Deja was born with brachial plexus that caused nerve damage and limited mobility to her right shoulder. It was at a college meet that she learned about Paralympic track and field, a path that would lead her to her first Paralympic titles at the Paralympic Games Rio 2016. Served as an athlete mentor as part of the Sports Envoy Program of the U.S. State Department to Nigeria in 2018. She also graduated from Wichita State with a degree in social work. Deja has been a huge advocate for mental health and has been very open with her struggles on and off of the track. She has continued to speak about her struggle in hope to make a difference or even save a life.
