AIP BIPOC Roundtable

In 2020, Autoimmune Wellness published an open letter that clarified what it meant to them to advocate for a holistic approach to health and wellness.  Simply put, Autoimmune Wellness believes that seeking health and building community is an interdependent project.  They recognize that racism is a public health issue and that there are systemic barriers to prevent many Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) from assessing healthcare and achieving wellness.

It was this allyship that not only made me excited to become a certified AIP coach in 2020, but also feel visible and proud.  It is not often that you see non-BIPOC with a vast platform such as Autoimmune Wellness, proactively and unabashedly promote a cause that may not always be well received or understood.

However, it wasn’t until I participated in the 2022 AIP Summit BIPOC Roundtable and heard the experiences of others as they navigated the healthcare system as a BIPOC, that I recognized that health equity, education and advocacy is a conversation that needs to be continued on a regular basis if we truly want to make an impact. 

 If Angie, Mickey and Autoimmune Wellness can walk the talk of being a health and wellness advocate for ALL,  how could I sit by the sideline and not support them as they advocate me and those who look like me?  I can’t.