(Campaign Progress: $78,388 Raised on $200,000 Goal)
It was more than a year ago that we learned that many of our Reach kids spent their afternoons and evenings at De'Asia's house. In fact, it had started during the fall of 2016. A group of friends grew close. They went to their respective schools, then met up afterwards at De'Asia's house. De'Asia's mom welcomed them into her home. The comfort she created was one of the reasons our teens traveled across the city to meet up there. Until the fall of 2017.
Jordan and Malik, both struggling at their own schools, decided to transfer to Dunbar. That's where their friends were. That was right next to Ma's house. No need for the long bus rides after school.
Recently, De'Asia was asked, "Does your mom open her home to your friends because she cares about you, because she cares about them, or because she wants to keep an eye on all of you?" De'Asia's response was telling: "You don't get it. They're her kids."
She went on to say, "My mother is the reason I strive to be the person I'm becoming. I look up to her in a thousand different ways. She inspires me to be a better person. She's my hero."
At the Reach office, we used to refer to De'Asia's house as the Reach clubhouse. But, it's more than that. Last summer, Jordan and Miles graduated. Malik and De'Asia are following close behind. They've all had their struggles, but they're on their way to success. That's, in part, because De'Asia's mom was #AlwaysThere.