Arts Programs for Adults with Autism

On September 15, 2017September 15, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn Art, Artist, Autism, Autism Activism, Autism Activism Advocate, Autism Activists Advocates in Action, Collages, Frank Sinatra - The Impossible dream (with lyrics), Photo Collages, Stephen, Stephen as a Mighty Autism Warrior!!!, Stephen as Autism Warrior!!, Stephen Vincent Palmer, Stephen's Photo-Collage Art Project, Stephen's Picture/Photo Collage, Uncategorized5 Comments

Today’s Forgiving Fridays: A Fun 7 Days of Forgiveness!

The Finished Art piece which now adorns the Living Room.

One of my Future Dreams and Goals is to create more Nature Trail/Town Talks featuring me and my Awesome Autism brother Stephen. My brother Stephen inspires and uplifts me plus Stephen enjoys being out in Mother Nature as much if not more than I do. Hopefully one day I would Love to create some sort of Arts program for Adults with Autism especially since government cutbacks and lack of funding have eliminated the art programs at Stephen’s Day Treatment Center/School. Last month Stephen and I (mostly Stephen) created a magnificent photo/picture collage. It was outstanding and I hope to enter the collage in a local arts program/museum. My feeling is that developmentally disabled adults have a lot to give, share and are extremely creative and talented if given the opportunity. I’ve even been trying to encourage my friends who are art teachers and their fellow educators to volunteer time to AABR for the clients/consumers who attend daily.

Here is the video.

Here is where I sing the song the “Impossible Dream” from Man of LaMancha.” When I was in the 3rd and 4th grades we used to sing this song during Wednesday morning Assembly. That was back in the 1960s and most art and music programs have also been eliminated from NYC public schools also. This is a sad trend. As Americans we need to invest more in our public schools and in programs and services for Developmentally Disabled Adults.

Hopefully I will be able to convince some museums, art galleries/studios, Private Art Programs to provide funding. I will let you know if I accomplish this goal.

I Like the Frank Sinatra version better because he is a much better singer. Plus I am a Frank Sinatra Fan.

Frank Sinatra – The Impossible dream (with lyrics)

Stephen the Artist at work in my Brooklyn home.

Art Collage

The Finished Art piece which now adorns the Living Room.

This is a modified form of the request that I sent to my friends, family and Museum Co-workers on Facebook. Since this mostly applies to the State and City of New York it makes sense for me to share it on Facebook to get the best outreach possible.

As most of you already know I have a brother Stephen who has Autism. Sadly the State government has cut funding to Arts programs at his Day Treatment Center AABR located in Jamaica, Queens. With cutbacks the arts program along with the Art teacher were eliminated.

I am asking those of you who are Art Teachers/Art Instructors if you can Please donate/volunteer some of your time to work with Developmentally Disabled Adults at AABR located at Wellington Hall 161-06 89th Avenue, Jamaica, Queens, NY 11432. Phone number is 718-262-9200. Contact person is Michele Danowitz.

The Finished Art piece which now adorns the Living Room.

Mirrored Objects are Closer than They Appear

On September 15, 2017September 14, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn Alice in Wonderland - The Futterwacken, Floozy Fridays, Fusion Poetry, Hodgepodge Poetry, Max Headroom, The Best Bits Ever, Mirrored Objects are Closer than They Appear, Poems, Poetry, Prose and Poetry, Uncategorized

Mirrored Objects are Closer than They Appear

Welcome to Floozy Fridays at the Asylum

Stay Tuned for the next Meat Grinder Edition

When the smoke clears the Conflagration will arise

She an Elliptical Orbit floating on Clouds

Enter the Meat Grinder

Play me some Sleep Dance music an Ode to the Great Cathedral Mausoleum

Building those Great Cathedrals in the Sky

Red Lips. Cloudy Eyes.

