KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Expressive in North Kansas City is a space to create in any way, whether it's music or art.
One young man, Noel Faria, has found solace in the space, and it's helped him grow as an individual.
The 20-year-old was diagnosed with Autism and other disabilities from a young age. But his mother, Ana De Jesus, will not give up on him.
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"Doctors told me that he was not going to be able to talk, or he was not going to be able to do much, but I believe in alternative therapies," De Jesus said.
That includes art and music. Faria likes to play the drums at Expressive, along with his art. It allows him to channel his emotions in a healthy way while being social.
"We do like presentations of his painting of his photographies, and we invite the community to come here," De Jesus said.
As her son has gotten older, De Jesus has watched him grow tremendously, in ways she never thought he could.
"At the beginning he just didn't care," De Jesus said. "He just put the canvas or whatever with any color. But now he knows; he knows what to do, he knows what colors to mix."
Now, Faria's curiosity has led him to explore options in higher learning, specifically in photography.
"I want him to be happy and be independent," De Jesus said. "Those two things are important to me because I'm not going to be forever around."
De Jesus wants her son to know that there are no restrictions to what he can do, just like with his art.
"The fact that you find things that help him is definitely a good feeling, because it gives you hope that you are going to be able to keep helping him," De Jesus said.
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