Special Shades Of Color

DeJuana Golden at a conference.

Some thirteen years ago, DeJuan Golden was married and pregnant with her first child. Although giving birth to a first child can alter a person's life, DeJuana didn't realize exactly how much hers would change. Once her baby was born, she found that he had a disability. Eventually CJ was diagnosed with both Down's Syndrome and autism.

The challenges of raising a first child can be daunting, anyway, since no child comes with a book of directions, but that challenge increases when there is a special needs child in the family. But DeJuana Golden was not about to be deterred, even when her marriage ended.
 


She decided she would share her experiences in a video blog, so other parents could benefit from her experiences. As she explained, "A lot of parents either feel lost in the maze of the special education/disability world or think that resources are out of reach or too expensive. I aim to make every family, no matter ethnic background or economic status, aware of what is out there for their special little one." So, that's how SPECIAL SHADES OF COLOR YOUTUBE CHANNEL was born.

Of course, negotiating the complexities of raising a special needs child may also require some special skills. Ms. Golden today has a bachelors degree from University of California, Berkeley; completed her Master's degree at Golden Gate University; and is working to complete her doctorate degree at Concord Law School. She is also completing special education advocacy training with the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates.

By the way, Ms. Golden has taken the knowledge she has obtained and made her YouTube Channel into an organization, SPECIAL SHADES OF COLOR. DeJuana and her family have journeyed through life, with their special family member, CJ, and are sharing and helping other families on their journeys with special needs children. As a matter of fact, there is a lot of sharing in this wonderful group, along with education, training, fundraising, and participation. After all, isn't this what it's all about - community and working together?

Thanks to this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/dejuana-golden-special-shades-of-color/, and information from Special Shades of Color.

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