Very Special Walk" 2024, signature fundraising programme of Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)

Almost every year we have "A Very Special Walk Where we put on our socks Walk or run from from block to block No competition no need to watch the clock All just for a common cause In 2020 came the COVID-19 panademic Causing nationwide panic For some it was even traumatic With social distancing rules so rigid A fundraising event like this no longer could be so systematic   But undeterred, we switched to virtual  challenges no less authentic   With everyone's creativity we became more dramatic Not more timid Everyone could participate in a virtual challenge, from running or swimming for the  athletic To dancing for the  kinaesthetic To sports for those with muscles  kinetic To intellectual feats for those with skills like drawing, language or mathematics   Each challenge was organic Completed with unique tactics Some even majestic  COVID-19 crisis did not pull us apart, we became more synergic For donations we continued to solicit All in all, the re...
Read more

Inferiority Complex: It is Real. It is Valid. It is Ok to have it. Environmental Changes could be key to managing it.

Inferiority Complex is Valid I nferiority Complex : a real and valid thing affecting many people. Even official sources like American  Psychiatric Association (APA) explains it. Inferiority Complex is NOT Pride Yet some dismiss inferiority complex it as "Not true" and wrongly attribute it to a pride problem. What warped and ridiculous thinking. What's worse, these guys are spiritual leaders... must be narrow-minded ones. Perhaps they grew up in environments where they hardly needed to suffer from inferiority complex, and/or the "sin of pride" is a concept so ingrained in them that they apply it wrongly to situations --> if so, that reinforces my hypothesis that they are narrow-minded - they see things through a single lens and only through those lens. They misled me to believing other fallacies too, such as seeing autism books as idolatry (it doesn't matter even if I got obssessed over the books and the topic of autism, it does NOT mean it is idolatry)....
Read more