Why We Started – The Heart Behind PDDBM Afterschool Programs

 

PDDBM’s afterschool programs didn’t start as an idea.

They started as a necessity—born from pain, injustice, and a mother’s refusal to watch her child be broken by a system that was supposed to help her thrive.

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My name is Ruby N. Lewis, and I created these programs because my daughter was failed by the public school district system. We moved to Vancouver, WA from Henrico, Virginia in March 2014, full of hope for a fresh start. But instead of opportunity, we were met with racism, exclusion, and negligence.

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My daughter was placed in special education in the 2nd grade—without my knowledge or consent. No one informed me. I didn’t even know she had an IEP until much later. She was a bright, capable child with big dreams, but from Kindergarten through 7th grade, she was bullied, demeaned, segregated, and repeatedly traumatized by both teachers and peers.

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Despite eventually having an IEP, BIP, and Crisis Plan in place, school officials failed to follow any of it. They claimed they were providing support, but what they provided was punishment. Teachers excluded her. Staff isolated her. Administrators suspended her. And all the while, her pain was pathologized instead of being met with compassion or understanding.

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She’s a child born of complex circumstances and incredible resilience—but the school’s actions nearly shattered her spirit. She became suicidal.

Not because of who she is, but because of how she was treated.

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After years of documenting every email, filing complaints, showing up to meetings, and begging for accountability from Evergreen and Vancouver School Districts—with no meaningful or lasting change—I turned to OHSU. Their evaluation confirmed what I already knew:
My daughter needed afterschool programs to support her mental, emotional, and social well-being.

 

The school district refused to act.
So I did.

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That’s why I started the PDDBM Afterschool Programs.

 

Not just for my daughter—but for every child like her.

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Today, our free programs in fashion design, filmmaking, and journalism give youth the education, mentorship, and creative outlet they’ve been denied elsewhere. We provide:

✔️ Safe, affirming spaces where Black and special needs youth are heard, seen, and celebrated
✔️ Skill-building opportunities that lead to real entrepreneurship, portfolios, and careers
✔️ Transportation, meals, and equipment so no child is excluded due to lack of access
✔️ Healing-centered education, rooted in justice, culture, and the brilliance of every student

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This is not just programming—it’s resistance. It’s protection. It’s love in action.

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PDDBM exists because no more Black children should be harmed in the name of education.

We are building the very world we want our children to grow up in—one where they don’t just survive, but thrive.