Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. Story #3: ED Nicole & her son Said
Nicole Kim • March 9, 2026
When my son, Saïd, was born, we discovered he had Down syndrome. I was 21 years old at the time, and I hadn’t done prenatal testing because it was considered a “low-risk” pregnancy. Suddenly I found myself sitting in doctors’ offices and hearing professionals describe what they believed his future would look like.
“He may never learn to read.”
“His learning will likely plateau around age four.”
“It’s unlikely he will live an independent life.”
Those are frightening things to say to a young mother.
Thankfully, I didn’t believe them.
Instead, I chose to raise my son with the expectation that he would learn, would grow, and would live as full a life as he was capable of living. And he did.
When the College of Adaptive Arts started in 2009, Saïd was 19—just the right age for college. We became part of the CAA community and never left.
He took classes, performed in the community, and truly blossomed as a young man. Along the way he discovered that he loves theater. He also loves to sing. Don’t give him a microphone—you may never get it back. 🙂
Today, at 35 years old, Saïd lives with a roommate and a caregiving couple. He has a vibrant, joyful, independent life. And he still loves taking classes every semester.
My own journey with CAA has been equally meaningful. For most of those years, I was a parent in the community. I soon joined the Board and became a professor. I taught classes like Speaking with Confidence
and Joy of Baking, and eventually stepped into the role of Executive Director.
But the belief that first guided me as a young mother has never changed.
The belief I had in Saïd’s ability to learn, grow, and build a meaningful life is the same belief I hold for every student who walks through the doors of the College of Adaptive Arts.
And something remarkable happens when you lead with that belief.
Students rise to meet it.
When we expect growth, they grow.
When we expect contribution, they contribute.
When we expect full lives, they build them.
At CAA, we don’t define our students by limitations. We define them by possibility. And every semester, they remind us that possibility is far greater than anyone once imagined.
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Nicole Kim
Executive Director
College of Adaptive Arts
Sharon Lea has always had a love of music, but it wasn’t until joining CAA that she could actually meld both her passion and her career. Sharon obtained her degree in English from Chico State and worked most of her life in administrative roles. The companies she worked for made products like medical devices, and she always enjoyed customer service and helping people. After surviving a cancer diagnosis and losing her husband all within a three-year span, Sharon took time off work and began volunteering with CAA. That volunteer work quickly turned into a fulfilling career. CAA came into Sharon’s life at a time when she needed them, and when CAA needed instructors who had compassion and commitment to teach. “At CAA, you don’t need the degree but you need the heart,” said Sharon. Professor Sharon is the Director of Music at CAA and teaches many popular classes, including Concert Choir and Music Appreciation. In both those classes, she stresses to her students to find something that they like in the music and reminds them that it’s not about hitting all the right notes. “One of the reasons I love CAA is because I see the benefits of what I’m doing every day in the classroom,” said Sharon. When she was young, Sharon had to overcome a significant stutter so she can relate to the difficulties some of her students have with being heard and understood. Sharon says that she learns just as much from her students as they learn from her, and she loves coming away from classes hearing new perspectives and ideas. According to Professor Sharon, CAA is a unique place to work because the leadership puts people in positions where they can really thrive. “This has been such a wonderful growth experience for me,” said Professor Sharon. “I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of a supportive environment which celebrates caring and collaborative teamwork.”
When Curtis Kitaji was first born, his family was told that he wouldn’t be able to speak. Fast forward many years later, and Curtis is one of the most prominent performers you’ll meet. In fact, his dream is actually to become an actor one day. Curtis takes acting and songwriting classes at CAA and recently was one of the emcees at the Celebration of Inclusive Partnerships Gala, where he received rave reviews. “Being at CAA has helped me come out of my shell,” Curtis said. “I love being on campus and being here with my friends.” CAA’s model for lifelong learning was highly beneficial for Curtis. He attended two other colleges before CAA but had trouble keeping up with the required pace and workload. There have been so many great memories Curtis said he had experienced as a student, and he remembers fondly when his acting teacher showed up to class dressed as a chicken for no reason. Curtis was a participant of CAA’s Cardinal Apprenticeship Program and has learned many new skills, both in class and in his on the job training, that will help him later as he explores new career opportunities. Curtis is a South Bay native and loves participating in various sports. He is part of the Special Olympics bowling team and also an integral part of the CAA golf team. When Curtis isn’t in class at CAA, he enjoys hanging out at the mall with his friends or listening to his favorite band, Pentatonix.
Longtime College of Adaptive Arts supporter and donor Erin Benford has been an integral part of the school since its inception. Erin has been a well-known realtor in the South Bay for nearly twenty years. She currently works for Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno, but prior to that she was a teacher, so she always had a passion for education. After meeting CAA co-founder DeAnna Pursai at a Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce mixer, the two bonded over their shared similarities of being school teachers and having loved ones with disabilities. Erin’s son Joel had learning disabilities and was diagnosed with Asbergers Syndrome. He is high functioning, so he was able to work in various different jobs before eventually settling in as a valuable assistant at Erin’s real estate business. Working alongside Joel, Erin knew firsthand the importance of creating opportunities for a neurodiverse population. Aside from her family, her real estate business and philanthropy, one of Erin’s biggest passions is sewing. She is the president for the American Sewing Guild’s San Jose chapter which encompasses 5 different bay area counties. The guild is a community service organization and educational group, focusing on garment making, textile arts, quilts, machine embroidery and much more. Erin says she hopes more people will get involved and support organizations like CAA who have no federal funding. “Raindrops make oceans,” said Erin. “If everyone gave just a little, it could do so much.”
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