WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.760 align:middle line:90%


00:00:01.760 --> 00:00:02.420 align:middle line:90%
Cool too.

00:00:02.420 --> 00:00:07.140 align:middle line:84%
I think, I've been doing
this work for a long time.

00:00:07.140 --> 00:00:13.280 align:middle line:84%
And I think, it's an
interesting learning journey

00:00:13.280 --> 00:00:15.020 align:middle line:90%
to have started out.

00:00:15.020 --> 00:00:17.920 align:middle line:84%
And I came into
the work as a poet

00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:20.840 align:middle line:84%
and having a background as
a touring singer songwriter.

00:00:20.840 --> 00:00:24.160 align:middle line:90%
But I hadn't studied autism.

00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:26.980 align:middle line:84%
I wasn't an autism support
professional or whatever.

00:00:26.980 --> 00:00:29.720 align:middle line:84%
And I think that I
must admit that I

00:00:29.720 --> 00:00:33.160 align:middle line:84%
was guilty of having some of the
preconceptions that were quite

00:00:33.160 --> 00:00:35.360 align:middle line:84%
prevalent at that time
about autistic people

00:00:35.360 --> 00:00:40.720 align:middle line:84%
being isolated, or not
social, or not whatever.

00:00:40.720 --> 00:00:43.480 align:middle line:90%
Just it's in their own mind.

00:00:43.480 --> 00:00:46.200 align:middle line:90%
And I think probably the--

00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:48.320 align:middle line:84%
I mean, I've learned
so much from working

00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:50.780 align:middle line:84%
with at this point, hundreds
of spellers over the years.

00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:55.030 align:middle line:84%
But the way that these folks
relate to their community,

00:00:55.030 --> 00:00:57.820 align:middle line:84%
you guys are such good
friends to one another.

00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:01.220 align:middle line:84%
And one of the commonest topics
that comes up in the songs

00:01:01.220 --> 00:01:03.400 align:middle line:84%
is the feeling of connection
and of friendship.

00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:05.340 align:middle line:84%
It's just totally
disproved the idea

00:01:05.340 --> 00:01:10.560 align:middle line:84%
that there's any sense of, yeah,
not being able to empathize.

00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:14.103 align:middle line:84%
These are the most empathetic
people in the whole world.

00:01:14.103 --> 00:01:15.520 align:middle line:84%
Here's another
song about friends.

00:01:15.520 --> 00:01:17.220 align:middle line:90%
This is by Niko.

00:01:17.220 --> 00:01:20.840 align:middle line:84%
And got some-- this was a fun
music direction on this one.

00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:24.455 align:middle line:90%


00:01:24.455 --> 00:01:31.180 align:middle line:84%
(SINGING) They, they,
they, they understand me

00:01:31.180 --> 00:01:37.380 align:middle line:84%
They, they, they listen
with no questions

00:01:37.380 --> 00:01:43.540 align:middle line:84%
They, they, they find
peace with no end

00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:52.180 align:middle line:84%
Nothing's more important
than my friends

00:01:52.180 --> 00:01:58.460 align:middle line:84%
I, I, I see it
when they struggle

00:01:58.460 --> 00:02:04.520 align:middle line:90%
I, I, I feel their pain

00:02:04.520 --> 00:02:10.440 align:middle line:84%
I, I, I want their
hearts to mend

00:02:10.440 --> 00:02:14.620 align:middle line:84%
Nothing's more important
than my friends.

00:02:14.620 --> 00:02:19.360 align:middle line:90%


00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:25.200 align:middle line:84%
We, we, we are out
to change minds

00:02:25.200 --> 00:02:31.120 align:middle line:84%
We, we, we are out
to change hearts

00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:36.590 align:middle line:90%
We, we, we are about to ascend

00:02:36.590 --> 00:02:42.680 align:middle line:84%
And nothing's more
important than my friends

00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:46.860 align:middle line:84%
Nothing's more important
than my friends.

00:02:46.860 --> 00:02:51.168 align:middle line:90%


00:02:51.168 --> 00:02:54.500 align:middle line:90%
[APPLAUSE]

00:02:54.500 --> 00:02:56.880 align:middle line:90%


00:02:56.880 --> 00:02:59.250 align:middle line:90%
So nice.

00:02:59.250 --> 00:03:00.000 align:middle line:90%