writers 2020-21
Join us in welcoming these wonderful writers to this season’s Amplify Series!
Each of these young writers has contributed poetry and prose that will be set to music by our composers this season! They are all prolific and insightful writers—we invite you to read their bios and check out their blog links.
Pablo Hernandez
I am a thirteen year old non-speaking autistic boy. I learned to understand the way people feel since I was maybe two, but I needed words to communicate and I learned to use a letterboard much later. Now I try to help people understand my feelings too. I am a proud word handler.
Aiden Levy
Aiden Levy is 11 years old and lives in Round Lake, Illinois. He communicates by spelling on a letter board using Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). When he's not spelling out poems, he enjoys spending time with his twin sisters, Ava and Mia, swimming and playing Roblox. He wants the world to know: "I understand yet I verbally do not say things." Aiden was among the featured writers in the 2020-21 Lynx Amplify Series.
Mitchell Robins
My name is Mitchell and I am an autistic teen. I want to share my life with the world in hopes that I can bring awareness of what it is like to live with autism. I believe spelling as a form of communication is not well understood and I hope to bring awareness to this lifestyle and change that for autistic people everywhere. I am on the move a lot because it helps me concentrate and apply myself. I don’t think it is a problem, I just think I am different. I want the world to see different as beautiful and not scary like they do now. I know I may not act like everyone else, but that is what makes me awesome! I use a letter board to communicate and I am starting to use a keyboard on my iPad.
Benjamin Smidt
My name is Benjamin Smidt. I am a 19 year old non speaking autistic who lives in a north suburb of Chicago. I communicate using spelling and am about to graduate from my local high school where I have loved being able to fully participate in all my general education classes. I'm planning on taking college classes next year. I'm a very active person. You'll find me jumping or rollerblading. You might just have a hard time keeping up with me :-)..