Being
My life through the years I've been listening to this It's enough to bring out tears I need it to immediately cease. They talk about my existence About my right to be I'm running out of patience I know who I am, I am me. Cure, treat, fix, change Words that hurt deep in my soul If I do all that they demand My essence is lost, nowhere to go. They know what to say to scare They do this intentionally But now it is my turn to dare I'm not backing down silently Not backing
Autistic Pride
I am proud of being Autistic And of my Autistic friends I am proud of young Autistics Who have Autistic pride They amaze me I am proud of young Autistics Who are discovering themselves They are learning to understand the world Through creative Autistic eyes They make me smile Young Autistics showering us with love Bonding, sharing, exploring and laughing With words, gestures and looks Their Autistic selves leading the way They lead their own way Henry stands up for his right to be We follow his lead and stand with him He teaches the meaning of never giving up
Henry
Some call him a kid Others say he is a young man But whatever you call him You need to know this: He is courageous Brave and resilient He will fight and he will win It can be a fight for his rights When enemies come disguised as condescension It can be a fight for his dreams He will mobilize an army of friends To Stand With Him He is an example to many He showed other students the possibilities Henry does not fight for himself He is changing perceptions, changing the world Henry is a leader
Walk In My Shoes
I want you to walk in my shoes Not because I want you to feel what it means To be disabled But because I want you to understand How it feels to be excluded I would like to see you walk in my shoes Not because I need your pity I don’t need it I don’t want it I want you to experience The uselessness of feeling pity for others Like me I would like to see you walk in my shoes And experience what I feel When my rights are denied When I am silenced Ignored Mocked Bullied Abused
