Singer Identifies with ‘The Melody of Autism”
© Kareen Richards – April 20, 2009

Picture
“It was extraordinarily educational without being boring. Yep, it was definitely entertaining!” A most animated response from one audience member of the event, “Melody of Autism”, a concert held in the Bronx, NY on April 18, 2009. The event was a fundraiser to increase awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders and to raise funds for a family faced with the challenge of raising a child with autism.

This fundraiser received amazing support from local artists who wanted to give back to their community in a significant way-- and noteworthy it was! Soul-stirring and memorable renditions resonated throughout the evening, aptly defining the reason for the gathering. Singer and songwriter, Abbi-K moved me with her remarkably engaging performance to enquire about her motivation to be at this event. She opened up her act by sinuously belting out a warming and emotional “Reason For My Smile” and followed through impressively with a mood- lifting version of her song, “I’ve made it”; encouraging her audience to recognize the importance of embracing every challenge with autism as if one has already overcome it.

Abbi- K shared with me that she takes a personal interest in these types of events because she also has a family member who is touched by this mysterious disorder.

“My cousin suffers from this illness and I can see how challenging it can be for a parent to balance all the typical demands that life makes of him or her, and then having to bear the additional weight of giving relentlessly to the needs of their special child.” She thinks that the “Melody of Autism” is a small but necessary gesture that should be replicated on behalf of more parents so that they can reduce the often high expenses that are incurred when raising kids who are on the spectrum.

When asked about other ways that people in their community can give back to families with similar struggles, Abbi-K responded emphatically with, “Babysitting!” She cheerfully recalled, how giving to her family in this manner impacted her, “I have done some babysitting with my nephew before and it is priceless to see him smile and envelope me in the warmest of hugs. It just reaffirms that he is very much in “there”…in his own little world, so if you know that you tend to be sensitive to the needs of children with this disposition and are not intimated by whatever limitations they might display, then give of your time. Give these parents a chance to have some time alone to help revitalize themselves.”

Abbi-K believes giving to others creates a sense of goodwill in her own life and that operating in this dimension tends to have a ripple effect on others. When people recognize how great it feels to get support from others, then they sometimes feel more inclined to pay it forward. 
   _______________________________________________

To learn more about Abbi-K or to book her for your charity event, visit her at
http://www.myspace.com/abbiknyc  or http://www.iearmedia.com .

Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Picture
Abbi-K's New Album Beginnings