Aid Morenike's Journey Through Adversity

Please support Morenike Giwa Onaiwu and her family with their financial and medical stresses. Morenike is an amazing disability and healthcare advocate who is not only a brilliant leader in the autism community, but is also mom to five children (they are a few years older than in the picture), several of whom also have disabilities.

Morenike has lost nearly all her paid work this year because of federal cuts and DOGE actions; many of the organizations that had hired her for speaking engagements or project work have had large budget cuts. And then during what should have been a routine hernia repair surgery recently, she had a stroke-like episode, and now needs specialized medical care to figure out whether and how to address problems with her spine. She also has a chronic inflammatory condition that requires regular injections to control.

She and her husband are separating, and he owns their house, so she has to find a small apartment to rent that is close by enough so she can still see and take care of her younger kids.

Morenike once told me a story about how she struggled for years to convince herself that as an autistic woman, she could be a good parent. She now gives that kind of affirming energy in everything she does for the disability community. She also serves on the board of the disability nonprofit I started. She role models every day how to be a compelling advocate without blaming people. I think she is a national treasure.

Your support can help Morenike with:

I know there's a lot of need everywhere right now, but we really can't let Morenike and her family fall through the cracks. Thank you so much for your kindness and support.