Akiim DeShay is the owner of OnlyMoveForward.com which publishes BlackDemographics.com, BlackBoneMarrow.com, BlacksInDallas.com,
HoustonInBlack.com, and AutismInBlack.com
Akim was born in New England and raised in Rochester, New York. After attending *four* high schools (Catholic, City, Black Suburban, White suburban) and four colleges (3 HBCUs) he began a mission to have a true understanding of Black America in order to be a part of the solution.
At age 20, he used a combination of paper, scissors, tape, and a copy machine without management’s approval to create a new manual because his employer ATC (now Aegis CLM) was in trouble with the client. The manual was implemented department wide and he was promoted soon after. By age 23, he was managing more than 700 employees after saving another client that the executive office had previously given up on.
In college, he started an organization called BLAC (Brothers Leading And Changing) which was a failure. The work load of a full time job and full time school was too much for the 23 year old so he quit school to pursue what he felt was a successful and promising career. Unfortunately, his mission suffered.
In 1999, Akiim changed his career to Information Technology even without any schooling or training in that profession. He worked with computers for more than two years before buying one of his own. In early 2003, he was promoted to Senior Technical Analyst.
In November 2003, he became very ill and was diagnosed with Leukemia. The doctor in the ER (Dr. Megan Conoley) prayed for him and his wife out-loud in the ER. She is now his family doctor. Three days later he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and savoir.
Unfortunately, the chemotherapy failed. The prognosis turned grim (10-15%) but his only sibling Rashaan DeShay was a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant.
His second child and only son was born a week before his transplant which took place on Good Friday, April 2004. A week later, he launched his first website, BlacksinDallas.com, from the hospital while still in recovery.
Recovery for Akim has been long and very difficult. Since then, physical pain and suffering has been part of his daily life. Akiim later helped start a campaign in Dallas to recruit African Americans to join the National Marrow Donor Programs registry to help save other Black lives. For this he created the website, BlackBoneMarrow.com, which has since become a national reference for the issue regarding the lack of donors in the Black Community.
In 2007, he launched his largest web site, BlackDemographics.com, an attempt to create a blueprint of Black America. A single resource for information about African Americans, and how we work, live, learn, vote, and pray.
Unfortunately on Super Bowl Sunday 2009, Akim became very ill again
(strep, flu, pneumonia and acute epiglottitis) and went to the Emergency room in a Dallas hospital where he stopped breathing. After flat-lining twice and two separate emergency surgeries the doctors told his wife he should have died but will have severe brain damage due to loss of oxygen to the brain (5-10min).
Miraculously, he woke up the next morning with no brain damage and was released two weeks later to live a normal life. The doctors all say it was a miracle. But he knows God is the only reason for his survival.
After his survival, he has been contacted by and has worked with several organizations.
Akiim has appeared in a few media outlets for the cause including MSNBC, the Dallas Morning News, NPR, USA Today, and the Houston Chronicle, 89.3 Chicago’s Voices of the Village hosted by the NAACP Lake County, KingPolitics.com podcast, aaboomers.com “What’s Going On” blogtalkradio show.
His story has been featured in the book, “In Search of a Match: Black & White” which is written by APEX Museum President Mr. Dan Moore Sr.
Akim was part of the “National Marrow Donor Program’s” HBCU campaign to save Black lives in 2010 and is an active member of Preserve Our Legacy, INC. Akiim is also on the Board of MoreMarrowDonors.org.
Akim was part of a landmark lawsuit challenging the National Organ Transplant Act that prohibits compensating marrow donors.
Akiim will be on our show live tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific.
During our live interview, you have the opportunity to call in and share with us and ask questions via Skype. If you would like to do this, please call us at: doctorvibe42. If you get through, please be patient and we will get to your call as soon as possible.
All you need to do listen to the show live is to go The Dr. Vibe Show Homepage at http://thedrvibeshow.com/ tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Pacific. You can also provide your comments and questions during the event via Twitter (@drvibeshow#DrVibe) and at our Facebook Fan Page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page
You can connect with Akiim via:
Please feel free to email us at info@blackcanadianman.com
Please feel free to “Like” the “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook fan page at “The Dr. Vibe Show” Facebook Fan Page
God bless, peace, be well and keep the faith,
Dr. Vibe
info@blackcanadianman.com
2012 Black Weblog Awards Winner (Best International Blog)
2012 Black Weblog Awards Finalist (Best Podcast)
2011 Black Weblog Awards Finalist (Best International Blog and Best Podcast Series)
Black Blog Of The Day – Black Bloggers Network – June 23, 2011
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