So many of our communities are separated by diagnosis or probable diagnosis, and that makes sense because you know those people share some of your experiences. But I remember the early years of being sick, when I was kind of in denial about it but still looking for community. There wasn’t anywhere to go, because I had not yet accepted that I was diagnosed, and I didn’t know how to find communities that weren’t based on diagnosis. As important as it is to work with others who share our diagnosis or probable diagnosis, it’s also important to work with other disabled and marginalized communities.
There is strength in diversity, in diversity of thought and in diversity of experience. When we pull together, we can make big change- not only in our societies, but also in each other. In a world that often dehumanizes “Others”, solidarity is powerfully humanizing.
The Willows Work 