Sadiq’s Story
One of my inspirations as a child was my uncle Andre. Andre was an individual with Autism, but he was raised during a time period in which services were not as presently available, and there was a stigma. Andre lived with my dad, during the early years of his adult life, and the bond they shared was magical. Andre lived life as it was supposed to be lived. He always had a smile on his face, love in his heart for his family and friends, and motivation to achieve what others told him he could not. Andre was developmentally delayed, non-verbal, and struggled with atypical behavior. However, when given great support from family and related services, he became self-sufficient, verbal, and maintained employment for over 30 years. Andre showed a young Sadiq that everyone can be successful given the right support, resources, and love. I carry this with me every day, as I approach every person and opportunity with the optimism that no matter the hardship during the journey, we will succeed in the end.
Associations
- BACB
Kristel’s Story
My passion for helping children with social and behavioral challenges started with my son. I have been around individuals with disabilities my entire life. My Aunt Jamie was born with Cerebral Palsy. She was always an inspiration with her positive outlook on life no matter what challenges she faced. She lived independently most of her adult life. She moved to North Dakota to attend high school, while her family remained in New Jersey, deciding to live in Minnesota after graduation. She never let her disabilities hold her back, from graduating college, to writing a book to help other people with disabilities navigate all the services available to them in the city. She battled cancer several times but never lost her positive outlook on life. I have always aspired to live my life in the same light she lived hers.
I have three children, my oldest have being diagnosed with high functioning autism. I spent three years maneuvering through the system to get the correct diagnosis for my son. Through his journey with ABA, I have become a better person and a better parent. The challenges that I have with finding services, camps, clubs, along with navigating through school meetings, and social issues is the reason I wanted to start this company. I intend to provide a safe place where all children not only have their individual needs met but also a place where they can feel safe, understood, respected, and a place to find friendships to last a lifetime.