There is a Silent Epidemic within the Covid-19 pandemic; roughly 13.5 million Americans are living with an often invisible brain injury. Before COVID-19, these individuals with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) experienced significant economic disparities that left them voiceless in society and unable to properly self-advocate. My community remains in triage mode due to a deep “Disability Digital Divide” that has left millions on-the-edge; isolated, scared, confused, and unable to access basic life-critical resources like food, shelter, legal and medical care. This Digital Divide is cutting-off critical access to health knowledge and resources to survive. It is also preventing individuals with disabilities from meaningfully participating in their communities and removing their fundamental rights; right now, without access to life-connecting tablets, the brain injury community is now “voiceless and faceless” in isolation. We are being virtually stripped of our representation in the Census, and without reasonable accommodations we will not be able to vote.
Consider my friend "B", a disabled senior black female abuse survivor who suffered a major stroke rendering her partially paralyzed and with Aphasia (a condition that leaves her unable to speak). Her disabilities contributed to abuse and an illegal eviction simply because she could not speak. She became homeless and while she was lucky enough to stay with a friend, she is still unable to advocate for herself in the most fundamental ways.
Image yourself in B's shoes: partially paralyzed, unable to speak, homeless, living in poverty, isolated, and no form of communication to get help. In collaboration with the Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC), my group (BIGroups.Org) aims to bridge this digital divide by raising funds to purchase tablets that individuals with ABI can use to communicate; we will offer 1-to-1 training on their use which will enable them to get neuro-psychological support and access to medical Virtual Visits. Additionally, these tablets will help connect individuals living with ABI to peer support groups and resources that allow them to participate in the community.
Please donate to help us support B, and others, in accessing the resources they desperately need to survice.