<div><strong>From Madison to Manchester: Help Us Amplify the Voices of Women Living with Lupus on the Global Stage</strong> ✈️
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<div>This opportunity came unexpectedly. Just three days after hosting our inaugural <strong>Lupus Awareness Month Celebration </strong>on May 30th, I received an invitation to speak at the Lupus in Black International Conference in Manchester, England.
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<div>As a woman who has lived with lupus for nearly 30 years, I understand firsthand the physical, emotional, and financial challenges of this disease. In 2014, I founded the Lupus Support Group for Women of Color (LSGFWOC) because too many women were facing lupus alone and without a safe space where their experiences could be understood and validated.
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<div>Today, our community reaches women across the United States and around the world.
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<div>This July, I will travel to Manchester, England, alongside Lisa Peyton, Founder and CEO of the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (FFBWW). Together, we will present on the power of lived experience, community leadership, advocacy, and partnership in improving the lives of people living with lupus.
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<div><strong>For the past 12 years, FFBWW has served as LSGFWOC’s fiscal sponsor, incubator, and program partner, helping us build a community that now reaches women across the United States and internationally. The conference organizers invited us to share not only the lived experience of lupus, but also the story of how community organizations can work together to create meaningful change. Our presentation highlights both the patient perspective and the power of partnership in addressing health disparities and improving outcomes for women living with lupus.</strong>
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<div>While we are honored by this invitation, the short timeline means we must secure international travel, lodging, and related expenses in just a matter of weeks. Like many community-based nonprofit organizations, international conference travel was not included in our budget.
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<div>The Lupus in Black Conference will bring together researchers, rheumatologists, healthcare professionals, advocates, and lupus warriors from around the globe. Together, we will discuss health disparities, barriers to care, financial burdens, and strategies for improving outcomes in communities disproportionately affected by lupus.
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<div>We are hurriedly planning details to make it to Manchester with the hope of departing July 3 and returning on July 10, 2026.
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<div>We are hurriedly planning details to make it to Manchester, with the hope of departing July 3 and returning July 10, 2026.
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<div>We are so grateful to AVESTAR Credit Union for making the first donation of $100 to this effort.
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<div>Our work has been recognized both locally and nationally, (see links below) reflecting the growing impact of community-led lupus advocacy and support. This opportunity allows LSGFWOC and FFBWW to bring the voices of women living with lupus to an international audience, share lessons learned from our partnership, and build relationships that extend far beyond borders.
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<div>Funds raised will help support:
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<div>Airfare: $3,000
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<div>Hotel accommodations: $825
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<div>Ground transportation: $600
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<div>Meals and incidentals: $700
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<div>Travel insurance, baggage fees, and related expenses: $400
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<div>Conference and unforeseen travel expenses: $1,475
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<div><strong>Fundraising Goal: $7,000</strong>
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<div>Our work has been recognized both locally and nationally (see links below), reflecting the growing impact of community-led lupus advocacy and support. This opportunity allows LSGFWOC and FFBWW to bring the voices of women living with lupus to an international audience, share lessons learned from our 12-year partnership, and build relationships that extend far beyond borders.
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<div>Every donation helps ensure that patient voices are represented alongside scientific research, clinical expertise, and policy discussions.
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<div>Your support will help us share our experiences, build international partnerships, and bring valuable knowledge back to the communities we serve.
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<div>Use of Funds
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<div>Any funds raised beyond the expenses associated with this trip will be divided equally between the Lupus Support Group for Women of Color (LSGFWOC) and the Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness (FFBWW) to support future lupus education, advocacy, outreach, and community programming.
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<div>Both organizations are committed to ensuring that all donations are used responsibly to advance our shared mission of improving the lives of people living with lupus and addressing health disparities that disproportionately impact communities of color.
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<div>Following the conference, we will share photos, key learnings, and highlights from Manchester with our supporters and community members so they can benefit from the knowledge and connections gained through this experience.”
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<div>Thank you for helping us build sisterhood without borders.
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<div>Learn More About Our Work
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<div><strong>Our advocacy efforts have been featured locally and nationally:</strong>
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<div><strong>Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI): Behind the Diagnosis: Finding Sisterhood in the Storm Article:</strong>
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<div><strong><a href="https://bwhi.org/2026/05/29/behind-the-diagnosis-finding-sisterhood-in-the-storm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://bwhi.org/2026/05/29/behind-the-diagnosis-finding-sisterhood-in-the-storm/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://bwhi.org/2026/05/29/behind-the-diagnosis-finding-sisterhood-in-the-storm/</a></a></strong>
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<div><strong>UMOJA Magazine: The Lupus Support Group for Women of Color</strong>
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<div><strong>UMOJA Article:</strong>
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<div><a href="https://www.umojamagazine.com/article/the-lupus-support-group-for-women-of-color/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.umojamagazine.com/article/the-lupus-support-group-for-women-of-color/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.umojamagazine.com/article/the-lupus-support-group-for-women-of-color/</a></a>
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Bringing Lupus to the Global Stage

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Bringing Lupus to the Global Stage

Still $4,935 to go. Help us build momentum.