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Hi, my name is Takeena Washington, and I’m a single mother to my son, Knighden Steele. Knighden was diagnosed with autism at a very young age and is currently nonverbal. His father left his life when Knighden was just 11 months old, and since then, it has been only the two of us navigating the world together. Every decision I’ve made since that moment has been centered around one thing: keeping my son safe, supported, and set up for a future where he can thrive.
Traditional paths didn’t work for us. A 9-to-5 job didn’t provide the flexibility Knighden needed, and I didn’t feel safe placing him in traditional school settings because he could not communicate verbally. So I made a choice many people didn’t understand—I built a life and career that worked around my son, not away from him. I stepped fully into entrepreneurship and brought Knighden with me every single day. Together, we built my company, T IN MOTION, a brand rooted in creating safe spaces for CEOs to be CEOs while handling and managing their daily operations. Knighden has been by my side since he was a toddler—sitting in meetings, observing work environments, and growing up immersed in business, structure, and leadership. While he may not realize it yet, he has been learning the foundations of entrepreneurship since the age of one.
Knighden’s autism didn’t slow me down—it pushed me further. And I truly believe it would be a disservice not to nurture the environment he has already grown up in. This GoFundMe is to help support Knighden’s continued development and future independence. Funds raised will go toward developmental, occupational, speech, and food therapy, as well as educational tools, structured entrepreneurship, and life-skills development. These therapies and opportunities are essential but also incredibly expensive. My vision is for Knighden Steele to become a name associated with strength, innovation, and autism awareness. I want his journey to inspire others, open doors, and show the world that children on the spectrum deserve futures built on possibility—not limitation.
Every dollar raised will be used responsibly and transparently to support Knighden’s growth, care, education, and long-term well-being. Thank you for seeing my son. Thank you for believing in our journey. And thank you for helping us build a future where Knighden can live comfortably, confidently, and with purpose.
Traditional paths didn’t work for us. A 9-to-5 job didn’t provide the flexibility Knighden needed, and I didn’t feel safe placing him in traditional school settings because he could not communicate verbally. So I made a choice many people didn’t understand—I built a life and career that worked around my son, not away from him. I stepped fully into entrepreneurship and brought Knighden with me every single day. Together, we built my company, T IN MOTION, a brand rooted in creating safe spaces for CEOs to be CEOs while handling and managing their daily operations. Knighden has been by my side since he was a toddler—sitting in meetings, observing work environments, and growing up immersed in business, structure, and leadership. While he may not realize it yet, he has been learning the foundations of entrepreneurship since the age of one.
Knighden’s autism didn’t slow me down—it pushed me further. And I truly believe it would be a disservice not to nurture the environment he has already grown up in. This GoFundMe is to help support Knighden’s continued development and future independence. Funds raised will go toward developmental, occupational, speech, and food therapy, as well as educational tools, structured entrepreneurship, and life-skills development. These therapies and opportunities are essential but also incredibly expensive. My vision is for Knighden Steele to become a name associated with strength, innovation, and autism awareness. I want his journey to inspire others, open doors, and show the world that children on the spectrum deserve futures built on possibility—not limitation.
Every dollar raised will be used responsibly and transparently to support Knighden’s growth, care, education, and long-term well-being. Thank you for seeing my son. Thank you for believing in our journey. And thank you for helping us build a future where Knighden can live comfortably, confidently, and with purpose.
Organizer
