The AIP BIPOC Network

03/17/2026

The AIP BIPOC Network (ABN) is participating in a NowIncluded initiative to gather community input around health experiences and research engagement.

This aligns closely with the work we all do, elevating patient voices and improving how people navigate chronic illness and the healthcare system.

There’s a short survey open right now. It only takes a few minutes.

Each completed survey supports our work with $5, and we’re working toward a goal of 100 responses by Friday.

If you have a moment, I’d really appreciate you taking the survey and sharing it with your communities if it feels aligned.

https://nowincluded.com/aipbipoc

If you’d like more context on the partnership:
https://aipbipoc.org/nowincluded-community-partner-autoimmune-voices/

Thank you for the work you all do in supporting people navigating autoimmune disease and chronic illness.

The AIP BIPOC Network joins the NowIncluded partner network to elevate autoimmune community voices and support health research engagement.

03/17/2026

Community voices matter.

The AIP BIPOC Network has joined the community partner network of NowIncluded, a health engagement platform working to elevate community voices in conversations about health, research, and equity.

Through this engagement, we are helping ensure the experiences of people navigating autoimmune disease and chronic illness are included in broader discussions about health awareness, research participation, and healthcare systems.

Community insight helps shape better research, stronger health education, and more equitable care.

One way to contribute is by sharing your perspective through a short community survey.

Learn more about the partnership:
https://aipbipoc.org/nowincluded-community-partner-autoimmune-voices/

Share your voice:
https://nowincluded.com/aipbipoc

03/14/2026

Powering Advocacy!
www.aipbipoc.org/powering-advocacy/

03/10/2026

“𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘄 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.”

That’s how Nadine Kidd describes one of the moments her pain was dismissed instead of treated.

Her journey with Lupus includes misdiagnosis, medical bias, repeated hospitalizations, and the long fight to reclaim her health.

Today, her story stands as a powerful reminder of why 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆, 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.

📖 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲’𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆:
www.aipbipoc.org/our-autoimmune-stories-nadine-kidd

This story is part of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜𝗣 𝗕𝗜𝗣𝗢𝗖 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺, amplifying the voices and experiences of people living with autoimmune disease.

From medical neglect to national advocacy, Nadine Kidd’s story shows why collective action and cultural competence in healthcare are nonnegotiable.

03/04/2026

The AIP BIPOC Network has a full calendar of workshops, community events, and virtual gatherings focused on helping people navigate autoimmune disease and chronic illness.

Throughout the month, we will be hosting health navigation workshops across Houston, participating in a community wellness expo, and holding our regular virtual support and roundtable conversations. Each event is designed to provide practical information, community connection, and space for real conversations about living with autoimmune and chronic conditions.

Some events are in person, others are virtual, and all are centered on making sure our communities have access to the knowledge, resources, and support needed to better manage long term health.

See the full schedule at: www.aipbipoc.org/events

02/27/2026

02/27/2026

Today, The AIP BIPOC Network delivered donated medical equipment to the 5th Ward MSC.

Access to basic medical support tools can determine whether someone maintains independence, manages chronic illness safely, or goes without care. This is what community health equity looks like in practice, not just conversation.

Grateful to play a small part in getting needed resources directly into the community. More work ahead.

02/26/2026

One of the most powerful moments from The ROCK Summit this past weekend wasn’t on stage. It was on the ROCK Idea Wall.

From the Knowledge section:

“I learned today that my years of pain could be due to lupus.”

Years of symptoms. No answers. No diagnosis. Until information, stories, and community finally connected the dots.

This is why The AIP BIPOC Network exists.

Our mission is to improve quality of life through access, inclusion, and prevention. That starts with making sure people have the knowledge to recognize what’s happening in their own bodies and the support to act on it.

Information can shorten suffering.
Stories can spark recognition.
Education can change outcomes.

For someone in that room, this may have been the first step toward answers.

This is why we convene. This is why we share. This is why this work matters.

If this resonates with you, stay connected. Follow our work, share this with someone who needs it, and help us bring life-changing information to more communities.

Because no one should spend years in pain without answers.

02/26/2026

Last Friday, The AIP BIPOC Network hosted The ROCK Summit, a convening focused on improving access, inclusion, and prevention in autoimmune and chronic illness care.

One of the most powerful moments came during the collaboration portion of the day.

After hearing the keynote and three panels, participants were asked to reflect on what they learned, combine it with their own lived and professional experience, and translate it into action on the ROCK Idea Wall.

Using the four pillars — Research, Opportunity, Collaboration, and Knowledge — attendees added insights directly to the wall.

As we began synthesizing those contributions, several themes surfaced:

🔹 Access to information remains a major barrier
Communities want research and data translated into forms they can actually use.

🔹 Prevention must move to the center
Waiting for crisis is costing people and systems.

🔹 Workforce gaps are real
Community Health Workers and culturally competent providers are critical.

🔹 Fragmentation is slowing progress
Organizations want to collaborate and stop duplicating efforts.

🔹 Trust is foundational
Communities want to be partners, not afterthoughts.

🔹 Patient voice must shape systems
“Nothing about us without us” was not symbolic. It was a directive.

This was not a brainstorming exercise. It was cross-sector insight grounded in research, practice, and lived experience.

We’re now developing a full synthesis report that translates these themes into next steps.

Because convening people is important. Turning insight into coordinated action is essential.

02/26/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜𝗣 𝗕𝗜𝗣𝗢𝗖 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗞 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆.

The theme focused on advancing health through 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲, with a clear goal: move beyond awareness and address the structural gaps shaping autoimmune and chronic disease outcomes.

The notes you see were captured virtually, in real time, by a live visual note taker from Ink Factory Studio. They reflected the conversation as it unfolded.

What surfaced quickly was consistent.

There is still a disconnect between lived experience and clinical response.

➡️ 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱.
➡️ 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱.
➡️ 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲.

Prevention is discussed more than it is funded.

Access varies by zip code, insurance status, and navigation skill.

Data exists, but systems do not consistently communicate.

Trust is thinner than it should be.

The room was direct.

𝗜𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱.

This was not about inspiration. It was about structure.

From there, we moved into collaborative sessions.

Because once patterns are named, the next step is to build.