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registration closed: WAI x Charles Harris MS Family Night
Calling all those in the Detroit metro area! Join us for an unforgettable MS Family Night that we’re hosting with the Detroit Lions’ own Charles Harris! On March 28, we will be screening “Shirley” — starring Regina King as the first-ever Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm — at this event that combines cinema, community, and a cause.
Charles, a defensive end who has drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, is a champion on and off the field. He also supports and raises awareness for multiple sclerosis, a cause near and dear to him, as his mother Deborah Clark bravely lives with MS.
This event is FREE, but remember — spaces are limited! Make sure to RSVP to secure your spot. Each attendee must register on their own.
Don’t miss out on the chance to support a great cause, enjoy a fantastic film, and maybe even snap a pic with Charles Harris!
Agenda:
6:00 pm Doors open (Refreshments, Photo Opps, Exhibit tables)
6:30 pm Welcome and Remarks
7:00 pm Movie screening
9:00 pm Event Concludes
MEMBERS ONLY LINK UP 3/24 @ 6p est
As we await a post-pandemic time, we'll stay safe and have another virtual #weareillmatic Members Meetup! This online social event, will include icebreakers, simple games and activities. This will give our community the connection that they've been missing and allow a deeper connection.
*** Registrants will receive confirmation emails and event login details closer to the event!***
But Wait, There’s More! Check out our Playlist!
MEMBERS ONLY LINK UP 12/9
Being Black and living with multiple sclerosis brings unique challenges and experiences. From scientific and clinical differences in the disease itself to stark inequities in the healthcare system and beyond. These reasons are why we’ve cultivated the WAI community to get access to this exclusive meetup featuring special guests-stay tuned and register for more info ;) . The Wellness Week Member Link Up is an opportunity to connect with others who understand the distinct experience of life with MS as a Black person.
**REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED**
But Wait, There’s More! Check out our Playlist!
wellness week 2021
WAI's Wellness Week is here to help you and our community learn how to create positive and life-long social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, mental, and physical habits. For WAI, wellness is the full integration and pursuit of continued growth and balance in all of these dimensions of wellness. Join WAI for perfect opportunity to give ourselves a solid spiritual, physical, emotional and social foundation in the new year.
Support Heroes: Mother/Daughter Edition
Patient care providers and supporters play an important role in the MS journey. Join Brandee Evans, patient care provider and actress on the hit show "P-Valley," as she shares her experiences supporting her mother living with MS while also achieving her dreams. The discussion will bring light to the stories, highs, and lows of patient care providers and facilitate conversation surrounding supporting patient care providers as they support MS patients.
Working While Black and Living with MS
Developing and achieving employment goals can be accomplished despite your MS diagnosis. However, it widely know that being a Black women in the workforce is no easy task. For Black working women who are living with MS, there are many challenges that we face daily. Asking for accommodations? Selecting disabled on job applications? Disclosing to boss? In this candid conversation with Human Resources strategist, we explore those challenges, discuss the best ways to navigate and better understand our rights.
Fashionability for All Abilities
Fashionability should not and is not determined by ability. In an IG Live conversation with Stephanie Thomas - a Los Angeles-based speaker and disability fashion educator - we will discuss how she has redefined the contours of fashion styling by putting together accessible looks as a disability fashion stylist and through her company Cur8able. Cur8able has been featured in FORBES, Vogue, The New Yorker and more. In this discussion, Stephanie will share her favorite brands that support women of all abilities as well as tips and tricks to rocking popular trends while using mobility aids. Following the conversation with Stephanie, MS Advocate, Podcaster, and self-proclaimed "MS Fashionista" Roxy Murray will share how she's used fashion to overcome her MS symptoms.
Dating, Intimacy, & Chronic Illness
With Tinder, Bumble, and Covid-19, dating in the 2020s is stressful. And, adding a chronic illness can cause an additional layer of anxiety to an already emotionally strenuous process. This IG Live conversation with celebrated relationship therapist LaTrease L. Nwosu will discuss navigating dating while living with a chronic illness including, if, when and how to disclose your diagnosis to your partner, intimacy while battling symptoms, and more.
MISDIAGNOSIS WITH THE BLACK MS COMMUNITY
We know that Black women have MS. But, why are certain healthcare providers so unwilling to acknowledge its obvious signs and symptoms when exhibited in Black women? Why do certain women go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for months or, sometimes, even decades? In a conversation with the MS Specialist and neurologist Dr. Mitzi Williams, we will take a deep-dive into the factors and biases that have left many Black women living with MS undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. We will also discuss how we can equip patients with the techniques and strategies to advocate for oneself when it seems like no one is listening.
wellness week 2020
WAI's Wellness Week is here to help you and our community learn how to create positive and life-long social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, mental, and physical habits. For WAI, wellness is the full integration and pursuit of continued growth and balance in all of these dimensions of wellness. Join WAI for perfect opportunity to give ourselves a solid spiritual, physical, emotional and social foundation in the new year.
Black MS Experience Summit
Being Black and living with multiple sclerosis brings unique challenges and experiences. From scientific and clinical differences in the disease itself to stark inequities in the healthcare system and beyond. The Black MS Experience Summit is an opportunity to connect with others who understand the distinct experience of life with MS as a Black person. Throughout this interactive, three-day virtual event, we will forge powerful connections, learn from leading scientific and healthcare experts and give voice to the unique needs of our community.