CalmStart Special Education Advocacy

When Kamaury was just three years old, his speech was delayed. He struggled to connect with peers, and his frustration often turned into behavioral outbursts. Still, professionals dismissed it: "He'll grow out of it." "Boys develop slower."

But I knew better.

When my niece, a trained autism professional, observed him, she didn’t hesitate:

"You need to get him tested."

That moment lit a fire. I began researching autism, attending online trainings, and digging into every resource I could find. There were no local supports for families like mine. So I became the support.

Kamaury entered charter school with an IEP — but only for speech.

His social challenges, emotional regulation struggles, and sensory needs were dismissed. He was labeled difficult, misunderstood by educators who failed to see the child behind the behavior. They refused to expand his IEP, despite clear signs he needed more support.

One day, a school social worker quietly pulled me aside:

"You should move him to public school. He’ll get more support there."

I listened. I made the move. But what came next was worse.

On his very first day in public school, Kamaury was removed from the building.

No support. No welcome. Just rejection.

We heard nothing from the school for weeks. No teacher. No plan. No calls. While the system ignored us, I had no choice but to homeschool him myself. 

While I taught Kamaury at home, I became an investigator. I documented:

• ✅Every email that was ignored
• ✅Every unreturned call
• ✅Every failed promise

Then I filed a formal complaint with the Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education. Not out of anger — out of duty. Because the law was being broken.

The complaint worked! We won hundreds of compensatory hours through the special education complaint.  Suddenly, the district was ready to talk.

At our next IEP meeting, I came prepared. I demanded:

✅ Proper Placement — That put him where he could finally thrive. 

✅ Behavior Support — That turned meltdowns into moments of growth. 

✅ Social Skills Support — That taught him how to connect and belong.

✅ Real Speech Services — That made all the difference in his voice.

✅ Transportation — That got him there every single day.

They tried to minimize his needs. But I had the data. I had the law. And most importantly, I had the truth.

They amended the IEP and Kamaury began to receive real services. He started to thrive.

   Because I fought for his right to a proper education, Kamaury was accepted into an application-only high school — a place where he could finally be challenged, encouraged, and seen for the bright, capable young man he is. 

  Kamaury didn’t just get by — he soared. He made friends, he made the honor roll, joined the track team, tried out for football as the kicker, and even turned down the swim team because he wanted to make that choice for himself. He plays trumpet in the high school band and has been for two years. He toured HBCUs in Virginia, dreaming bigger with every step. He travels with F.I.R.E. organization throughout the state, learning leadership and teamwork skills that reach far beyond the classroom. 

At sixteen, Kamaury became an American Red Cross instructor right alongside me, his grandmother. He’s teaching others life-saving skills while improving his self-steem and people skills — proof that when advocacy works, kids don’t just survive… they lead. This is what real advocacy can do: open doors, build confidence, and set a young man free to choose his own future. 

My advocacy is not just paperwork, phone calls, or meetings — it’s life-changing work that opens doors for a child who was once overlooked. My grandson, Kamaury, is living proof.

That experience gave birth to Michigan Autism Academy Staff and Occupational Training. Not because Kamaury had autism — he was eventually found ineligible — but because his journey exposed the system's cracks.

I founded the Academy to:

✅Train staff

✅Support families

✅Advocate for justice

I created CalmStart for children like Kamaury — those labeled too early, misunderstood too often, and supported too little.

CalmStart offers special education advocacy service, parent and family coaching.

I didn’t choose this fight. It chose me.

Kamaury gave me the fire. The system gave me the fight. Now I give that fight to others.

This is more than my story. It’s a roadmap. Let me walk with you.