Watch the Closing Doors

Shouting Out the Kewl Breeze Shysty fiesty One

Two pages stuck together with Lust Juice

Hairy Arms and Bare Legs Tussle

And Then a relaxation of bed covers

All is Finished. All is silent except silent snores piercing blustery night breezes

Whilst TaiQuai watched him sputter and gasp his way into eternity. Her sardonic smile belied the Trickster Elixir that sent him into permanent exile. Away from his many serial wives he wooed and lost.

Max Headroom, The Best Bits Ever!

Chuckle berries are being served up now

Sprocket Rocket

So I Creep Alone……..And I Creep Along

On September 15, 2017September 2, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn So I Creep Alone........And I Creep Along, TLC - Creep, Uncategorized2 Comments

The Gathering Patina of painted old men among whom reigned Soviet Brown. With Threads of Dresden Porcelain golden red squiggles coursing through their veins revealed via translucent flesh. With every heartbeat of arteries the room pulsed in harmonious sympathetic agreement rhythm.

I Like playing with the children for they remind me so much of my own. She abandoned the Babes in the Wood in a battered trailer. Bones found. Property gutted then demolished. Whereas you have built over sacred ground. I be the Watcher. Guardian of Innocent Lives. Sentinel for those demanding Justice.

Inter-sexed she morphed easily from She 2 He. A Shapeshifter of the truest form semi-clad in Reptilian garb. She an Excavator of Troubled Worlds. Replete with pebbles, stones, rocks, boulders and green grass frozen mountains.

Go towards the Light the Medium intoned. You’re Free to go and leave this place.

No said she/he. I will not be swept away by the tide of Ocean currents. I be the Watcher. Guardian of Innocent Lives. Sentinel for those demanding Justice.

I prefer to Creep alone in a familiar world. Checking its progress while I stay still. I resist the hostile territories beyond the veil.

Yes I’m gonna Creep Along………

Creepy Talon Fingernails Hand

Creepy Fingernails Hand 59th St. Columbus Circle

TLC – Creep

Autism Activists Advocates in Action

On September 12, 2017September 12, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn 6% Rally, Albany, Autism Activists Advocates in Action, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, James 2:14-26 New King James Version (NKJV) Faith Without Works Is Dead, Stephen, Stephen as a Mighty Autism Warrior!!!, Stephen as Autism Warrior!!, Stephen Vincent Palmer, Uncategorized, Vice President Joe Biden10 Comments

Autism Activists Advocates in Action

March 2013

Here you can see Stephen and I in Albany, New York back in March 2013. Albany is the New York State capital. Seat of New York State Government! Heads of agencies, clients/consumers and their families made the bus ride up to Albany on a very rainy day!

That day we made a stand. Every time a legislator/representative would come out our representative made our presence know. No we did not get to meet with Gov. Cuomo that day but there is strength in numbers. We could not be ignored!!

The Young Man in the red coat read a heart rending letter he had written pleading with the legislators not to cut the budget. He said he wanted to be useful. He wanted to work. He did not want to sit in front of a TV all day! The lady in blue was so taken with his letter she made copies and to it back to the other legislators in Albany.

Stephen advocating in Albany, New York March 2013

Super Siblings! Power Autism Activist Advocates in Albany ~~ March 2013

Protesting, Marching and Demonstrating March 2013 in front of Governor Cuomo’s New York City office!! 1500 Strong! We are the 6%!

Me at the Paid Family Leave Rally January 2016!! I carried a photo of Stephen in my pocket to give me strength. I was personally invited to attend the rally by the Governor’s Office. Speakers included Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Vice President Joe Biden both lost relatives to cancer in 2015. Gov. Cuomo read the New York Times article about Stephen and me.

Result: New York State will have Paid Family Leave starting Jan. 2018!! Apathy does nothing. We must engage with our government.

Action gets results! Faith Without Works is dead!

