Tonya D. Jackson, Founder and Mom

 

Born in Chicago where she attended the Chicago Public Schools graduating from Paul Revere Grammer School in 1976 and Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in 1980. After high school she left home to attend Alabama A. & M. & University. Jackson is a single-parent and mother of three girls, Tamara, Ta'Hari, and Nikyah, grandmother of two, Naveyah and Mehkai. She is now attending school and working full-time.

 

Jackson has worked in the public sector for over 18 years. She has worked with corporate public and private agencies. She assisted families in finding adequate, safe and sanitary housing, created programs for seniors and kids, developed budgets and financial statements. She has experience in planning successful fundraising events.

 

After her husband passed in 2005, due to complications of Sickle Cell Disease, Jackson began to raise funds for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Illinois. Her passion and desire to help others became her focus. She began working for a non-profit organization that provided education and resources for children such as mentoring programs for teen moms, father initiatives and daycare programs for low-income families and kids with Autism.

 

She was inspired to start Speakids! when her youngest daughter became a teen mom. Jackson has a big heart and open arms for children. She always helped others and now she had to help her own child. She saw the struggles her daughter faced just trying to be respected as a mother when she was only a child. She saw how hurting words could be when they visited the doctor’s office or just talking with friends. Jackson decided to take another approach. She began to compliment her daughter more. She noticed a change in her daughter’s behavior and attitude. She realized that she had to teach her daughter to be a mom.

 

Jackson wants to spread the word and do what she can to reverse some of the negative stereotypes that exist within our communities. Jackson believes that criticism should be constructive. If you give advice, be willing to show the person how to accomplish the task. If you give your opinion, realize it is your own perspective. If you have something to say to a child, make it positive.

 

Always remember........

      

                                    Speak Positive Everyday About Kids!