You Are Your Child’s #1 Advocate™
LIVE : Because Our Children Deserve Better {{LINK StreamYard }}
At Advocating 4 Kids Inc., we created this workshop as a safe space for Black parents, caregivers, and those who work with Black neurodivergent students to come together, learn, and support one another.
Too often our children face barriers rooted in racism and ableism that leave them over-disciplined, mislabeled, or denied the services they deserve.
These systemic failures cause lasting harm and threaten their future. This workshop is about equipping our community with the knowledge and tools needed to push back, protect our most vulnerable children, and demand the rights and respect they are guaranteed under the law. Together, we will walk through the basics of advocacy—understanding evaluations, IEPs, Section 504 plans, and how to respond when schools fail to act.
Most importantly, we will affirm that Black families are not alone in this fight. By standing together, we can ensure our children are seen, valued, and given the opportunity to thrive.
STARTS IN
✨ If you nodded “yes” to any of these, this workshop was designed with you in mind. You don’t have to navigate this alone—and you don’t have to accept less than what your child deserves.
👉 Join us and step into a space where your voice, your story, and your advocacy matter.
Because Our Children Deserve Better
Black neurodivergent students live at the intersection of racism and ableism and they are paying the price.
They are mislabeled, over-disciplined, denied services, and too often silenced in systems that were never built with them in mind.
WHY THIS WORKSHOP MATTERS
Intersectional Barriers Black neurodivergent students face unique challenges that other children do not. Without intentional advocacy, they are pushed into systems that stifle potential instead of nurturing it. This workshop will give families and professionals the tools to recognize and dismantle those barriers.
Structural Racism in Schools From restrictive classrooms to disproportionate suspensions, schools often reinforce racial inequities in special education. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to identify these patterns, push back with confidence, and protect children from being funneled into the school-to-prison pipeline
Silenced Families Too often, Black families raising neurodivergent children are left out of key decision-making spaces. By participating, you’ll join a movement to center those voices, amplify lived experiences, and demand inclusion at every level from the classroom to state policy
Silenced Families Too often, Black families raising neurodivergent children are left out of key decision-making spaces. By participating, you’ll join a movement to center those voices, amplify lived experiences, and demand inclusion at every level from the classroom to state policy
WHY YOU SHOULD BE HERE
This isn’t just another training; it’s a call to action. Whether you are a parent, educator, or advocate, your participation strengthens the fight for equity in special education.
Together, we can disrupt harmful systems and ensure Black neurodivergent students get what they deserve: the full access, dignity, and opportunity promised under the law.
👉 Register today and be part of the change.
WORKSHOP AGENDA
✳️ Session 1: The Laws That Protect Our Kids What is IDEA? Section 504? ADA? How these laws provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education} Learn how to use these laws effectively when advocating.
✳️ Session 2: IEP vs. 504 Plan Qualifying conditions Key differences in support and protection Sample case studies to identify which plan fits which scenario
✳️ Session 3: Manifestation Determination Meetings (MDMs) When your child is suspended – what the school must do. Timeline for an MDR meetings What you need to be prepared to discuss at the meeting
✳️ Session: Documentation is Power How to keep records Using a paper trail to hold schools accountable Reveiw sample letter requesting Special Education Evaluations
✳️ Session 1: The Laws That Protect Our Kids What is IDEA? Section 504? ADA? How these laws provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education} Learn how to use these laws effectively when advocating.
✳️ Session 2: IEP vs. 504 Plan Qualifying conditions Key differences in support and protection Sample case studies to identify which plan fits which scenario
✳️ Session 3: Manifestation Determination Meetings (MDMs) When your child is suspended – what the school must do. Timeline for an MDR meetings What you need to be prepared to discuss at the meeting
✳️ Session: Documentation is Power How to keep records Using a paper trail to hold schools accountable Reveiw sample letter requesting Special Education Evaluations
THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF:
✅You’re tired of being dismissed or talked over in IEP meetings, like your concerns don’t matter.
✅Your child is struggling in school and you keep hitting walls instead of getting real answers or solutions.
✅You suspect your child needs evaluations or services, but the school keeps delaying, denying, or ignoring your requests.
✅ You’ve looked at our Parent Advocacy Checklist and found yourself checking “NO” more times than you’d like.
✅ You want to connect with other Black families who get it—families facing the same challenges, ready to share strategies and build collective power.
✨ If you nodded “yes” to any of these, this workshop was designed with you in mind. You don’t have to navigate this alone—and you don’t have to accept less than what your child deserves.
👉 Join us and step into a space where your voice, your story, and your advocacy matter.
Because our children deserve more than just the basics
This workshop will give you the knowledge you need —
but the VIP package goes even deeper. It’s designed for parents, caregivers, and professionals who want to leave feeling fully equipped, connected, and supported long after the workshop ends.
✅ Full Workshop Access Attend the live sessions and get 6 months of replay access — so you can revisit whenever you need.
✅ Exclusive VIP Q&A Session Sit down in a small-group setting with Cheryl Poe for a deeper conversation about your child’s challenges and next steps.
✅ Private Networking Circle Connect with other Black parents, caregivers, and allies in a safe, private space — share resources, strategies, and encouragement.
✅ $25 Coaching Credit Apply this toward a future one-on-one advocacy coaching session with Advocating 4 Kids, Inc.
✅ VIP Certificate of Completion Show your hours of training (perfect for professionals or parent leaders).
✅ Resource Bundle ($200 Value) Download powerful advocacy tools: Sample letters you can use right away
IEP/504 checklists
Manifestation Determination quick guide
“Know Your Rights” pocket PDF
This is your chance to move from just learning to being fully equipped to protect and advocate for your child
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VIP gets WHAT YOU WILL GET!!
📄 Printable Parent Advocacy Checklist
✉️ Sample Letters for Evaluations and Discipline Issues
📚 Resource Guide + Legal Terms Glossary
🤝 One Month access to the The Culture of Advocacy™ Collection Community
30 Minute Post-workshop debrief with Mrs. Poed.
YOUR PRESENTER
CHERLY POE
founder of Advocating 4 Kids Inc
Founder & Executive Director of Advocating 4 Kids, Inc.,
Cheryl is a fierce education advocate known for challenging racism and ableism in special education.
Her work centers the lived experiences of Black families and neurodivergent students, offering both legal insight and cultural truth.
