Young Achievers: MEET MAAZEN AZIZ

BY KENDRA ROGERS, MS

We don’t often think about art as communication, but for those with limited verbal expression, it can be the perfect medium. Maazen shares that he found his voice through painting when his mother shared canvases and pain with him in 2020. Paint a Miracle (https://www.paintamiracle. org/) further helps Maazen share his voice and improve his ability to communicate his passions through art. Though pencil work is challenging, color speaks for Maazen—red is his favorite. Each color shares different emotions and thoughts as Maazen puts brush to canvas. In addition to using an AAC device, Maazen relies heavily on colors like red, yellow, and blue to show anger and pink for happiness to demonstrate his feelings. He shares his art on Instagram under the handle “@ maazensays”—an homage to the fact that his art speaks for him. Art is not the only way Maazen communicates. He also enjoys sports. He recently won silver and bronze medals in track at the Special Olympics regional games. This summer, he plans to swim and will soon join a bicycle club, too. His favorite sports team is his team, the Rochester Road Runners. When he isn’t painting, running, swimming, or watching Phineas and Ferb, you can find Maazen walking or biking the local trails with his family.

Maazen shares that his mother was his inspiration to begin painting and that his sister and father support him in their way, too. At the onset of Covid, Maazen’s father was stuck abroad for two years which presented a significant challenge to the rest of the family. The instability of his father being away increased Maazen’s challenges, too. His mother, Saba, noticed that he enjoyed colors and began to foster his love of color. His dad has been his trail partner and sports mentor. He showed Maazen that he could be an all-star athlete and is a born sportsman. Maazen says his sister is his best friend—and funny! His sister, who is 14 years older (and getting married soon!), is also his mentor, teaching him life skills and helping support his development.

Saba shares that Maazen has been a driving force for her new life changes as she pursues her BCABA. Often parents work to learn so much about their children’s needs, it pushes them to new horizons, too. Saba says Maazen is her inspiration to help others as she was helped in understanding Maazen.

Saba shares that Maazen has been a driving force for her new life changes as she pursues her BCABA. Often parents work to learn so much about their children’s needs, it pushes them to new horizons, too. Saba says Maazen is her inspiration to help others as she was helped in understanding Maazen.

Like all teenagers, Maazen has big dreams. One of those dreams is to open his own art studio to encourage more people like himself to embrace art as communication and passion. He also wants to encourage the community to be more inclusive and accepting of all kinds of learners.