Episode 88: Deidre: Baseball, Human Trafficking, Down Syndrome Awareness, and Using Your Platform for Good

Deidre Pujols is wife to Los Angeles Angels First baseman Albert Pujols, mother to 5 children, co-founder of the Pujols Family Foundation, and founder of Strike Out Slavery, Open Gate International, and Open Gate Kitchen. Deidre is an incredible woman who is doing so much to make the world a better place. Deidre has an incredible life story and is living her life in a very inspiring way. Deidre has created numerous organizations to bring awareness to human trafficking and Down Syndrome, and to help others around the world. And Deidre (and her family!) has used her platform for so much good. 

At 21-years-old, Deidre became a single mother to her daughter, Isabella. “I knew it even before the doctors knew,” Deidre Pujols remembers. “Minutes after I gave birth to my daughter, Isabella, the nurse showed her to me and I knew that she had Down syndrome.” Deidre’s life changed that day and it was about to change even more, when she met her future husband, Albert, a few weeks later at a salsa club. 

On their very first date, Albert told Deidre that he had a confession. “He told me he had lied about his age,” says Deidre. “He had told me he was 21, but he was really only 18. But, I told him I had a confession of my own.” It was then that Deidre told Albert that she had an infant daughter, and that the baby had Down syndrome. Albert said he would always embrace Isabella as his own. On January 1st, 2000, the couple was married. 

Soon after the wedding, Albert began playing for the Cardinals farm team in Peoria, Illinois. “Albert was making $252 every two weeks,” Deidre says. “We were truly living on love! We ate a lot of macaroni dinners in those days.” “Then Albert got the call from the Cardinals in 2001, and everything went crazy from there.” Since then, Albert and Deidre (and their children) have used their platform to bring attention to important issues in the world and to help others in the U.S. and around the world. “We have never forgotten our past or those who are truly in need,” Deidre says. “I believe we are put on this earth for a purpose.”

Deidre and Albert founded the Pujols Family Foundation in 2005 to support and empower the Down syndrome community around the world and to help those living in poverty in the Dominican Republic – where Albert is originally from. Deidre founded Strike Out Slavery to bring awareness to human trafficking and to encourage people at baseball games around the county to help bring an end to this modern day slavery. Then Deidre founded Open Gate International to combat human trafficking around the world and spread awareness. And Deidre’s most recent venture is Open Gate Kitchen, which provides job training and workforce integration to those who are in need of training, a new life, and/or purpose. And they’re serving up delicious food in Costa Mesa, CA – so check them out! And please support them and the other initiatives that Deidre has going. 

Deidre joins the 1 Girl Revolution podcast to share her inspiring life story, her journey with Albert and her family, and the Pujols Family Foundation, Strike Out Slavery, Open Gate International, and Open Gate Kitchen. And so much more! 

Listen to Deidre’s inspiring episode of the 1 Girl Revolution podcast.

For more information on The Pujols Family Foundation, visit the website. 

For more information on Strike Out Slavery, please visit the website. 

For more information on Open Gate International, please visit the website. 

For more information on Open Gate Kitchen, please visit the website.