A Far Rockaway-based nonprofit is hosting a family-friendly event on Wednesday to recognize Neurodivergent Awareness Month and World Autism Awareness Day.
Perfect Piece of the Puzzle Inc. invites families of all backgrounds to attend its second “Light Up The Night” event on April 2nd, at 6 p.m., at the Beach 94th St Amphitheater.
“Light Up the Night” will include guest speakers sharing their personal stories and advocacy efforts, community resource tables for families of children with neurodivergence, and a raffle with prizes sponsored by local businesses. Raffle prizes include a free cabana experience from the Rockaway Hotel + Spa and a play space experience with sensory options at Rockaplay Social Club. As the sun sets, the amphitheater will take on a blue hue as part of the global Light It Up Blue campaign.
Trishia Bermudez, founder of Perfect Piece of the Puzzle Inc. and facilitator of “Light Up The Night,” said she was inspired to host the event by her personal experience of raising a neurodivergent child.
Bermudez’s first event in 2018 was hosted in partnership with Assembly Member Stacey Pheffer Amato, and it specifically focused on World Autism Awareness Day. She said that as her advocacy grew and she realized her son’s specific needs, she recognized that she and other families could find a community more broadly represented by the term neurodivergence.
“ In my research, I found that neurodivergent was more so the umbrella of where all the other diagnoses fell under. So under that was ADHD, autism, fragile X, learning disabilities…and realizing that’s really where we fit,” Bermudez said.
Bermudez said that as she started using the term neurodivergent in other community-oriented events, Assembly Member Pheffer Amato became interested in recognizing the neurodivergent community on a statewide level. Last April, Pheffer Amato submitted a resolution to recognize Neurodivergent Awareness Month, and Bermudez said that the assembly member then presented to her that June.
“From there, it’s been making sure that not only a specific diagnosis be recognized but also all children be recognized and all individuals that are neurodivergent be recognized, Bermudez said. “It just fits the mold that it’s autism awareness month as well. I feel like it’s meant to be because it needed to be that way so everybody can recognize both things at the same time.”
Bermudez said that this event is inclusive of everyone and invites families to celebrate.
“ I want it to be about everyone…and inclusive of not only neurodivergent children, but inclusive of everybody, to let them know that you are seen, you are heard, and you are recognized,” she said. “You and your family need to be celebrated, and you are included in the community. And this moment is so that other communities can see you and hear you the same way that your family does.”
Bermudez said that she hopes to turn “Light Up The Night” into an annual event taking place in Queens and across New York City. “ Making it very much so recognized so that not only are we bringing awareness, we’re bringing acceptance, we’re bringing knowledge, and we’re bringing inclusivity in a way that I mean, I don’t think we’ve really, even really deep-dived upon,” she said.
She added that it is important to host “Light Up The Night” in Far Rockaway, as it is a resource-dessert for families needing information and support. “ So it’s shining a light on that and saying, hey, we are here, and the resources need to come here as well,” Bermudez said.
