KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What began as a personal journey for one Latina mother has grown into a movement to help other families navigate life with autism.
“Being a mom with two children with autism, it's very difficult," said mother Miriam Galan.
Galan, who moved from Mexico to Kansas City, also faced another obstacle — the language barrier.
"The language access made me feel alone, made me feel that I can't do anything because I didn't speak English," Galan said.
From doctor visits to school meetings, she began to document the obstacles she faced as a Latina parent with children with autism.
“I launched Azul Esperanza using social media as a way to raise awareness among Latinx families who still have taboos and stigmas about autism," Galan said.
Her outreach touched other parents who felt the same impacts of the language barrier.
“Pues para mi fue como un alivio el encontrar a Azul Esperanz," said parent Genesis Rivera.
“For me it was like a relief to find Azul Esperanza.”
Rivera migrated from Honduras five years ago with her oldest daughter who was diagnosed with autism.
“Cuando ella vino aquí, ella no caminaba. Tenía tres años y pues todavía la cargábamos. Y el estar aquí con terapias, ella mejoró mucho, aprendió a caminar, recibió terapias de habla, está mejorando, ya dice más palabras," Rivera said.
“When she came here, she couldn't walk. She was 3 years old and we still carried her. And being here with therapies, she improved a lot. She learned to walk, she received speech therapy, she is improving, she already says more words.”
But since she found Azul Esperanza — which helps families by providing help in translations while also directing families to resources catered to Spanish-speaking families — she realized there's a community in Kansas City that shares her struggles.
"Muchas veces, si estamos solos y muchas veces no tenemos los recursos necesarios para ayudar a esos niños," Rivera said. "Primero que nada, tener confianza en uno mismo. Gracias a Miriam que ella abrió verdad y me dio la oportunidad de poder expresar acerca de mi hija."
"Many times, we are alone, and many times, we do not have the necessary resources to help these children," Rivera said. "First of all, have confidence in yourself. Thanks to Miriam who opened up the truth and gave me the opportunity to express myself about my daughter."
You can check out their Facebook page to learn more about the organization.
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KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.