Ensuring those in marginalised and underserved parts of our community get access and care
Every month, I hear the stories of people who are struggling to find their way back from trauma, from abuse, from isolation and anxiety. They live in a world where they don’t feel included or accepted, but are still expected to pay into that inequitable system.
It’s a system that has long failed to serve us equitably. Black and Brown people, those from Indigenous cultures, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, the working-class poor, the unhoused… We are the ones that have been shoved to the sidelines, while the government ensures that they continue to reach deep into our pockets to ensure we’re still “paying our share”.
Grassroots organising means establishing safe spaces for the underserved communities entrusted to our care. For me, that’s the LGBTQ+ communities — and yes, I used the plural “communities” because it’s pointless to pretend that in a society that is already so deeply divided, we somehow managed to remain a cohesive, singular community. We may come together in moments of mobilisation and activism, but we’re still communities within communities, and at times, marginalised by our own.
And so I choose to work with the LGBTQ+ communities, especially BIPOC individuals, young adults, those living with HIV and fellow gender non-conforming people.
I provide support, guidance, and holistic counselling for the body, mind and spirit, and most importantly, a safe space for them to explore what it means to move forward, to heal, to thrive.
Of course, the funding from contracts with NGOs such as USAID, UNHCR and other non-profit grants has been abruptly cancelled. And now, Medicare and Medicaid funding are going to be slashed by billions of dollars, which means those who were previously able to qualify for psychotherapy or an LCSW’s services may no longer have that access. As a result, the number of people seeking my services will increase exponentially, but already, we see that 96% of those asking for help have no ability to pay.
I believe it’s time for our community to mobilise again, as we did in the peaks of the AIDS crisis. We have to establish and maintain revolutionary discipline to create means of crowdfunding programs like mine and so many others in a sustainable manner.
We providers need to coalesce around the missions and objectives that drive our work, forming networks that can better serve our communities’ needs.
For example, as a mental wellness provider, I want to know who the groups or individuals are that might provide martial arts training to help my clients deal with fascist oppression, sexual assault, and physical harassment. I want to know who the leaders of the trans community are, who help those who are earlier in their transition journey to learn make-up, hairstyling and dressing skills. And who are the physicians and endocrinologists who are savvy regarding diagnostics, so there is no interruption in hormone therapy?
Being recently widowed, I have the time to dedicate to this effort, but I don’t presently have access to the funding. Mindfully choosing to only eat one meal a day and skip eating two days a week, so that I don’t lose our home during this transition period, leaves nothing to spare to provide low-cost services to some who most need our help.
And so I want to hear from you. What ideas, possibilities, resources and brainstorms can you share? Would you be willing to come together on a Zoom conference one evening to explore some of these ideas?
There is no time to waste. Our country is under siege, and with it, many of those we love are endangered. Click the image below to support our work.
