LISTEN TO THE CHILD

Asheem Ali is a talented Homeschooled 10-year-old that kept his momma (Me!) & older sister, AAliyah Mya, on our toes ever since he could walk. His favorite sport is Soccer (“Soccer for Success”). A close second is pushing his body to the limit doing Obstacle Courses/Parkour with Hybrid Ninja Academy. He also swims, runs track, plays Volleyball, and can throw a mean Boomerang! He participated in Basketball, Golf, Tennis, and Flag Football and learned to Skate with PAL. The most simple but favorite thing he does is regularly watch movies. He enjoys the Wakanda Alliance Program, Film & Technology with West Side Studios, 4-H Club -Buffalo, School of Two Hearts Co-Op, Minecrafting, Gardening, and Playing Piano.

On June 11th, Asheem participated in the “The Arts are for All” summer” Recital! I couldn’t have been prouder! He was inspired by Drea D’Nur as he watched her play on a real piano in front of City Hall for a Cariol’s Law event 2 years ago. He wanted to play right then, but she invited him to come and play at “Feed Buffalo” on Saturday. The event was wrapping up, and the recently acquired piano had to be moved to its new home at the West Side’s ONLY mostly organic food distribution site (shameless plug). That entire week he asked me how many days until Saturday. I just kept answering 5 days; 4 days; 3 days; 2 days; 1 Day; Today! He quickly reminded me that ‘TODAY WE HAVE TO GO TO FEED BUFFALO” so he could play on Auntie Drea’s piano. It was not on the day’s agenda, but we were on the West Side for a 4-H Club meeting, and we messaged Drea and stopped by.  As we were going over homeschooling stuff, Asheem was playing the piano. Drea paused in the middle of the discussion and said, ‘He’s playing something though…’ and stood up, put some music on the Bluetooth, and asked him to play along with what he heard. He did!! She encouraged him and me to take him to music instruction. She gave me a lead for someone local that teaches music.

I put it out there that we were in search of a keyboard. My friend, Eve Shippens, a teacher, donated one that her son was no longer using! Asheem was so eager to learn that he began self-teaching using YouTube videos. When we hear and sing along to a song in the car, I’ll ask him, ‘Can you play this song?’ He would come out with answers like, ‘I could see, maybe, It’s cumbersome in D.’ I’m like, ok… Don’t know what he means, but ok!  Kiara Harris, my niece, reminded me of virtual classes she had previously told me her daughter was taking at The Arts Are for All studio.  I told her Asheem couldn’t do it virtually any more. He was sick of it. But she explained it’s only 15 minutes; her daughter has won awards, and it’s a great program. He takes virtual lessons on Wednesdays and practices nearly every day. Even if it’s just one song on the keyboard, that’s bigger than him! A few weeks ago, we noticed a few keys were wonky. We were like, ‘What is going on?’ We had taken it on a car ride so he wouldn’t miss the piano lesson, and we thought it broke. We were all set to exchange the gifted keyboard, but I had reservations because it was a gift to him and his first real keyboard. I changed the batteries, and we gave VIOLA a second life; the rest is NowStory! Our community Baby was NOW in a recording studio with his peers laying down the tracks for the Summer Recital 2022!

I share this because my heart is full, and love is overflowing daily and in every way! Please be kind to others; focus on our sameness more than our differences! Support one another when you’re called/moved to do so!  This is our child! Every child is our child! We are stronger when we take care of our children collectively!