At CPAD, we are honored to collaborate with SAGE, Self Advocate Group Empowered, a vibrant community of adults with disabilities who are passionate, talented, and actively shaping their own futures. Members of SAGE bring creativity, leadership, and unique perspectives to the world. Among the members are some artists, writers, speakers, and advocates who not only pursue their own goals but also inspire others along the way.

As part of our commitment to amplifying self-advocate voices, we are proud to feature one of the talented members of SAGE: Alex Andy Phuong, a poet and writer whose work reflects imagination, resilience, and dedication to his craft.

Featured Poet: Alex Andy Phuong

Author Bio

Alex Andy Phuong earned his B.A. in English from California State University, Los Angeles in 2015, and his A.A. in English from Pasadena City College in 2013, where he also worked as a tutor. He previously served as an editor for Statement Magazine and has written extensively about literature, film, and culture.

His work includes:

• Hundreds of film reviews for MovieBoozer
• Articles for Mindfray
• Poetry and writing published in The Bookends Review and The Society of Classical Poets

Inspired by the Oscar-nominated song “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land (2016), Alex began actively submitting his writing to publishers. His poetry collection, An Altruistic, was published by Cyberwit.net in 2020.

Currently based in Alhambra, California, Alex continues to write with the hope of inspiring readers and supporting dreamers.

Selected Poems by Alex

Over and Never Again

Repetitive actions
Characterize redundancy,
But there is still power
Within possibilities,
Especially since it requires strength
To overcome adversity,
So shine as bright as light,
Even during the darkest hour,
And listen to the song of a lark
To avoid becoming lost in the dark,
And along the journey
Towards being found,
Marvel at the wonder
Found all around,
And listen to words of wisdom
While being as peaceful as a sage,
And remember to never
Succumb to rage,
For love is truly
Stronger than hate,
And know how it is never too late
To form a sense of peace,
And that within itself
Is actually possible
By letting violence
Finally cease

Being a Sage on a Written Page

Words full of wisdom
Can become the keys
To a newfound kingdom,
And there is something extraordinary
About local libraries,
Especially since the printed page
Can advocate others
To never hate,
And since patience is virtuous,
Be willing to wait,
For even though books
Involve a lot of time,
There truly is power
Within written lines
And dialogue within plays
Can inspire people
To develop a role to play
To make the most
Out of every day,
And never underestimate
The power of love,
Especially since Henry James
Wrote The Wings of the Dove,
And remember how violence must cease
If people truly want to live in peace

Peaceful Spectacle

Flashes full of color and wonder
Before vanishing out of sight,
And the beauty found
Within both day and night
Can reveal the nature of splendor
As well as hopeful light,

So choose to make amends
Even as night descends,
And strive for grandeur
While remaining pure
Even if no one knows
What will happen for sure,
But even within uncertainty
Are chances and opportunities,
So find the spectacle
Within anything ordinary
To live a life
That would be extraordinary,
And do anything essential
While focusing on the fundamental
To become finally found
After turning a page
To become as wise as a sage

Synthetic Spendor

The natural and the artificial
Might both differ from each other,
But differences themselves
Hold a unique sense of splendor,
So ponder deeply
About the nature of reality
While striving to live
With authenticity,
And anything synthetic
Reveals the power
Of everything that people can make,
And even making mistakes
Can result in acquiring knowledge,
And choose to become like a sage
That becomes wiser with age,
And even inspire people
To do so much more
Than they would ever realize,
So dare to celebrate
As well as appreciate
The power of creativity
As ways to add wonder
To a world like no other