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I'm An Adult Not A Child-The Book
I'm An Adult Not A Child-The Book
IM AN ADULT
NOT A CHILD
BY ZACH BLUMSTEIN
CONTENTS OF ADULTS
MEGAN 4
JORDY 12
LINDSEY 25
STANLEY 33
JORDAN 41
INTRO
MEGAN
I appreciate Megans
accomplishments. Her
body of work at the
Soul Centers artist
colony says a lot about
her motivation.
I appreciate Megans
accomplishments. Her body
of work at the Soul Centers
artist colony says a lot about
her motivation. A week
ago, I recall looking back
on Megans first blanket.
I remember a blanket full
of exquisite colors; each
color chosen by Megans
keen eyesight; each color
chosen with purpose. The
blanket itself sold for $60.
The blankets colors come
together like magic. Each
thread clasping onto the
other thread like Megans
hands filled with strength.
She and her facilitator
spent a month wearing
her artwork piece by
piece, some threads show
I WENT TO BLAKES
APPLE ORCHARD AND HAD
SOME HARD CIDER WITH
MY AUNT. NEXT TIME IM
BRINGING MY COUSINS.
WHAT? THIS IS
MEGANS CURVE-BALL,
IF ONLY MY EARS
COULD LISTEN BETTER.
In my mind special
needs people are kids
because thats all I
knew growing up and
volunteering at the
Friendship Circle.
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JORDY
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Jordy do downtown?
Jordy loves Detroit, Zach.
Today me and Jordy spent
a lot of time downtown. Not
only did we go to the DIA,
but we also went to MOCAD.
Im getting Jordy ready
for the new Soul Center.
Jordys eyes.
Cary says, Woman in Key of
E, Jordy absolutely loved this
exhibit. Its just a woman
sitting up on a pedestal in
a huge room. Everything
is gold all around you. The
woman is even playing a
gold guitar and wearing
this beautiful gold dress.
People sometimes come
and walk around her for
15-45 minutes. But, when
Jordy walks in there this is
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WOMAN IN KEY OF E
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synagogue?
Jordy loves it. I was talking
to Rabbi Shem Tov a couple
years ago. I explain that
Jordy doesnt talk, so just like
a blind person hears better,
Jordy feels thing very deeply.
So thats why you bring
Jordy to synagogue every
weekend?
Yeah, its really solidified
our friendship. Before
it was just me taking
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LINDSEY
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colors. She
makes her pillow with so
much energy that it feels like
the roses are exploading.
Its a montage of
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STANLEY
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of an organization that
also has a recreation
center. I go to the center
to pick up Stanley so I
can interview him. From
nowhere, this man with
special needs stops me.
I feel under attack by a
random person; he keeps
coming at me from all
angles.Hes wearing a
black fedora, dark shades,
and a long black shirt that
dangles off his hands. His
pants are torn to shreds.
Hey man, whats up? Where
you going? He pretends
to know me, like weve
met before. But, we never
met before. He comes at
me from all angles. He
is inadvertently isolating
me from the group home
where he lives. The feeling
of confrontation shook me
sideways.
Im trying to go downstairs
to see an old friend. Do you
know Stanley?
An old friend you say?
My name is Matt, nice to
meet you; say you got
a cigarette? Here I am
figuratively hanging upside
down like he is trying to
shake me and keep me
from entering. Though I
listen to him I used the skills
I gained at the soul center
to me and Im patient.
I dont smoke, I say.
Thats ok smoking is bad
for you, Im trying to quit
you see.
The guy starts following
me as I try to walk in,
bombarding me with
different things. Hes
quite the gatekeeper to
getting to the center,
keeping me from seeing
my dear old friend.
Getting through him is
tough and in theory Im
telling him what my needs
are but he has no sense
to show me around the
center. It is clear that this
center is not my home or
where my friends hang out.
He continues as we are
walking together, Dude
I got a job for you if you
want one.
No thank you, I have one.
Its cool, its not a hard
job. I do it all the time.
Im not interested. Im
looking for the elevator.
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book to Stanley.
Finally, I hear Stanley Is that
you Zach? Sorry, I didnt
hear my text, I didnt know
you were here.
Here I am seeing an
old friend and no one
welcomes me as a friend.
My feelings run through me
with caution. I feel removed
from my identity; I am what
others think I am. Finally
after running through
the judgements of those
surrounding me I catch up
with my friend Stanley.
I interview him because I
want to see where he is in
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Metropolitan Detroit, a
small Jewish day school and
the Frankel Jewish Academy
for high school. Because
they are small schools, he
wasnt generally picked on.
People were usually nice
and let him sit next to them
at lunch.
Although he did tell me
about a kid who made fun
of him, but that kid was
kicked out of school. I also
went to the Jewish Academy
and felt accepted. There
was this kid named Jamie
who used to pick on me
in middle school; once he
put lotion on his hand and
pretended it was another
substance. But, we all grow
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together. According to
Stanley, the place where
he stayed was awesome.
Right now Stanley tutors
kids after school and we
discuss the idea of possibly
continuing to be a tutor. I
hope he follows through
on his promise to go to the
Soul Center because I think
hed be great at facilitating
art projects.
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Friendship Circle.
I left the Group home to go chat with
my brother. I need answers to my
questions about special needs adults
in order to defeat the perception they
are kids, because they are adults.
JORDAN
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included?
Jordan answers, When
Im at the Friendship
Circle everyone has value,
a purpose, everyone is
equal in that purpose and
everyone is equal in Gods
eyes. This is why I work at
the Friendship Circle which
is focused on friendship and
equality with the idea of
inclusion and support. My
brother believes these ideas
are a necessity, not only in
special needs; its meant for
anyone who needs it.
The fact is that Lindsey
is behind Meagan, and
Becky may have skill or
talent; but the other fact
is that I am there for her,
giving her the inclusion
and support by being a
friend and teaching her
the foundations of art,
which is shape and line.
I am giving her the tools
she needs in order for
her to create she wants.
Whether its horses, flowers,
or One Direction.
I am learning how to
specialize in friendship. I
look up to my brother, he
does this every day for a
living. For instance Cary,
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communicate or do certain
things. However, they can
still produce art. Especially
in todays day and age, there
are some art systems they
may be better at, where
they can learn the systems
and do it to get a great job.
They can use the 3D printer
or laser cutter and they can
produce great things too.
I cant wait to see
what they produce.
Jordan continues So while
art is born from therapy, it
actually is a way for them
to create things they can
sell and they will have a
job bringing out their skill
sets and talents.
Talking about the art one
creates, to me and many
other designers I go to
school with is perceived
as egotistical. You are
showing off what you can
do because youre Mr. or
Ms. I can do it all and
youve always been known
as the one who can do it
all. Maybe it is that we have
been doing this craft for
years and were tired of
talking about our amazing,
pure talent. Not all the
individuals at the Soul
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UNSTOPPABLE
ZACH
BLUM
STEIN
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COPYWRITING
My intention is to always
stay unstoppable. To
do this I must question
everything. Pretend to know
nothing and routinely learn
everything.
Five years ago, I finished
my volunteering at The
Friendship Circle. I played
my role in this organization
for seven years before
attending the College for
Creative Studies.
I thought I was done helping
People with special needs.
But, its been months since
Ive seen my friends. It was
time to reconnect. A friend
of mine deserves respect.
They should be treated with
humanity. Whether they are
an adult or a kid.
Though some of my friends
tend to still act childish it
might not be apparent but
theyve matured a lot.