CalmStart Special Eduation 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. I tracked every email I sent. Every phone call I made. Every moment they failed him.

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

• Every missed IEP service
• Every unreturned call
• Every failed promise

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

The complaint worked. Suddenly, the district was ready to talk.

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

• Social skills goals
• Behavior support
• Sensory accommodations
• Real speech services

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

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

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.