The AIP BIPOC Network

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.

02/26/2026

The energy literally filled the room at ROCK the Block this past weekend. We are still excited about what we were able to do, but even more excited about the future potential impact it can have.

02/25/2026

ROCK Wellness Weekend may be over, but we are still capturing the impact.

Resources moved. Conversations opened. Connections were built across sectors and across community.

The official album is live.

If you were there, upload your photos and videos. The real moments. The conversations. The movement. The behind the scenes.

Now we are documenting that impact.

And sign the guestbook.
Write a message or record a short video testimonial. Share what shifted for you, what you learned, or what this weekend meant for your work or your family.

Photos show what happened.
Your words and videos show why it mattered.

Impact is stronger when it is documented.

🔗 https://my.guestpix.com/guest/135839/access/qh57e8Ol

02/22/2026