"Upward Bound serves as a dumping ground for the city's disabled community, a pen to hold people who have aged out of school. Any inmate who manages to clamber free has slipped the net, beaten the odds and might therefore be viewed as a small miracle."
"Brown feels for the centre's exhausted staff almost as much as he does for its mouldering, desperate clients, who are forced to map out their days with pointless time-wasting activities."
"Walter scored straight As at community college and dreams of becoming a writer, but his prospects are dim. The bottom line is being able to communicate: nonspeakers rarely land even menial work."
"He thinks he loves Emma, a fellow client, and that she might love him back. But when they stand side by side in the rec room they might be 100 miles apart, communing on a different plane altogether."
Upward Bound is an adult daycare center in Los Angeles, described as a dismal place for the disabled community. It serves as a holding area for individuals who have aged out of school. Woody Brown, a non-speaking autistic graduate, reflects on his experiences in his novel, which portrays the struggles of clients and the compassion of the staff. The story follows Walter, an autistic character who dreams of becoming a writer but faces communication barriers and isolation at the center, emphasizing the challenges faced by nonspeakers.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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