By SIDDHARTHA HARMALKAR
RICHMOND HILL — Parents, caregivers, kids of all ages, and community organizations braved the chilly weather on Saturday, May 30, to come out for the fourth annual Autism and Developmental Disabilities Walk and Resource Fair at Rizzuto Park.
The sun started shining just as dozens of families trickled in to take part in what has now become a beloved yearly tradition.
“Autism and developmental disabilities affect every community, every family, every school,” said Assemblymember Jennifer Rajkumar, who represents Glendale, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, and Woodhaven.
“What we’re showing today is that there is support for our children at every level of the government,” she said, pointing to the attendance of Deputy Mayor Helen Arteaga, New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., and City councilmember Lynn Schulman.
At a rally before the walk, the elected officials praised Queens Community Board 9 Chair Sherry Algredo for being the driving force behind the event.
Algredo started the walk with Senator Addabbo to bring attention to the struggles of children with autism like her son, who stood by her side during the rally.
She said that Addabbo encouraged her to start the walk after she floated the idea while they were touring Richmond Hill in order for him to get to know the area’s needs shortly after the district became part of his jurisdiction.
“The walk was never meant to be about me,” said Algredo. “It’s meant to be for all those who silently struggle under the stress of knowing their kid may never go to college, their kid may never get married, their kid may end up in a group home if anything happens to them, their kid might get bullied, their kid might get hurt. You live with those daily stresses every day.”
After walking around the park twice, participants mingled in the athletic field and talked to representatives from the elected officials’ offices at the resource fair, where volunteers from Kingdom Builders Ministries, Indo-Caribbean Federation Inc., Mercy Drive Inc., Trinidadians and Tobagonians USA, and other local organizations handed out beef patties, chickpea curry and pizza from local restaurants.
“It means a lot,” said Rehanna Assan, an attendee who joined the walk for the second time this year along with her son, who has autism. She said she appreciated the ability to interact with other families going through similar struggles, and encouraged other parents to bring their children out to similar events. “I don’t feel alone,” she added.
The walk was part recognition of the struggles of New Yorkers with special needs and part celebration of community, and the mood was festive.
This year’s walk happened to coincide with Trinidad and Tobago’s Indian Arrival Day, a celebration of the East Indian immigrants’ arrival to the nation.
Algredo said that she wants everyone to know about resources like the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and to understand the struggle for parents to repeatedly verify their child’s disability in order to receive government assistance.
“The parent is already under a lot of stress to take care of the child, and then they have to deal with the stress of getting services for the child. So, it is hard, it is difficult. I have everything my son needs, but it was a nightmare to get it, and not all parents have access to elected officials, community members, and other people who can help them.”
She wants people to find the families in their communities who have children with autism, Down syndrome, or other disabilities, and to go out of their way to make sure that they feel supported.
“Make sure they know that the community is there for them, to support them,” she said.
“It takes a village. They’re not alone.”
