This blog was created almost ten years ago to be a voice for the multiple sclerosis and chronic illness community with the mission to inspire, educate, and empower every visitor. At this moment my heart is heavy. I can’t find the right words to say.

We’re all struggling as we mourn the senseless deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and many - too many - others before them.

The black community has been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Wearing masks to protect their health and the health of others has made them feel particularly vulnerable to racial profiling. 

Everyone has the right to peacefully protest. Everyone has the right to use their voice to express what they believe is right. 

Those of us in the chronic illness community know what it’s like to feel marginalized and invisible. Our voices are often silenced by the majority of louder voices.

Through it all, we’ve stood strong in solidarity for a common cause. 

Now it’s time for us to stop, listen, and learn from the black community. We need to ask uncomfortable questions and speak out against oppression, systemic racism, and hatred. 

We should ask ourselves what do we need to learn? How can we support the black community? What actions should we take to bridge the gap of understanding, intolerance, and compassion?  

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

By now you might be thinking this is getting too preachy, that the focus of this post is inappropriate for An Empowered Spirit. I have to disagree. It’s been my hope that you trust me to show you how to live a positive life despite broken brains, broken bodies, or broken spirits. 

Together we’ve learned the importance of allowing hope, love, compassion, grace, and integrity into our hearts. We’ve learned how crucial it is to reach out to others to help them heal.

Our community knows what it’s like to demand respect and dignity from those who show us none. We understand the importance of demanding equality where there are great inequities.  

We can spread messages of inclusion, equality, and human rights. We’ve done it before and we can continue to do it again and again, now more than ever. 

Suffering is an invitation to compassion and healing. Let’s use what we learned from our own lives and invite the best within us to help others.

We are listening, We are learning. We can create an anti-racist world where everyone is truly on an equal playing field. Black lives matter. Let the positive change begin.