A New Pandemic, A New Network by and for People with Chronic Illnesses

We may call it Chronic Illness Leadership For Emergent Times (CILFET). But what's most important is what we want to do. And we need your support

As we face the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and worldwide, we all are wondering how we will get through it, individually and collectively. And people with chronic illnesses need specific strategies.

I'll get to the point: I'm working with organizations and people across the country as we seek to launch a powerful national network of people with chronic illnesses.

--> We need your support, your wisdom, and your love -- and if possible, financial contributions. <--

I've spent most of my life being a part of game-changing HIV, LGBTQ and justice movements. I've founded deeply-effective organizations, coalitions and national networks. I've anchored teams of staff and volunteers, and held responsibilities for budgets and strategies from individual compassionate support to massive direct action.

I am honored to learn from and work with queer people of color who are the generative leaders of disability justice and healing justice movements with the power to transform our society so we all can thrive. I'm a longtime health care activist and journalist with multiple chronic illnesses.

I focus on the intersection of health, care and medical systems; structures of power, information and control; and self-organizing networks to mobilize community wisdom and love.

So now -- working with national networks and brilliant organizers, healers and medical professionals -- I'm helping to build up a vital network of people living with chronic illnesses and our allies.

We may call it Chronic Illness Leadership For Emergent Times (CIVFET). But what's most important is what we're want to do:

--> We are hosting a video meeting on Saturday. Register at bit.ly/march7webinar (case-specific link) <--

(Thanks to AIDS United, Counter Narrative Project, The #MEAction Network, BEAM, and Positive Women's Network - USA and to our webinar speakers, facilitators, promoters, strategists and producers Evvie Ormon of EmergingPhoenix consulting, Dr. Crissaris Sarnelli, Elandria Williams of PeoplesHub, Emily Szklarski, Joan Dark and Daisy Becerra)

Why do we need this?

As you know, people living with some chronic illnesses and disabilities are at greater risk of acquiring a coronavirus, having a more severe course of it and complications during or afterwards, and higher mortality rates.

And those facing oppression, marginalization and criminalization are most affected by heightened demands on health care systems and supply chains, economic turmoil, and rising stigma and bias.

(let’s all take a breath or a little pause...)

But queer and trans people have always had to find new paths for our survival. Our strategies for dealing with chronic illnesses, like our communities themselves, are diverse, creative and take nothing for granted.

We've planned and initiated a rapidly-scalable plan for this network based on emergent strategies and mutual aid. We need your support to move forward as quickly and effectively as possible.

We are building a small but amazing team of network strategists, health professionals and healers, facilitators, fiscal managers, disaster response pros, project managers and tech experts, communicators and media producers. We want to situate this vital network in a stable home or format so it can do what it needs to do.

Your support goes directly to this team -- which are primarily queer and trans people living with multiple chronic conditions.

Thank you.