Honorable Mention – Asri Nurul Qodri
The subjects of the photographs are my niece and nephew who are both diagnosed with Autism. My niece is verbal, and my nephew is non-verbal. I’ve stayed with them for long periods of time since they were just born, and I can only imagine how overwhelming the world can be through their eyes. People often don’t understand them nor have the patience to try to understand. There is a stigma surrounding Autism, and individuals with Autism are sometimes labeled as“weird”. Heroes can be defined as those who save or help others, but in this case, I believe they are unsung heroes within their own worlds. Yes, they need help from others, but they also help themselves, in their own small way, their own little effort.