Mission
We empower families of children with any atypical diagnoses or behaviors who seek inclusion within their own communities through the power of art, wellness and love by providing personal development scholarships and support.
Vision
Manu for Inclusion was created based on the belief that every human being, regardless of physical or mental challenges, is a valuable asset to their family, our community, our nation, and the world. Through personal development education, one on one emotional support, and practical experience sharing, our intention is to provide a sense of empowerment for inclusion and independence on behalf of individuals with unique needs and those who love them. Our vision is that every person is entitled to any opportunity available to the general population that aligns with their unique talents and abilities. We aim to shift the language and change the conversation that leads to love and inclusion every human being deserves.
Manu for Inclusion Foundation is a group of diverse professionals and parents who have combined their knowledge and experience in service of other families in order to work for a more inclusive society. The foundation focuses on developing programs that provide emotional support to parents and caregivers of neurodiverse individuals using mindfulness tools, wellness programs, and social media awareness campaigns with the goal of making inclusion a reality worldwide.
Annual virtual 5k "Let's run for inclusion."
This is our main fundraiser. We invite you to be part of our movement to embrace awareness and love for each other differences. We have so many dreams for our near future. Please help us to make these a reality. We will really appreciate your support.
Why We Do What We Do
Manu for Inclusion Foundation identifies the lack of supportive services and resources for parents and caregivers of neurodiverse children.
General Impact
Personal Challenges
What We Do
The Reason Behind Our Name
Focused on arts, wellness and personal growth/development through art, music, dance, fitness/exercise for Families/Guardians that have kids with any disabilities (diagnosed, not diagnosed) anxiety, depression, etc.
Manu's Story
Manu was diagnosed when he was 30 months with autism and later on with ADHD. After many days of occupational, speech, and ABA therapies today we have a happy, loving, funny and patient child who gives us kisses, hugs and says “mommy stop”.
“Inclusion is to learn to accept and love myself/yourself and as a natural result I/you would love and accept another human being, earth, and the present moment”
-Juana Venegas
Juana Venegas
Director and Founder member of Manu for Inclusion FoundationRead MoreI am Juana Venegas an Artist. I realized that I was one 8 years ago. I was born and raised in my beautiful Bogota, Colombia and came to this great country United States of America when I was twenty years old. I studied at Marshall University. Although, I have a bachelors degree in Business Administration, I am an artist at heart. I have taken some art classes with a great Argentinean artist; Mr. Pablo Contrisciani and at the Boca Raton Museum too. Currently, I have dedicated myself to create an art from recyclable materials and creating a new eco-friendly white canvas. I have called my facebook page Evolution because I am constantly learning in this university of Life, Motherhood, and Partnership with my husband Ivan Bou.
My son Manuel Andres Bou Venegas was diagnosed with Autism since he has been 2 years and 10 months. And after many hours of therapy. Today, I have a lovable, smart, happy and brave little boy. I am grateful of all the therapist that have been working with my Manu. I also belief that love gets love. So, my mission in life is to give back to society. Also to leave a inclusive society for my Manu. I do this by donating my time and art to Manu for Inclusion and FAU Card. I have moved forward with two feet in through many obstacles in life by the power of personal development, therapy, wellness programs and by belonging to different healthy communities. And I would like to give the same opportunities to inspired and committed people.
Alison Smela
Board Member
Ethical & Moral Advisor
For more than half her life, Alison Smela tested fate by playing her own game of Russian roulette, spinning the chamber between alcoholism and an eating disorder. Inner shame and well-worn warnings from others led to treatment for alcoholism in 2002 and six years later, the eating disorder. Once released, she chose health over a high-powered 20+ year corporate career in advertising. She hung up her briefcase and turned her attention toward mentoring, coaching, and supporting others hoping for the same kind of peace from within that she found.
Alison brings a wealth of personal experience with how society treats individuals with unique needs. For almost 50 years, she witnesses how her physically and mentally handicapped cousin is looked at, treated, and sadly, often disregarded. The opportunity serve on this board is in tribute to those who experience the same
Elissa
Board Member & Fundraiser AdvisorRead MoreElissa was raised in Northern New Jersey and studied Psychology and Spanish at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Elissa moved to Miami, Florida after graduation and obtained her Master of Social Work degree at Florida International University and went on to obtain her license in Clinical Social Work (LCSW). As a social worker, Elissa worked in various areas including foster care, adoption, substance abuse, elderly care management and hospitals. Since 2011, Elissa has been working for Jewish National Fund as the Director of the Southeast Center of Excellence. In this position, Elissa is responsible for overseeing the administrative arm of the Southeast region, which supports the fundraising efforts of the organization, including database and event management. Elissa and her team plan over 125 fundraising events a year throughout the Southeast.
Taylor Thompson
Chairman of Board of Directors
& BCBA Advisor
M.S, BCBA, earned a BS in Psychology at Florida International University, where she was introduced to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). She earned her M.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in ABA from Kaplan University. Taylor began working as an autism therapist while working on her undergraduate degree in 2011. Taylor has worked with a multitude of children from the age of 18 months to young adults with varying diagnoses, particularly individuals with autism. Taylor worked for the Early Steps program in Broward County where she worked 1:1 with the children, provided parent training and education, and conducted initial intake assessments. After working her way through the ABA ladder (autism therapist, BCaBA, and BCBA) for other companies, in 2020 she decided to open her own practice, Taylor Thompson, LLC, which focuses on providing private ABA services and training to students who are working to obtain their BCBA certification.
