BHMA Instructor Wins Dougie Award

We're excited to share that last month, BHMA instructor Hanan Khan won a Dougie Award! The Dougie Awards are an annual event hosted by the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism that honor community members who make a positive impact in the autism community. Winners receive a $500 donation to a organization of their choice. Hanan has generously selected BHMA to receive her winning donation.

Hanan was nominated by participant Connor Thompson for her hard work as his 1:1 photography mentor for the last two years. Read his touching tribute post below:

This is a picture of me with my photography teacher, Hanan Khan, whom I’m nominating for a #DougieAwards2026.

I’m a young adult with autism and ID exploring the world of photography. Hanan has been my 1:1 photography mentor for two years, and she has truly had a huge impact on me.

Hanan traveled halfway around the world to attend college in the town where I live, and upon her graduation, she became a vocational instructor at my day program, Berkshire Hills Music Academy.

Hanan had no special training in working with adults with autism, but she is a natural! She jumped right in and saw my abilities, not my disability. She is patient and very knowledgeable. She’s helped me expand my photography skills so much, so I can achieve my dream of becoming a professional photographer.

From taking me on shoots (including the first Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism Flutie 5K in western MA)to teaching me about lighting and portrait photography, I’ve greatly expanded my skills. I started out as a bird and wildlife photographer, and now with Hanan’s guidance, I’ve added event and portrait photography, along with photo editing to my skill set. She even fixed my camera with a replacement part!

I look forward to my 1:1 time with Hanan each week. She works so hard to help me build my portfolio and look for opportunities for me to employ my craft. She’s very deserving of special recognition and a #dougieawards2026!

Check out Connor's photography page on Facebook: facebook.com/spectruminspiredphotography