“I Am African & I Can” is a women’s empowerment blog highlighting stories of Black women’s struggles and successes.

Kira Parris-Moore’s son was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old. However, his disability introduced her to another side of her and helped her tap into a calling that brings joy and clarity to others’ lives.

Although Kira was always the center of attention as an only child, from the age of 5, she spent many of her days at camps. She also had to move around often as her father worked with the United Nations.

Having a son with a disability is a hurdle she never thought she would experience but learned to make the best out of it. In the early stages, her son’s teacher noticed that he would watch cooking videos on YouTube. When the teacher brought it to Kira’s attention, Kira figured that her son Trey could one day become a chef. This inspired her to pen “Trey, the Chef,” a children’s book that instills hope in children with disabilities and encourages them to never give up on their dreams.

A wife and mother of two, Kira did her undergraduate studies in Psychology and is now a marriage and family counselor. On May 23, 2019, she launched her publishing company Books2Inspire, LLC. Thus far, she has published 5 children’s books and provides coaching services to writers who wish to embark on the authorship path but are not sure whether to self-publish or go for traditional publishing. Kira’s father was an African American studies professor and authored many books, one of which is in the Library of Congress. But she never imagined that she would also become an author.

Kira explains that every autistic’s behavior is different. They have a lot of similarities but also many differences. Some have sensory deficiencies and can be seen head-banging, biting hands, pulling their hair or others’ hair. While others are on the other end of the spectrum.

“You have to be your child’s best advocate,” Kira said. At first, she knew very little about autism and the resources that were available. To be more informed, she joined Autism Society, where presenters, lawyers, and genealogists frequently came in to talk to parents. This was important, because she realized that the school system could sometimes neglect the needs of a child with disability if the parent is not well informed. Today, she can comfortably talk about autism because she has learned so much over the years.

Kira’s children, aged 5 and 9 have differences. The younger brother is more talkative and sometimes gets frustrated when his autistic older brother is not able to easily communicate with him. Since she explained to her youngest son about Trey’s condition, he has become more understanding and overly protective of his older brother.

Kira’s youngest son is not the only one who has had frustrations when interacting with someone autistic. She, too, would get frustrated in the beginning but had to learn to be patient and adapt to her son’s learning style. She also learned that repetition is essential when attempting to teach an autistic child. Sometimes, Kira could spend long hours teaching her son a lesson, and just when she thinks he got it, the next week they must go back to square one. She says being consistent and patient are the only ways to keep moving forward. Luckily, her husband has also been helpful in raising their child.

As a form of self-care and a way to keep herself sane to better fulfill her responsibilities, Kira meditates, prays, and goes to therapy every 2 weeks.

Cessel Boyd Lewis, Kira’s friend and former colleague, says: “Wow, where do I start? Kira is a wonderful daughter, wife and mother. She is charismatic and has an electric personality. Kira is very passionate about the population that she serves and conscientious in her practices. She is tenacious in her efforts to pursue her goals and does not allow obstacles to deter her. Kira is a dear friend who has been very supportive. I am so very proud of all that she is doing for the community. “

Sometimes, autistic are nonverbal for life, or have to rely on communication devices—Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC devices). And high functioning autistic can feel isolated and struggle as they try to find their place in society.

“You are the model of how they feel about themselves. If you feel they are limitless, they will also feel that they are,” Kira explained. Kira’s aim is to raise a son that does not feel chained due to a disability. Every day, she tries to instill confidence in her son and make him see past his disability so that he can tap into his talents.

Some autistic adults end up working in factories where their only task is to lick the back of an envelope. That is not how this mother envisions her son will lead his adult life. Over the years, Trey has shown interest in tech. She hopes that he can go into computer programming. “I want my son to do something that speaks to his passion,” Kira added.

Always thinking of ways to make life less painful for others, Kira also authored a children’s book that discusses mental health for children and how to identify symptoms of anxiety before they get to a point where they are suicidal or have to end up at the hospital.

It takes a special kind of person to not only make sure that she is being the best helper to her child who has a disability, but also makes sure that she teaches others what she has learned along the way. Kira’s success story shows that when a child has any disability, it is up to the parent(s) to put on their superhero gear and be his or her biggest supporter.