2024 Ablebloom newsletter

The community event “2024 Ablebloom” was successfully held on Nov.23th at the Scarsdale Public Library. Organized by IntroSpectrum Club and Project Ready, this second installment of the event saw remarkable growth compared to last year, with a larger turnout, more diverse works, increased funding, and stronger collaboration with sponsors and community partners. The event had approximately 300 attendees present on site.

The exhibition showcased over 120 paintings by 30 talented artists with disabilities, alongside captivating performances by 17 special needs teens and adults. The event was supported by 15 high school volunteers, reflecting the spirit of community-wide engagement and inclusion.

One of highlight of the event was the recognition of 16 Project Ready members with developmental disabilities who voted for the first time this election year. Seven of them participated in the First-time Voters Recognition Ceremony held during Ablebloom 2024, celebrating disability voting rights and their milestone in civic engagement.

This year’s Ablebloom 2024 was proudly sponsored by ArtsWestchester, with Susan Abbott, Grant Director of ArtsWestchester, attending the event. Additional sponsors included Eliza Bozenski, Chief Development Officer of Anderson Center for Autism, and Rose Huang, Chairman of Oasis Foundation.

We also had the special honor of inviting Yale Child Study Center Professor Roger Lou, founder of CASY to deliver a keynote lecture “Socail connections for Autism”

The event also welcomed many community partners such as Joanne Seigel, Co-Director of the Kennedy Autism Center at Einstein Medical School, and Dr Jin Lin, President of Association of Chinese American Physicians, Elaine Wang, President of the Scarsdale Chinese Association.

AbleBloom was born from a simple idea: to showcase the abilities of children with disabilities to the public. Society often focuses on what they cannot do, but today’s event is here to show everyone what they can achieve.

We chose an art exhibition because art is visual and intuitive. When you see their works, you immediately feel their talent and potential. That’s the magic of art—it communicates without the need for words.

We created this opportunity for the talents of children with disabilities to shine, making our community more inclusive and harmonious!