Fast-paced life is removing us from meaningful connections with our families, neighbours, friends, and other people in society. By acknowledging her human traits, the author can see each individual for who they are-from the youngest humans to the eldest.
Raising Me is a heartfelt exploration drawn from personal experiences of a mother navigating the joys and challenges of raising a neurodivergent child in our crowded world. Written in clear, conversational language with bright insights and emotional personal stories, it is intended to guide society toward greater empathy and unity.
The book is structured in three interconnected sections, each building on the last to promote inclusive communities:
1. Preparing: Defining the Family as Society's Building Block
This section delves into the foundational elements of family life, examining the roles of children, parents, and extended kin. Through my own story of welcoming Ilyas amid family dynamics and a global pandemic, it highlights how strong, values-driven families form the resilient core of any society, nurturing individuals who contribute meaningfully to the collective good.
2. Practicing: Elevating the Self for Human Connection
Here, I focus on personal growth through daily practices like observation, sensing, and reflection. Drawing from my emotional journey with Ilyas-moments of heartbreak, discovery, and profound love-I encourage readers to cultivate inner awareness and empathy. This spiritual elevation allows us to connect authentically, human to human, bridging gaps caused by neurodivergence or hidden disabilities and fostering deeper understanding in our interactions.
3. Progressing: Advocating for Inclusive Communities
The final section explores how an elevated self engages with the broader community to ensure all diverse-abled individuals are fully included. From advocating for accessible spaces and equitable services to challenging societal norms that separate "normal" from "diverse," it calls for collective action. Inspired by real-life encounters, such as navigating therapies and school systems for Ilyas, this part emphasizes empathy, double empathy (sharing the burden of adaptation), and systemic changes to create environments where everyone-neurotypical or neurodivergent-thrives.
At its heart, the book is a call to action for building inclusive societies in the UAE and beyond, where fast-paced lives do not erode our meaningful connections. It weaves raw, compelling stories of motherhood with practical insights, urging readers to see disabilities not as deficits but as diverse strengths that enrich our communities.
Alabri, Hanaa: - Hanaa Alabri, an Emirati mother of an autistic son, channels her journey into advocating for inclusivity. Trained in Applied Behavioural Analysis, she uncovers insights into her own neurodivergence, infusing her work with empathy. With a BA in Public Relations and a Masters in Sustainable Development Law, Hanaa serves Abu Dhabi's education sector, aligning with the UAE's vision. Through storytelling and community classes, she fosters spaces where all children thrive, weaving compassion into society's fabric.
