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Thursday, May 24, 2012
Autism awareness event held at State Capitol
by Othello H. Curry, 3rd, published on September 7, 2011 at 10:19 PM
Storyline: Culture
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The Rock Away Labor Day Autism Awareness Event featured dozens of performers who spent all or part of Monday at the State Capitol putting their talents on display for a worthy cause.
Event organizer Richard Evans said he was pleased that all of the hard work he and fellow organizers Monique Jefferson, Zina Beard, Ashley “Artistic” Hammock, Darlene Ragan and Khiry Malik invested paid off.
“There were several hundred people present during the afternoon peak, and we estimate that a total of at least 500 people attended the event at some point during the day,” said Evans, who also founded the Muzik 4 Autism Awareness organization.
Raising the community’s awareness of what autism is and what can be done to bring out the best in those individuals who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was the inspiration for the event.
Terri Contenti, community relations officer for the UC Davis MIND Institute (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders), was there passing out resource information and answering questions about ASD.
“There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the diagnosis of autism,” Contenti said. “Each person must be assessed individually so that the therapies and medications that are available can be tailored to fit their diagnosis in order to have the best opportunity to live up to their potential.”
Although autism and ASD are familiar terms to many people, it remains one of the most baffling and mysterious of developmental disorders in the public conscious and in the medical profession.
Autism affects social and communication skills and, to varying degrees, motor and language skills. At present there is no definitively known cause or cure, nor is there any one treatment for the disorder.
Notwithstanding the seriousness of the worthy cause that inspired the occasion, the purpose of the day’s events was to create a family-friendly environment to enjoy the wide variety of entertainment.
The event included several fashion shows, poetry readings, a variety of dancers and dance groups, as well as a host of musical groups that included gospel singers, rock bands, R&B vocalists and hip-hop artists. The non-stop entertainment continued simultaneously on the north steps and the west steps of the Capitol.
“This is a free, all-day concert and event for a good cause,” Beard said. “Everybody here is having a good time.”
There were smiles on the faces of children, big and small, when looking in the mirror after having their faces painted by artist Mary Ragan. Groups of kids were scattered, all busy with crayons and coloring books provided by the MIND Institute.
A wide variety of booths and vendors were present, offering everything from Caribbean food to snow cones.
“I really want to thank all of the performers, organizers and members of the public who came out to support the event,” Evans said. “There have been some challenging times we’ve faced as a family, but we’ve made it through them and will continue to do so now that we have the help and support we need.”
Evans said there are plans to host an event in April during Autism Awareness Month and to bring back the Rock Away Labor Day for Autism Awareness next year.
Anyone in the Sacramento area who is interested in finding out more about ASD or is seeking assistance and support for someone they know or suspect may have autism should contact the UC Davis MIND Institute at (916) 734-2011 or through their website at mindinstitute.org.
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