Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Danisha Braxton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Danisha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I am the Executive Director at Autism Beauty. Autism Beauty is a nonprofit that I started in March 2022 with my daughter Jada Braxton. Jada has autism and recently won Miss Photogenic in her high school pageant. Her win made local news, and People magazine wrote a digital article about her success and what it meant for the autistic community. So many people reached out asking how they could support local families with autism or where someone could go to find resources and information regarding autism. After researching the local area, I could not find a hands-on organization that assists families with loved ones that have autism. Since Jada’s diagnosis at age 7, I have known firsthand the importance of early intervention services, being your child’s advocate, and personal self-care. So. Autism Beauty was established to help others along their autism journey find support and resources and understand the necessity of self-care for the the caregivers.

Danisha, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the single mother of 2 teenagers, Jada and James. I work full-time and will graduate soon with a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management. My daughter Jada is autistic and has recently gone viral on social media for inspiring others. So now I’m her momager, and I’m learning something new daily about algorithms, content creation, and social media management. My daughter and I strive to provide content that educates others about autism while displaying our unique mother/daughter bond. Some days I wake up worried about sharing my daughter with the world, but then I check the comments and the private messages and see how my daughter is being a role model to others and being a beacon of light. Autism Beauty has given me a newfound purpose. I remember when my daughter was first diagnosed with autism, and I used to search the internet trying to find inspirational stories about others with autism. Now ten years later, my daughter is that inspirational story.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2014, I left my government information technology job in Northern Virginia, sold all of my furniture, and left my independent life behind because my children needed more family support and love. So I put their needs before my own, and we moved back home to Alabama to live with my parents and be surrounded by extended family. I could not find work for several months because I was “overqualified.” I had become depressed, and I remember my sister calling me and staying on the phone while I cried, filling out an application to work at Best Buy. How did I go from a government job to working retail? During that Best Buy interview, the manager stopped and said, “I’m sorry, Danisha. I cannot hire you as a cashier.” I broke down in tears. “I have past due bills. I have kids that depend on me. I promise to be the best dependable cashier ever.” The manager excused himself from the interview and came back with another manager. I was hired that day as a Geek Squad agent. Talk about a humbling experience. Those two years at Best Buy taught me humility, I was able to hone my customer service skills, and I learned so much more technical skills.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

Autism Beauty was established in March 2022. April is Autism Awareness Month. I knew our nonprofit had to hold an event while we had the spotlight on us due to Jada’s recent pageant win. We only had a few weeks. So there was no time to fundraise or ask for donations. I had to fund our inaugural walk. I don’t know how I made it happen. Well, yes, I do. As DJ Khaled says, “God Did!” It was a success, and we’re working on our Autism Beauty Walk on April 22, 2023.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.autismbeaty.org
• Instagram: @autismbeauty22

Image Credits
Rivers Photography IJP Media Productions