[youtube]https://youtu.be/XpNmcQBqXTE[/youtube]
How others view and treat people with autism seemed to Taylor Laube “a problem that needed to be fixed,” the sixth grader at St. Hubert School in Chanhassen explained.
The result is “Be Their Voice,” a song Taylor wrote that is getting play on YouTube. St. Hubert is showing it in every classroom in April as a tool for Autism Awareness Month.
The song’s chorus is a challenge:
“Life is easy for us;
Think about those who don’t have a choice;
Reach out a helping hand;
Be their voice.”
Awareness Month. Courtesy Cecilia Laube
Taylor dedicated it to her brother, Paul, a fourth-grader at St. Hubert who has autism. They are the children of Jordan and Cecilia Laube of Chaska.
- Taylor Laube, right, wrote “Be Their Voice,” a song inspired by her brother Paul, left, who has autism. April is Autism
Taylor said she remembers witnessing only one incident of Paul being treated poorly.
“I was younger,” she told The Catholic Spirit. “I was too afraid to speak up for what was happening.”
“Be Their Voice” came about from a school assignment.
“My inspiration was that the month of autism awareness was coming up and my music teacher asked me to try and write a serious song,” Taylor said. “This is what I thought was a problem that needed to be fixed.
“Music is one of my talents,” she added, “and I have to use my talent in a way that is meaningful and inspire others so we can change the way the world thinks of autism.”
While the home video on YouTube is not a professional one — evidenced by the cameo appearance by Dawson, an autism-assistance dog for Paul — Cecilia feels her daughter created a “truly beautiful and a wonderful message to share with the world.”
The lyrics speak to that:
Say something now;
Don’t let them get pushed around;
Say something now;
Put yourself in their shoes;
You have to choose;
You’ve got nothing to lose.
The guitarist in the video is My Buan, a music therapist who works with Paul and gives Taylor guitar and singing lessons.
Taylor and a classmate were asked to prepare the morning announcements with a focus on autism April 17 at St. Hubert School, Cecilia said.
“This is exactly what Taylor’s song [and] video is intending to do,” she added.
