Carly Portillo, of Baldwin, is determined to help organize an inclusive karaoke night — and all her hard work appears to be paying dividends.
Portillo, 20, a rising senior at SUNY Geneseo, is spearheading the event, which will take place in the Surf Room at the Long Beach Hotel on July 24. Joining Portillo in her efforts is a group of autistic young adults in their 20s, including Alex Mercado of Long Beach, who helped secure the venue with support from his mother, Athena Carlo Mercado.
“My son and his friends are into karaoke,” Athena said. “Sometimes they can’t find places to do it, so they either come to my house or go to other venues. Now that they’ve found the Long Beach Hotel, which was willing to rent them a room, they can hold different events. This one seems to be one of the bigger ones because they’ve invited so many friends from their community — people with special needs, autism, Down syndrome — whoever it may be is welcome.”
“The first time I went, I didn’t know anyone, but my mom said these kids were amazing — and they were,” Portillo recalled. “There were only four of us who showed up, but they had the biggest smiles on their faces. We all did karaoke together, and it was just so joyful.”
Since then, Portillo has stayed in touch with the group, many of whom have hosted small, private karaoke events over the years at different venues. When Mercado and her son reached out this summer, Portillo knew she wanted to help them create a space that was open, welcoming and accessible to others on the autism spectrum.
“I think it’s absolutely wonderful,” Athena said of Portillo’s involvement. “Unfortunately, these kids don’t always feel like they belong anyplace. For them to do this and make everyone feel involved — I think that’s a wonderful thing. It makes their community larger, more inclusive. Nobody should be left behind. Nobody should be left out, no matter what.”
A recent communications major who previously studied psychology, Portillo said her time at Geneseo — where she works with students through the TRIO support program — helped solidify her desire to foster community through events like this.
“I used to work with autistic first graders, and I fell in love with it,” she said. “I want to help create the kind of community I’ve seen on campus — one where people rely on one another and feel safe.”
The karaoke night is open to all, but organizers are especially hoping to draw young adults with autism, who often lack accessible social spaces. One of Portillo’s goals is to make sure the event isn’t just full of well-meaning supporters, but offers an inclusive environment for those it’s designed for.
“There’s been a lot of support from the community, but the hardest part has been spreading the word to the right people,” Portillo said. “I want this to be a space where they feel seen, heard and celebrated.”
Athena said they expect around 30 attendees, including about 12 to 15 neurodiverse young adults, plus their family members.
She hopes this larger, more public version will help raise awareness and invite more people from surrounding communities to participate.
“It makes them feel included,” Athena said. “With a lot of places, they don’t feel that way. Hopefully we can continue doing this, and more people will come and feel wanted and included.”
Portillo is still seeking donations — including snacks, drinks, paper goods, gift cards, or small giveaways — and is welcoming sponsorships or any kind of collaboration from local businesses. Donors will be recognized with business cards at the event, logo placement on promotional flyers and social media tags.
More than anything, Portillo hopes the event reminds people that inclusion and belonging are possible — and necessary.
“I want everyone who attends to walk away feeling accepted and important,” she said. “That includes those who are different from us. This is about showing that community can really exist, and that we can create it together.”
Those interested in donating or getting involved can contact Portillo at Portillo.Carly2212@gmail.com.
