Felecia Causey

  Hey,  my name is Shekita Barnes and my daughter's name is Kalaysia Barnes on November 24,2015, my daughter woke up limping, so I asked her why she was walking like that. She said she didn't know so later on that day she was crying, and my cousin and I asked her what she was crying for and again she said she didn't know. My cousin went to the store and got her and her twin brother Cordez some cupcakes, but she could not hold anything in her hands. My cousin suggested something happened to her in her sleep that night, so I took her to a hospital in Montgomery. The doctors ran tests on her and said she had a light stroke, so they sent her to Birmingham to a children’s hospital. They ran tests on her and came and told us that she could not talk but she could walk just a little. She was admitted to the hospital on December 8th. She went into a coma and the doctors had given up on her.    I left the hospital to go home and check on my other kids. She woke up on January 6,2016

  Written By: Elycia Haley June 14, 2018, is the day I gave birth to a handsome baby boy. I’ve always wanted a son, and I even had the perfect name picked out - Elyne. As I held my son in that hospital bed, I dreamed of his future. My son will be a fireman. No, he will be an astronaut. No no no!!  My son will be the next president of the United States. As time fast forward, Elyne is now 1 year old, but he isn’t walking. He definitely isn’t talking. “Why can’t he keep eye contact with me”?   4 months after his 1yr birthday, Elyne takes his 1st steps! I’m excited. I’m crying. I’m leaping for joy. Elyne is walking. Elyne still isn’t talking. I never miss a pediatric appt. I have to make sure my future president is healthy. I voiced my concerns to his pediatrician who responded “He is fine”. But sir my son doesn’t talk, and he doesn’t even want me to hold him. “Why can’t he keep eye contact with me”?   The pandemic comes. Coronavirus is here , and it has everyone frightened. The whole cit

Written By: Jackie Floyd Photography Sent in by Jackie Floyd and Some taken by Felecia Causey Jayce was diagnosed with Autism in 2021 at the age of 2 after having him evaluated due to noticing him not hitting any of his speech and a few of his cognitive milestones at the correct ages. As his parents we just noticed that he was very inattentive to us when it came to speaking to him or trying to interact verbally or through activities. He has always exceeded his physical milestones and abilities though leading to him gaining independence early (Getting things that are high up, etc.) which wasn't helpful towards him feeling a need to communicate out of necessity. Although Jayce is nonverbal, he is very smart and always knows everything that is going on around him and he picks up on routines and schedules quickly. He loves to run, climb, jump, and is as rough and tough as boys come. He communicates his love very well and quite often through hugs and kisses. Some of his favorite things

Written By: Jackie Floyd Photography By: Felecia's Causey   Meet CJ, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) last November. My son is an energetic and silly 2 year old with a radiant smile that can light up any room! He loves playing with his dog Riley, enjoys being outdoors and playing with his toy cars. Any stereotypes you may have of children with autism, please rid your mind of any negative connations.  Autism does not have a specific "look" nor cause.  People with ASD may behave, communicate, interact, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. There is often nothing about how they look that sets them apart from other people. The abilities of people with ASD can vary significantly. For example, some people with ASD may have advanced conversation skills whereas others may be  nonverbal. The one thing that stands out the most is him having a speech delay. Even so this does not stop him from communicating his wants and needs. He currently

Written By: Joyce Rudolph Photography By: Felecia Causey My name is Joyce Rudolph. I was born in the Bronx, NY but I was raised on the west side of Montgomery, Al during my preteen years. What brought me to Alabama was that my grandfather retired as a Superintendent of a residential building in mid-west of Manhattan. My grandparents provided stability, safety, wisdom and so much fun which are great memories that I cherish till this day. But I still didn’t see my mother. I heard good/bad things about it, but I couldn’t understand why she’s not here? What did I do wrong? Does she love me?  All I wanted was her. Those were questions and feelings I kept to myself which caused emotional and behavioral problems that almost cost my life several times. Having the feeling of not knowing why my mother doesn’t love me caused me to go through a phase in my life to cause physical, emotional and mental damage not only to myself but to my child, grandparents, sister and dear friends. How I felt growi

  Written By: Jacquie Hamilton Photos Provided By: Jacquie Hamilton Any opportunity I get to share my story I take it because my story may help or encourage someone else to share theirs. I remember when I learned that I was pregnant, I was only 14 years old, a kid myself, and I was beyond scared. Not just scared but I felt like a disappointment to my family.  When I gave birth to my son, I didn't know what I was in for, but I accepted the role of motherhood and was ready for any and everything that came along with that. Little did I know that my life was really about to change. I noticed that my son wasn't trying to sit up, or crawl, or hold his bottle according to the charts at the doctor's office but every time I asked if something was wrong the Dr. said it was nothing to worry about. Even at a young age I knew that everything was delayed when it came to his development. My son was almost three when he was diagnosed with autism. "Autism" what in the world was

Written By: Felecia Causey Photography By:Felecia Causey Models: Kimberly Perryman and Jadiamond Thomas   As women, we know female friendships are complicated at all ages. As mothers we play both the nurturer, and disciplinary, amongst many other things. This generation of mothers and daughters have a sisterly bond. I believe there is nothing wrong with being a friend to your child. I do believe it's very important that you find a balance in being the parent and friend. Unfortunately, many young girls don't have the luxury of a healthy relationship or no bond at all with their mothers. When I was a young woman, growing up, I thought my mother was strict and unfair. I can now say that she had good intentions and she is now my best friend. As I am a mother to my daughter, I now realize my mom gave me the main things I needed: love and discipline. I want to model good decision-making, to be sure her and my son are safe, and have stability. Mothers want to be that person that her d

Written By:Felecia Causey Photography: Felecia Causey Model: China   People tend to bash or disgrace things that they don't understand. I always tell my kids, everyone has a choice of an opinion, but it doesn't mean that you have to agree or accept how someone feels or what they say. There has been a big controversy on nude and seminude maternity photos. People are saying they don't think that women should share these types of intimate moments with the world. They also don't think women should show their bodies, to show off their baby bumps. Then, it comes into play again that everyone has an opinion. As for myself, personally, now that I have gotten older, I may not do these types of photos. I don't disagree or feel some type of way towards women that choose to do so. I actually think they are beautiful pictures. When a woman comes to me with an idea of what kind of photos she would like, I am open minded, because at the end of the day it's her pictures.   I ch

Written By:Felecia Causey Photography By: Felecia Causey Models: Jasmine, Stanley, and Carter (son) A parent’s love for their child is unconditional no matter what.  Many families are forced with different challenges. Just like any other disability, those who are not affected sometimes, have misconceptions about something they don’t understand. Autism isn’t recognizable by physical features, kids with autism don't have an identifiable facial feature that allows someone to know he/she has autism. As any person, a child with autism should be treated kindly and with respect. Although many are quick to judge any child this way, it’s very important to not make assumptions. They have feelings, even if their facial expression doesn’t show it or they’re not able to verbalize what’s on their mind. We must be mindful to understand that parents try their best to go beyond to ensure their child has the best care possible. The most difficult task is looking for help from family and friends when