Camila Garcia
Board Member
& Life Coach
Camila García is a life and spiritual Coach, founder of "Tu verdadero ser" and Mother of 2 beautiful human beings, one of them within the spectrum of Autism diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.
During the last years she has dedicated herself to serving as a coach in being, changing hearts through conscious education to train people capable of taking action and becoming agents of change, thus achieving their life purpose and contributing to building a better world. Being a life and spiritual coach at Manu for inclusion, which is an Organization dedicated to promoting Inclusion in Educational, Social and Labor areas, has made her dedicated and conveys that life is made of dreams and that everything is possible if you make the decision to See the world with eyes of unconditional love and begin to manifest the reality you want!
Promi Chakraborty
First
Volunteer
Promi Chakraborty is from New York City, and she currently attends The Bronx High School of Science, which she will be graduating from in 2022. She has developed a strong interest for biomedical research and medicine in her first year of high school and plans to become a neurologist in the future. As a student, daughter, older sister, and friend, giving back to the community and using her platform to spread awareness and make change has been one of her main priorities. She has gotten the golden opportunity to become a part of the Manu for Inclusion Foundation and collaborate with compassionate people around the country to give love to children with disabilities. The happenings of the future lie on our abilities to change the present, and she wants to be a part of making a better future possible.
Jules Freedman
Marketing AdvisorRead MoreJulie Freedman is a Corporate Marketing Executive with over ten years of experience in merchandising cruise vacations. She is a digital marketing and product management leader with a dual degree in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Miami. Selling vacations, developing websites and managing people have been exciting focuses throughout the development of her professional career. She has had the pleasure of working with brilliant minds who have all taught her the importance of displaying the right product to the right person at the right time with powerful technology. As a Certified Scrum Product Owner, Julie applies the methodology of Agile software development to all of her projects, believing it takes a cross-functional team of people, communicating daily, to bring meaningful enhancements to any product over time.
By following a customer-centric approach to decision-making, Julie is currently the Senior Marketing Director at Crystal Cruises, a leading luxury cruise line serving international and domestic markets. Julie oversees a team responsible for direct mail, advertising, email, digital media and website initiatives. Personal development has enabled Julie to become a more empathetic and authentic leader. It has also shown her that being consistent and self-aware can bring higher levels of consciousness and thus, happiness. Julie contributes her success to her continued personal development through reading books, attending seminars, participating in leadership programs and always practicing gratitude.
Colombian Team
Camila García
Director and Chairman of the BoardRead MoreCamila García is a life and spiritual Coach, founder of "Tu verdadero ser" and Mother of 2 beautiful human beings, one of them within the spectrum of Autism diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.
During the last years she has dedicated herself to serving as a coach in being, changing hearts through conscious education to train people capable of taking action and becoming agents of change, thus achieving their life purpose and contributing to building a better world. Being a life and spiritual coach at Manu for inclusion, which is an Organization dedicated to promoting Inclusion in Educational, Social and Labor areas, has made her dedicated and conveys that life is made of dreams and that everything is possible if you make the decision to See the world with eyes of unconditional love and begin to manifest the reality you want!
Alejandra Cruz
Marketing and Social Media Specialist AdvisorRead MoreI am Alejandra Cruz. The last few years I have worked in banks and financial companies. At that time, I thought that my life was fulfilled, but 8 years ago my son Alejandro came into my life and my life changed positively. When he turned three years old, a new word, Autism, came into our lives, and with this diagnosis, we began a painful and very complex path. We found ourselves with many doubts and fears because we didn't know what to expect in the future with this diagnosis. Over time, we released our fears and became open-minded. Finally, when my son was 7 years old, the doctors diagnosed him with Asperger's Syndrome. At that moment, the diagnosis woke me up and created a desire in my heart to provide information and awareness to people who are unaware of this disorder.
Manu For Inclusion came into my life as a beacon of hope because Manu For Inclusion Foundation supports and empowers families like mine because we did not know much about this diagnosis. We needed the knowledge and hope along the way to be part of the change.
Ana Maria Tafur Uribe
ADHD Coordinator and Mindfulness CoachRead MoreI am here to serve and I am grateful to be called to participate in this wonderful group of women committed to working for a more inclusive world. My name is Ana María Tafur Uribe, I am a wife and mother of three children, I studied Business Administration and International Business. I own with my brothers a company that produces efficient microorganisms (probiotics). My first son, Samuel, was diagnosed with ADHD and Impulsivity 6 years ago. So, I began to study and to understand the condition to get to understand Samuel. I did a certificate in ADHD. As a result, I have started to look for tools to support Samuel’s integral development (home, school, sport, mind, spirituality), I have discovered Mindfulness (living in mindfulness). First, I got my certification as a coach then I got a certification in Mindfulness and education. Most of the time, it is not easy for a person with ADHD to be accepted in an educational institution. If the child is accepted in the institution sometimes, teachers or peers themselves do not know how to handle it. We are here to create awareness that we are all different and also to provide the tools to parents and educators to guide them through educational beautiful. We are here to support you!
