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May 26, 2020

Stacey Park Milbern, Disability Justice Advocate Who Organized Coronavirus Mutual Aid, Dies at 33
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Stacey Park Milbern, a beloved figure in the disability justice
movement, has died at the age of 33 of complications from surgery. She
started the Disability Justice Culture Club in her home in Oakland,
California, as a place where queer, disabled Black, Indigenous and
people of color could gather and organize. After the coronavirus
pandemic hit, members of the group mobilized to make and distribute hand
sanitizer and provide mutual aid to the community. Earlier this month,
Stacey Park Milbern spoke out against an effort by hospital and assisted
living lobbying groups in California to receive immunity from any kind
of liability during the pandemic.

Stacey Park Milbern: "There has to be checks and balances on hospitals
and nursing homes. Otherwise, disabled people, especially people of
color, are left alone in a system that already doesn't care about us.
Everything that we have right now in terms of community living and
appropriate medical care didn't happen by itself. Disability rights
advocates and racial justice advocates fought long and hard for it."

That was Stacey Park Milbern speaking earlier this month. She died last
week on her 33rd birthday.


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