My name is Omar Michel. I wear different hats, but my most important and by far my favorite is to be Dahlia’s Dad. Dahlia is my eight year old daughter and she is on the Autism Spectrum. She loves to draw and sing. She makes people laugh and easily wins over their hearts. Being a parent of a neurodiverse daughter comes with its challenges. As they say, “If you know, you know.” These challenges come with sleepless nights, tantrums at the worst moments, and of course, feelings of defeat. “Am I fit to be your father?” “Am I good enough?” “Why Me?”

I’ve partnered with The Transformation Camp: San Diego to help bring awareness. Without “The Camp” (as we colloquially call it), I would not have the energy nor motivation to keep pushing forward. The Camp has given me good health, the stamina of a SUPER HERO, and the excitement to “fight back” at life when life brings on the fight. This “fight” is judgment, weird looks, feelings of exile, among others. With friendships like The Camp, and this community of neurodiverse parents, we can continue to build the awareness and education of this complex phenomenon called Autism.

Your donation (of ANY amount!) helps change the future for someone with autism. Every dollar raised goes towards autism programs, services, employment, outreach, and many other educational initiatives making a difference. As a neurodivergent parent, our biggest fear is “what happens when we are gone?” With your help, we can continue building on this foundation and leave our neurodiverse children in capable hands for generations to come.

I still ask myself, "Am I Dahlia's hero? Because I'm beginning to think that she's the Hero."

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for your contribution.

Omar Michel and The Transformation Camp: San Diego