2025 Programs

During MS Awareness Month (March 2025), We Are ILL reimagines the patient-provider relationship as we present an insightful discussion featuring our founder and MS thriver Victoria Reese Brathwaite, board-certified neurologist Dr. Mitzi Joi Williams, and seasoned hairstylist Rochelle Mosley. Titled “Shop Chats: Understanding MS in Our Community,” the conversation highlights the beauty salon as a therapeutic space and its potential to inspire new healthcare approaches for Black women living with MS.

This virtual workshop series is designed specifically for healthcare professionals, in partnership with PRIME Education, to help bridge the gap between HCPs and Black patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) by providing valuable insights from the patient perspective. Participants in “Understanding the Black Patient Experience” will gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by Black patients and learn practical strategies for more effective and compassionate engagement. Participants may also be eligible for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been a catalyst for cultivating the best and brightest African American students for over a century. “HBCU Impact: Future of Black Neurology” aims to introduce MS awareness and education at an earlier stage among Black medical students on campus and, ultimately, in their own communities. We’re setting out to partner with HBCUs with medical schools, and by educating their current undergraduate study body, We Are ILL hopes to inspire future neurologists and other healthcare workers.

The Black Church is the longstanding institutional backbone of the Black community and represents the collective culture interwoven into the fabric of the lives of African Americans. With “This Far By Faith,” We Are ILL will visit churches with largely Black congregations to raise awareness about symptoms of MS and make connections for early diagnosis. Before the service begins, an informational video about We Are ILL and MS will play, and a neurologist will educate the congregation on multiple sclerosis.

Black membership-based organizations — including Black Greek-letter sororities like Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta, Links, and Jack & Jill — are crucial for preserving African American culture, providing community support, and fostering professional development. “Sisterly Submitted” is a program series where healthcare professionals will explain what multiple sclerosis is, its symptoms/signs to look for, and how Black patients are being diagnosed with MS at the same rate as their white counterparts. An MS patient will also share their journey to diagnosis and their experience living with MS.

Wellness Week(end) is a rejuvenating retreat for Black women living with MS and their circle (spouses, partners, caregivers, family and friends) to connect, recharge, and thrive together. Our signature event aims to empower, equip and inspire our community to live well in spite of MS. Living with MS presents challenges that are unique to each individual, and for Black women with MS, the challenges can be even more complex. Black women are the anchors of their community, and by bringing their circle together for this impactful gathering — complete with panel discussions, informative talks and wellness sessions — we are broadening our reach and helping raise awareness about MS on a grander scale.