Our Story
My sisters, Linda and Betsy, and I are passionate about spreading
awareness about Autism and those with disabilities because we have
children who require extra care and would like to effect change for
other children and adults like them in the area. My son was
diagnosed with Autism at 3 years old and that changed the rest of
the course of our family’s lives. We cried at losing the imagined life
we had dreamt of for ourselves as our son had a very uncertain
future, where we didn’t know if he would ever be self-sufficient.
Embarking on our new journey, we found the avenues to access help
were byzantine and hard to even find info about. There were services
to help my son out there, but it took everything out of me to navigate
the applications, hour-wait phone calls, home inspections, and more.
As a college graduate, it was already a hard process, so I couldn’t
imagine how it would go for someone who didn’t speak English and
or had only recently arrived in America.
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My sister, Linda, had a very similar experience as her son was diagnosed with Amniotic Band Syndrome in the womb, where fibrous bands cut off his fingers and one leg. She spent many weeks on bedrest as the doctors told her there was a slim chance he would even make it. She gave birth to him prematurely and her son had to be flight-vac’d to the Milwaukee Children’s Hospital to save his life; and that is where he spent the first few months of his life. After this harrowing experience, she dealt with the disability office and navigated how to get services for her son, while trying to recover at the same time. She has spent countless hours dealing with red tape, doctors, and testing and understands how lonely the process can be. We are hoping this organization can help bridge the gap between diagnosis and treatment, as we can offer first-hand experience of the arduous process while providing community through shared experiences. We are stronger together than we are separate and would like to provide a better future for our children than what we had.
We believe in creating a supportive community for Hmong and Wisconsin families, where every individual can embrace their unique abilities, define their own future, and contribute to a more inclusive society.
Our Mission
Support Wisconsin Hmong youth with special needs reach their full potential in an inclusive community that celebrates their culture.
Our Vision
Build a society where individuals with special needs are fully included, valued, and supported, and where every family has access to the resources they need to thrive.