BART passes the mic to Bay Area kids during Autism Awareness Month

During April, 100 kids’ voices have been heard by public transit riders in the Bay Area, New York City, New Jersey, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., through a project aimed to promote acceptance of autism.

On Sunday night, Goyo Alvarez stood on a BART platform with his mom, Julie. They were inches away from the rushing trains — but the Alvarezes weren’t there to board one. Instead, they were listening for Goyo’s voice, which has been echoing across the Millbrae station every half hour of every day for Autism Awareness Month this April.

“Hey everybody, my name is Goyo and I love trains and BART,” said the recording, which was made by the 12-year-old Redwood City boy last month. “Please stand safely behind the yellow platform edge tiles as the train arrives. It scares the train operator if you are too close, and it is not safe.”

Goyo and his mom beamed at one another from the platform floor. It was their first time hearing his message — one of 100 recorded by kids on the autism spectrum across the country. Throughout the month of April, these kids’ voices have been heard by public transit riders in the Bay Area, New York City, New Jersey, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., all through a project aimed to promote acceptance of autism with an industry many on the spectrum feel personally connected to: transportation.

“Kids on the spectrum can become intensely focused on feats of mechanical engineering that we encounter everyday, like subway systems and trains,” said Jonathan Trichter, who began the project after a pilot with the New York City’s subway system last year. “Transit workers around the world — including at BART — are familiar with seeing these kids dragging their families on joy rides to nowhere, or asking transit workers complex questions that will completely stump them.”

Trichter, who runs several schools for children with autism in New York, said it’s not uncommon for the first full sentence of a child on the spectrum to be something they heard on a public service announcement, like “stand clear of the closing doors, please.” After seeing this fascination again and again, Trichter began thinking about ways to engage children with the transit system directly, and give the public a chance to hear from these children themselves.

“Not only are these kids getting to celebrate their love of the transit system — and the transit workers get the honor of hearing from children who love them – but the public also gets to hear from these kids,” said Trichter. “They can learn that these kids are different, but similar. And no less.”

He began the project by going on Facebook, and posting in forums for children on the spectrum in major cities across the United States. Within four or five hours, he said, he had a few dozen respondents — including Julie Alvarez in Redwood City.

“When I saw the post, I immediately thought of Goyo,” said Alvarez. “For as long as we can remember, he’s always loved trains. And the idea of giving a voice to kids on the spectrum? I was just so excited about it.”

Goyo felt the same. He’s always loved the history of trains, he said, and the mechanics behind how they work. And on top of that, he was thrilled at the fact that his voice could be a part of the Bay Area’s transit system. On March 29, Goyo headed to BART’s Oakland headquarters for a full day of recording, touring, and train-riding, alongside 25 other young people from across the region.

“I was like: Yes! Definitely! Sign me up!” said Goyo. “It feels nice to break stereotypes about (autism) being a disability and being able to celebrate it instead. It makes me feel noticed and proud.”

“The BART is a communal experience – unlike inching along the freeway alone in a car,” said Allison. “You go to BART, and you see other people, and you interact with the community. And when you hear something like this, it really adds to that fabric of life in the big city.”

Next year, Trichter hopes to expand the project even further. He has his eyes on major cities around the world, like Tokyo, London, Paris and Berlin, and has already begun coordinating with transit companies in Australia.

Allison says he hopes BART will be able to repeat the project next year, though plans to do so are not yet set in stone.

“We’re just celebrating this month,” said Alvarez. “To bring this awareness, acceptance, and understanding about differences is really exciting. He’s just a kid, and he just loves trains.”

Video: Students record new BART messaging in Autism Awareness Month campaign. (BART)