Advocating for Autism Awareness with music
This year, something incredible special came out on April 2: a song called “Speechless” was released, with all proceeds going to Autism Canada. April 2 is also Autism Awareness day. The most incredible part of it all was the love that went into making this song.
Chantale Pomerleau, a third year Psychology student with a minor in Family and Child Studies here at the University of Guelph, began writing this song last April. In regards to the writing process, Pomerleau stated, “I had a sudden urge to write a song about my brothers and their journey with autism.” Pomerleau’s twin brothers are currently thirteen and were diagnosed with Autism at the age of 3.
Pomerleau described herself as “an advocate for mental health awareness, wherein I believe that we all face difficulties in life at one time or another, that seeking help is a sign of personal strength not weakness, and that the power of people coming together to make a change can make a world of difference.”
Since Nov. 2013, Pomerleau has been working with Kenny Munshaw, a musician and songwriter, who offered to help with the project and song development. Munshaw has been involved in charity work, and recently co-wrote the song ‘I Thank You’, by The Tenors, for Big Brothers and Big Sisters Canada. Pomerleau spoke highly of Munshaw, stating that he “helped me to create depth through instrument, and tweak the lyrics so that the message is conveyed most effectively.”
The song is called “Speechless” because it is a word that has carried throughout Pomerleau and her family’s journey and experience with Autism. Pomerleau spoke about being speechless when learning about the diagnosis, being speechless when seeing her brothers socialize, being speechless when change is happening, and finally, feeling speechless when recognizing that they were able to overcome hardships.
“It is my goal that listeners can relate to these words, and feel the overarching message of hope that I wish to convey,” said Pomerleau, and she hopes that listeners will “be sure to reflect on your own situations, and acknowledge the fact that adversity can instill you with skills and strength you did not know you had.” The aim of this project is to use the power of music to make a positive impact and create a change in society that is badly needed.
The utilization of our voices, the act of reaching out to teach other people to be aware, and the capacity for people to feel connected to one another is one of the most beautiful things about being a human being. It was a privilege to speak with Pomerleau and to be a part of sharing her story.