Throughout his time elevating Vinny, and later having a daughter who can be on the spectrum, Steve started to attract similarities between punk and what he understood about autism.
“Vinny marches to the beat of his personal drum, like a punk rocker,” he smiles. “I began seeing parallels between autism and the ethos of the punk rock group. Everyone seems to be accepting of people who find themselves the black sheep, or individuals that do not slot in in mainstream society. Autistic persons are form of much like punks in that they don’t match within the mainstream. I noticed the parallel and the connection.”
Quickly Steve began attempting to unite these kindred worlds, elevating cash and consciousness for autistic charities by way of the punk group. Earlier than lengthy, Punks For Autism was born, and his first concept was to begin making attire.
“The merch I’d see that was bringing autism consciousness was simply not my cup of tea,” he explains. “I would see generic designs, stuff you’d see a 60-year-old mother sporting. Vanilla stuff, you recognize? So I wish to put some extra edgy stuff on the market, some cool designs that enchantment to followers of underground artwork, underground music and enchantment to this era.”
To counteract the uninteresting tees on provide and inject some life into these awareness-raising garms, Steve linked up with tattoo artists and illustrators from the U.S. and past – akin to gothic British artist Shindy Reehal – and began promoting Punks For Autism T-shirts on-line with all the cash going to help native and nationwide autistic charities. The truth is, PFA’s efforts presently help about 12 completely different organisations, together with Surfers Healing, “a bunch of surfers that take individuals on the spectrum out browsing, getting them out within the ocean and on the waves.”
