The National Youth Leadership Network, an organization run by and for youth with disabilities, is proud to announce the launch of our first ever zine.
Our zine focuses on Disability Culture and what it means to us. Here you will find stories of our lived experiences growing up as disabled youth and how they have shaped us. We hope you enjoy them.
We will begin putting together the next edition of our zine soon. If you would like to contact us about our current zine or our next zine edition, please email Sara Moussavian at saramoussavian2011@
gmail.com or Emily Holmes at cinderella_em1@
juno.com.
The National Youth Leadership Network works to build power and community among youth with disabilities. We are led 100% by and for disabled youth. Anyone can be a member. To join NYLN, visit www.nyln.org. To contact us, please email NYLN at info@NYLN.org or call us at 866-480-6565.
![[Image Description: This photograph is a far away image of a city at night. The photograph was taken from a speeding car and the city’s lights are blurry and look like movement. The majority of the image is a deep black with little specks of color near the bottom half of the image. These specks of color are mostly yellow, though there are also flecks of red and green and a silvery grey.]
To be Autistic Timotheus “Pharaoh” Gordon
He’s dark sinister, and cunning Waiting to attack an innocent toddler Poison the average mind… Wow! Is that very stunning?
The kid’s still healthy But is also abandoned, cold-blooded, and silent Fortunately, he or she is Einstein or Woods However…does anyone give a damn? Not today!
Professor X will adore him or her For making a great contribution to Mother Earth They often make a promise To protect the mutants from the mob, forever.
On the other hand, it doesn’t matter! The victim will still be labeled “jackass”. And worst of all, he’ll continue to scare And leave the person…battered.
Don’t worry though. ‘Cause it’s possible to defeat him. When you beat the foe dubbed ‘autism’ Don’t look back! Just let the past go.
That was my philosophy at adolescence. When I, like the rest of the regular humans, fear its curse. Autism is Pandora’s box: once the secrets’ out it may repel ones who love or give another proof of why the autistic should be excommunicated from society.
That was my thesis on autism As fifteen-year-old longshot From the Chi
Man that’s a false ass statement! Now that I’m grown from a naïve prince to a mighty and wiser Pharaoh
True! Peers study me as if I’m an E.T. Wondering how would I fit in the mirage called society How would he think? Is he able to please a dime-piece? Does he communicate like us? Or is he a retarded beast? That’s the survey an autistic may get
It is true that I’m an InuYasha Isolated from some of my fellow blood Stereotyped by medical field and celebrities As if this “disease” is killing me.
It’s true that Autism might be the reason That I shy away from the limelight It may explain why I had to give up My doll I’m guess I’m hyper-focused because of it, right?
But really people, It’s not like I’m dying Let’s just say, I’m granted special abilities From the heavens that a Few May ever have Abilities that enabled Einstein to reach for Nobel Or reason behind J-Mac’s 5 minutes of ballin’
As far as could remember in Greek etymology:
Autism = autismus (Latin )= autosismos (state of being one’s self) = autos- (self) + -ismos (action or state of)
Hence, to be autistic is to be yourself If that’s so, Then why some people Still to this day Think it’s abnormal to be yourself?
Why research to get rid of uniqueness?
-
Timotheus “Pharaoh” Gordon is from Chicago. He has loved writing since 3rd grade. Timotheus liked to copy poems and read history. Timotheus decided he liked poetry after turning in a poem for homework. The poem was funny and about his routine. Timotheus’s poetry has helped him grow his voice as an African American male with Autism.
Timotheus has been doing poetry for eight years. Timotheus is attending SCAD-Atlanta. Timotheus is studying non-fiction and free lance writing. Timotheus wants his writing to inspire people to do Social Justice and sports.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls905ll4JB1qlk5zyo1_250.jpg)
[Image Description: This photograph is a far away image of a city at night. The photograph was taken from a speeding car and the city’s lights are blurry and look like movement. The majority of the image is a deep black with little specks of color near the bottom half of the image. These specks of color are mostly yellow, though there are also flecks of red and green and a silvery grey.]
To be Autistic
Timotheus “Pharaoh” Gordon
He’s dark sinister, and cunning
Waiting to attack an innocent toddler
Poison the average mind…
Wow! Is that very stunning?
The kid’s still healthy
But is also abandoned, cold-blooded, and silent
Fortunately, he or she is Einstein or Woods
However…does anyone give a damn? Not today!
Professor X will adore him or her
For making a great contribution to Mother Earth
They often make a promise
To protect the mutants from the mob, forever.
On the other hand, it doesn’t matter!
The victim will still be labeled “jackass”.
And worst of all, he’ll continue to scare
And leave the person…battered.
Don’t worry though.
‘Cause it’s possible to defeat him.
When you beat the foe dubbed ‘autism’
Don’t look back! Just let the past go.
That was my philosophy at adolescence. When I, like the rest of the regular humans,
fear its curse. Autism is Pandora’s box: once the secrets’ out it may repel ones who love or give another proof of why the autistic should be excommunicated from
society.
That was my thesis on autism
As fifteen-year-old longshot
From the Chi
Man that’s a false ass statement!
Now that I’m grown
from a naïve prince
to a mighty and wiser
Pharaoh
True! Peers study me as if I’m an E.T.
Wondering how would I fit in the mirage called society
How would he think?
Is he able to please a dime-piece?
Does he communicate like us? Or is he a retarded beast?
That’s the survey an autistic may get
It is true that I’m an InuYasha
Isolated from some of my fellow blood
Stereotyped by medical field and celebrities
As if this “disease” is killing me.
It’s true that
Autism might be the reason
That I shy away from the limelight
It may explain why
I had to give up
My doll
I’m guess I’m hyper-focused because of it, right?
But really people,
It’s not like I’m dying
Let’s just say,
I’m granted special abilities
From the heavens that a
Few
May ever have
Abilities that enabled
Einstein to reach for Nobel
Or reason behind
J-Mac’s 5 minutes of ballin’
As far as could remember in Greek etymology:
Autism = autismus (Latin )=
autosismos (state of being one’s self)
= autos- (self) + -ismos (action or state of)
Hence, to be autistic is to be yourself
If that’s so,
Then why some people
Still to this day
Think it’s abnormal to be yourself?
Why research to get rid of uniqueness?
-
Timotheus “Pharaoh” Gordon is from Chicago. He has loved writing since 3rd grade. Timotheus liked to copy poems and read history. Timotheus decided he liked poetry after turning in a poem for homework. The poem was funny and about his routine. Timotheus’s poetry has helped him grow his voice as an African American male with Autism.
Timotheus has been doing poetry for eight years. Timotheus is attending SCAD-Atlanta. Timotheus is studying non-fiction and free lance writing. Timotheus wants his writing to inspire people to do Social Justice and sports.
