Help Maia Crown Williams survive cancer

Hi, friends. This is a fundraiser to help our incredible friend, sister, and colleague Maia "Crown" Williams survive her fight against stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. Maia was diagnosed in September of last year, and in addition to the heavy physical side effects she's dealing with (heart and breathing problems), her landlord recently announced that the house she's been renting for many years is now up for sale. Despite her amazing work ethic and intrinsic desire to continue her long history of building connections for her community, she is unable to work right now and for the forseeable future.  Not only does she have two major surgeries coming up in the next few weeks (double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery), she also is drowning in past medical debt for her Sarcoidosis. To add to her burden, Maia is also unsure of what her housing situation will look like in the coming months—either a forced relocation or increased rent is almost certain. It's time for her friends and community to once again support and uplift her with the same love she has supported all of us with over the years! This will be an ongoing battle, and continuous support is needed, especially post surgery.

 

Maia is a keystone of the Detroit arts, comics, and film community, and her brilliant ideas and efforts extend far beyond her beloved city. She is executive manager and/or assistant to many different businesses, artists, and events in the Detroit metro area and abroad. "Crown" is founder of Midwest Ethnic Convention for Comics and Arts (MECCAcon) (read more here) , MECCAcon International Film Festival (MECCAconIFF), as well as co-founder and former executive coordinator of Black Speculative Arts Movement (BSAM). She is a ‘sistah’ with many crowns, and takes the size and fit of each one seriously.

 

Maia describes herself this way: “My main objective of everything I do is to strengthen, build, protect, and grow. I instill those in each and every business, event, and project that i sign my name next to. Our people will only rise when we learn to stand up. In order for our community to grow, we must BE a community.”

 

To her friends and family, Maia is far more than the sum of her invaluable work. She is a fierce advocate, a brilliant light, and a force of nature. She is a devoted mother to her truly amazing sun who is currently preparing for medical school this summer, and she lives her life with great integrity and purpose. Please donate what you can to help Maia heal and recover with some peace of mind. All of the funds raised will go directly to Maia to pay her growing medical bills and help with housing and relocation costs.