James 2:14-26

New King James Version (NKJV)

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your^[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my^[b]works. ¹⁹You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?^[c] ²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²²Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[d] And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Good Facebook News

On September 12, 2017 By dancingpalmtreesIn Autism, Autism Activism, Autism Activism Advocate, Black Genealogy Page, Hattie Banks, Hattie Finney Banks, Stephen, Stephen Vincent Palmer, The New York Times, Uncategorized

Lately many on WordPress have taken to bashing Facebook. Of course it’s your choice whether to join or not join as the case may be however I have found Facebook to be helpful to me in certain cases.

My main purpose in using Facebook is connecting with friends, family, former and current co-workers. I have found school classmates from 45/50 years ago! Facebook is the easiest way to set up meetings, get-togethers, parties, etc….. There is no way in the world you can know everyone’s phone number or email nor do you have the time to make that many phone calls. Also it is a way to share important news via Facebook Messenger. That’s how I found out one of my former co-workers had died a few months ago. If another co-worker had not let us know on her page I would not have been able to attend the viewing/funeral. Despite it being a sad affair because the woman who died was only 54 I did get to see co-workers I had not seen in nearly 20 years. Basically you really only see people at weddings or funerals. Lately for me mostly the latter. Many of my friends have gotten married, moved outside or New York City or live too far away for immediate contact. Also my museum and my Union DC 37 has their own individual pages that distributes relevant news to Union Members. It is also a place to ask questions and voice concerns. Yes we do have union meetings but the museum has three separate locations and various shifts and those of us not in the Main Building cannot attend the Union Meetings.

Also you have a better chance of contacting me via Facebook rather than calling or emailing me. I work long strange hours however I check Facebook every day. I also check my email every day so either are good in my case.

In terms of business, marketing and promotional use I use Facebook now to showcase my photography blog Roaming Urban Gypsy.

https://roamingurbangypsy.com/

Black Genealogy Page

One Mothers Day several years ago I posted my Maternal Grandmother Hattie Finney Banks photo on the Black Genealogy Page. Now this page is not just for African-Americans. Many whites go to the page in search of their Black ancestors. One such white lady saw my Grandmother’s photo and contacted me. She was actually searching for her Black son who had died but who had left behind a daughter. Her goal was to find family connections for the little girl.

This woman had information on my grandparents and Great-grandparents including death certificates and newspaper articles that I would have never found on my own. She still lives in the West Virginia town where most of my maternal family members including my mother were born. Turns out we were not related but we became friends and I’m always happy to hear from her on Facebook.

Autism Activism

In May of 2015 the New York Times published an article about me and my brother Stephen. I posted the article on Facebook and it went Viral! My friends, family and co-workers share it on their pages and everywhere. The result: Jan. 2016 while at work I received a phone call from Gov. Cuomo’s office personally inviting me to a Paid Family Leave Rally in the city. Next year starting Jan. 2018 the state of New York will have Paid Family Leave for all it’s residents!! Booyah!! I’m not going to reprint all the past links but if you search between May 2015 and Jan. 2016 you’ll see all the work I put in along with my team to help achieve this goal.

Now if I had published the same New York Times article on WordPress which I did eventually I would not have gotten the same result mostly because most of my Subscribers/Followers on WordPress are from countries outside the U.S.A. and this news would not affect them or have any meaning. Even those U.S. Followers/Subscribers most of them are not from New York again my news would have not meaning so there would be no reason to share.

Also every last U.S. elected official has a Facebook page. This is how you contact them. That’s how I communicated with the representative for Stephen’s district. Many times this is easier than all the phone calls I’ve been making.

Conclusion

Facebook has many benefits if you use it in the right way. Activism and Advocacy takes place on Facebook. This is how Activists like myself find out at demonstrations, rallies, marches, etc… For those of you who are anti-Facebook we are not going back into time. Whether you are selling books, artwork, photography or establishing coalitions for positive change Facebook will continue to be a tool for effective communication.

Last but not Least you don’t have to Friend everyone who contacts you. Plus if the person becomes a problem just UnFriend or Block them! Don’t like the racism, discrimination in certain FB Groups. Leave! Problem solved. Folks the FB Genie has been out of the bottle for years and there is no going backwards in time.