How a Mother’s Fight Created a Movement
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How did a mother's fight for her son lead to a movement?
My child had autism. I didn't want him stuck in a corner coloring while they taught the other kids to read. And then they informed me that they wanted to retain him. And I'm like, well, that's news to me. From that point on, I started taking all of my legal education to keep my law license, I knew that I was going to have to fight for my kid. Kelly Neal is a compassionate, purpose-driven attorney and the founder of Neal Student Support Advocacy and Disability.
What challenges did Kelly face in the education system?
Drawing from her journey as both a legal advocate and parent, she empowers families to navigate education and disability systems with confidence, helping children access the support and opportunities they deserve.
How you are empowering the disabled.
I started with my son. My daughter's got dyslexia. So, you know, you had to fight through all that. And I'm just thinking, you know, people really need help out here. I've written these self-help books because people can't afford attorneys. So I really would like for people to have those tools in their hands so they can help their kids.
It spans the globe like a super high school internet. Elvis! Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone. It's not over until I win. The Living Your Legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy.
How did Kelly's legal background influence her advocacy?
That's extraordinary. The impossible. Oh, that is sensational. Open. Chicago was the lead. Usain Bolt is the fastest man on the planet.
Welcome back to another episode of the Living Your Legacy podcast. For Inside Success, I am Ray Gutierrez. Joining me today on this lovely Friday is a powerful woman, literally finished filming her episode with our man Kofi here, April Kelly Neal. I actually have my show notes, A.KellyNeal, but now I've been told that it's April. Welcome to the show. Well, thank you. It's good to be here. Should I call you April? No, just Kelly.
Just Kelly.
All right, just Kelly. Yeah, just Kelly. Just Kelly, what are we to learn about you in your episode?
Oh, well, you're going to learn that I had kind of a rough upbringing in Wrightsville, Georgia. Then you're going to learn about how I went through law school and that whole thing. And then now, how I've gone through things with my own kids and their learning challenges to writing some books, which I never thought I'd be doing. And just trying to help other families get through the public school experience. The public school experience. Which can be so delightful.
Oh, so delightful. Coming from an inner city school, Mamie Senior High, where we're all designed to fail, we were always a D school. So trust me, we had to make sure we had to fill out our lunch form so we can get that free lunch. Yes. Or the government would just not look at us because, you know, public funding.
What resources did Kelly create for parents navigating education?
Of course, as we speak of the government shutdown. But that's a different podcast for a different time. Yes. Ma'am, where do you begin? Is it pain? Is it awesomeness? Where does your North Star begin in your journey?
would have to say this whole journey that I'm on right now basically started on a good Friday which I intended to go to church but I did not because I had to go to a meeting for my son who was in the first grade this was in March and then they informed to me that they wanted to retain him and I'm like well that's news to me like what's going on and I know that sounds like I'm not a very informed parent but But I think a lot of parents get ambushed. Like back when I was in school, the grades were A, B, C, D, E, F. Well, in first grade, it was like M, S. I don't know like how to decode this. And the teachers kept telling me, you know, there's some things he's not great at, but things are going to be fine.
But then at the end of the year... They wanted to retain him, and then I was just like, no.
What was going on? What was happening?
Well, we later learned that my child had autism, and so he learns differently, and so we just kind of had to deal with that. But from that point on, I started taking all of my— legal education to keep my law license in education law because I knew that I was going to have to fight for my kid because I knew that this grandmotherly looking first grade teacher who I thought was so nice was really just like not great.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did a mother's fight for her son lead to a movement?
0:00–0:26
2
What challenges did Kelly face in the education system?
0:26–1:32
3
How did Kelly's legal background influence her advocacy?
1:32–2:53
4
What resources did Kelly create for parents navigating education?
2:53–4:38
5
How can parents empower themselves in special education?
4:38–5:56
6
What experiences shaped Kelly's approach to disability advocacy?
5:56–7:22
7
How does community support play a role in advocacy?
7:22–8:47
8
What advice does Kelly offer to parents facing similar struggles?
8:47–18:15