What is the message that Simone wants to convey?
«That of freedom. Understood above all as the absence of fear of not being “confirmed”, of not fitting into a cliché, of not belonging to what is commonly and superficially called “normality”. And that is simply a majority of situations, of characteristics, of people. Going beyond it, you come across a reality that is worth exploring to enrich and complete yourself. And we realize that diversity is nothing more than a different facet of normality.”
With the eyes of love. Today Simone is looked at with the eyes of love, but is he always like this?
«Simone is gaining these looks hard on the pitch. He is called upon every day to demonstrate something: that he knows how to say, that he knows how to do, that he knows how to sing, that he has improved. But autism is not a disease: it is a way of being, a different way in which brain cells meet, organize themselves and create synapses. Therefore a different way of processing the information and stimuli that come from the outside world. Therefore one does not heal or improve. At most we try to distort ourselves to adapt to the model proposed by society.”
And is it right?
«I often ask myself this. It might be easier to avoid being accused of being different and therefore often excluded, but going against nature is never the right solution. And let’s go back to the fundamental importance of being free to be. Therefore Simone is not always and not by everyone looked at with the eyes of love. We must continue to work on prejudices, on the still high and sharp walls that isolate people with disabilities, on the concept of person and dignity. And above all on the concept of respect and love for others.”
How much has Simone’s life changed since he started singing?
«Enormously. For many reasons. First of all, he is happy to sing and has found a great reason to get out of bed every morning. Cultivating one’s dream, committing oneself, studying to improve are all extraordinary reasons for restoring a self-esteem that was lacking for a long time. For a long time he has been relegated to the corner of those who are unable to do things, of those who cannot afford the luxury of planning a future, of those who do not have the right tools to emerge.”
And now?
«Being noticed, for those who have lived in the shadow of solitude for years, is a beautiful dawn, it is a blinding sun, it is summer. And Simone is finally experiencing all this. On the street they recognize him, greet him, ask him for autographs. He is there, he is alive, he is desired. And all of this is beautiful! He is invited to many singing events and has received important awards including the Chamber of Deputies Award for his social commitment to inclusion and the Jester Nation Award for his singing and cultural commitment. He has been invited several times to Rai and other television stations, his songs are broadcast on some radios (not yet on national ones) and many newspapers have written interesting articles about him. And while before if I was on the street with him people didn’t seem to see him and only greeted me, now in the eyes of many I have become the mother of MagoS. And it’s an immense satisfaction.”
