About
Instead of saying...
"SOMEONE ought to do something about this!"...
I became that SOMEONE
WHO IS DEKEDA (Momma Pump)?
Dekeda was just an everyday loving and devoted Momma, working hard to support her family. One morning, she tuned into a radio broadcast on her way to work that would unknowingly catapult her into a household name for special needs advocacy. After hearing a popular TV and radio personality exploit the persona of a woman with developmental disabilities for laughs, Dekeda was deeply disturbed and channeled her emotions into a Youtube video that went viral almost instantly. Dekeda's first child was diagnosed with autism at the age of two and for her the “radio skit” aired as comedic entertainment hit too close to home to be taken lightheartedly by anyone who has had the blessing of loving someone with special needs. With the outrage of social media backing her candid thoughts by the thousands, it was soon apparent that there were people all over the world that shared in her disdain for this form of hate and enough was enough.
It was clear that there was much work to be done in the area of disability acceptance. Dekeda has the loving support of her youngest neurotypical daughter who is also an enthusiastic advocate for her big sister. With the fuel of inspired family, friends and supporters, she was motivated to use her newly found platform to serve as a voice to the voiceless and carry the torch for the autism and special needs community.
Fun fact: The name of Dekeda's organization came from the last line that she yelled in that video before her phone died: "Walk one day in our shoes..."
The Walk One Day In Our Shoes Mission is to promote acceptance for all people with special needs through a variety of avenues:
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Blogging
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Social Events
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Media Correspondent
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Sensitivity Training
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Caregiver Empowerment
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Community Outreach
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Advocacy
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Education
Blogging
The WODIOS Mission is to share my personal journey, by having you "Walk One Day In Our Shoes" with real stories of trials and triumphs endured while raising a daughter with autism. The mission is to continue to promote acceptance and awareness for all people living with special needs . I also encourage an open dialogue regarding current news items regarding autism, inclusion/acceptance, and other special needs interests.
I also host a "Group Chat" via Instagram Live every Saturday night where I discuss a variety of topics that affect our community.
Social Events
Families in the DMV know me best for the social events that I produce for individuals with special needs & their loved ones. These events are strategically customized for our community to enjoy in a judgement free environment. Learn more about these events under the "Events" tab!
Media Correspondent
I serve as a Media Correspondent for ABC7 / WJLA and FOX5 in Washington, D.C.
You can find my latest segments here
Autism / Special Needs Sensitivity Training
As a public speaker, I am available to host training seminars virtually or at your school, church, camp or business. These Sensitivity Training seminars will teach you & your staff, employees, teammates how to properly engage with the special needs community. Visit the "Work With Me" tab to book me today!
Advocacy & Community Outreach
I volunteer as a Community Outreach Specialist with a number of organizations.