UMAA Network hopes to eradicate social injustices affecting people with intellectual & developmental disabilities and provide education and social support in urban neighborhoods; while promoting Common-Unity. The UMAA Network (Urban Matters, Autism & Advocacy and Urban Matters, Advocacy & Action) was inspired 12 years ago, by my 22-year-old son, diagnosed in 2001 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and my 17-year-old son, diagnosed in 2010 with ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, and a Non-Specific Learning Disability (LD).
Our mission is to bring awareness to issues affecting the rights of people with disabilities that impact the development of children and the success of adults living in urban diaspora. Network educates stakeholders; families, self-advocates, medical professionals, educators, legislators, and law enforcement on the socio-political effects and cultural variances as diagnoses of intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral challenges, and mental health crises increases, while access to services and resources declines.
Our vision is to train members of our communities to respect all people with disabilities, to understand the unique challenges caregivers face, to understand the rights of the disabled, and how to embrace and create an inclusive and equitable society. We want to see a future where injustices against Black and Brown people with intellectual & developmental disabilities are eradicated. One way to do this is to provide education and social support in urban neighborhoods; while promoting Common-Unity.
One of U.M.A.A. We believe that success lies within an inclusive society where laws are passed and enacted to include people with disabilities to give them the best quality of life. Our goal is to act as a clearinghouse to help families gain access to appropriate resources for their loved ones while assisting organizations and agencies in being more transparent about the services and opportunities they provide; such as health-care, Medicaid, Medicare, public & special education, supplemental security insurance, life insurance, and recreation. Additionally, we intend for the collective input from vested stakeholders to serve as a think tank that will address issues surrounding race & disabilities, faith & disabilities, disability culture, and how supports and services are being provided within underserved and underrepresented communities (inner cities, lower suburban communities, urban municipalities, and metropolitan areas) where the increase in diagnoses of autism and other developmental disabilities has shifted the cultural climate and how people relate to one another.
Our Facebook subscriber group will build common-unity while providing a portal for parents, caregivers, and people with disabilities to provide guidance, information, and resources regarding IEPs, 504 Plans, Special Education & Transition Services, Life After 21, Government Programs, Support Groups, Medical Referrals, Holistic Remedies, Weight Management & Nutrition, Recreation, Community Resources and Travel Tips for PWD. A community where we break down everything in Layman's Terms. UMAA's logo was designed by graphic designer and artist, Brian Sergio of the Philippines. Together, we created a simple symbol that personifies brotherhood with a color scheme emulating two hues that collectively makeup ONE people, ONE society, ONE community; cultivating one another into a brighter future... ONE UMAA (Ummah).
