DISCOVERING HIS VOICE: BEN MORSE
HEATHER GALLIVAN Student Support Specialist
Photo courtesy of Ben Morse
L
ast fall, Ben Morse stepped out onto the stage of the Arizona Grand Ballroom, trembling in anticipation. After an interval, he heard his name over the loudspeaker, walked center stage and received his award. Upon exiting, he did the unexpected: Facing the crowd, arms extended overhead with hands fisted, he cheered in ecstatic triumph. It would not be his last public recognition, but he would cherish it long after. At the SALT Center’s Annual Family Weekend Celebration and Awards Ceremony, in front of some 300 onlookers, Ben received the Engagement Award. This was no small feat. Diagnosed at age 12 with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ben had always struggled with social interactions of all kinds, most especially at large gatherings. The award was not only a recognition of his persistent engagement with the SALT Center, but also a milestone in an extended struggle to overcome barriers that limited what he could do, and be, in life. The award testified that Ben had seized the opportunity to face his struggles head on. In doing so, he achieved not only success and recognition, but also access to “his people,” his purpose, and his voice.
10 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
When Ben was a child, interacting with others made him feel anxious, fearful, and physically ill. This brought on tremors, so he avoided it. Extremely shy, he found it difficult to both communicate and self-advocate. “I had to learn to speak with others before I could begin to really speak for myself,” Ben said. He received communication support services and built up his skills bit by bit. Yet he still felt “unapproachable” and mostly kept to himself. In high school, an ardent biology teacher introduced Ben to the wonders of science and a natural world in peril due to resource mismanagement. This, and his involvement with Key Club, World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and other civic and environmental organizations, sparked an interest that propelled Ben to expand his horizons. Still, he felt unsure. Then, in 2018, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared on the international stage, and everything changed. Ben first saw Greta Thunberg on T.V. as she spoke to delegates of the COP24 UN climate convention in Poland. He was awestruck as she delivered her message to, as Ben put it, “wake up and save our world before it’s too late.” Fifteen years old and four months Ben’s junior, Greta was the ‘’first person with Asperger’s’’ he had ever encountered. When she asserted, “No one is too small to make a difference,” Ben felt a jolt. “Seeing how impassioned she was, really gave me the confidence to speak out,” Ben said. Then and there, he decided to fight for environmental and social justice. He knew that to get his message out, he would have to harness his “fears, energy, and passion.” Undeterred, he resolved to use his voice to advocate for nature, himself, and all future generations of beings on planet Earth.
