A new phase

The Time for Unrest campaign shared the stories of people with ME on a global scale. Unrest has been viewed in over 22 countries, by over one million people, and has reached a further 35 million through the press and social media. It was incredible to see how our community mobilized to host community screenings, education events, house parties, and more. We have come so far this year!

Time for Unrest was a catalyst that, thanks to you, helped bring a new level of visibility and engagement to our community. Now, we’re thrilled to embark on this next phase by bringing the campaign home, under the umbrella of #MEAction. This will allow us to deepen our efforts around four core areas work: public engagement & education; patient support & community organizing; advocacy; and medical & scientific outreach.

We will continue to use Unrest as a tool for engaging the media, medical professionals, scientists and policymakers, but also plan to expand our toolkit to include educational curricula, short video content, brochures & factsheets, and much more.

As ever, we will continue to mobilize action for both #MEAction and community-initiated projects; amplify the work of our partner organizations and allies; and empower patients, caregivers, and allies to collaborate, create, and support one another.
Together, we will fight for recognition, medical education, and equal research funding in order to build a world that understands, supports, and has the tools to cure all people with ME.

Our growing team

I’m also thrilled to share that two members from the Time for Unrest campaign will be joining #MEAction this month. Laurie Jones, the Time for Unrest impact campaign director, joins as #MEAction’s Managing Director. Kim Flores, the Time for Unrest social media manager, joins #MEAction as Communications Manager.

I want to take a moment to introduce the new staff and also reintroduce (if you don’t know them already!) our entire team. #MEAction deserves to grow and with this expanded support, I know we’ll be able to achieve even more, together.

Laurie Jones (Managing Director) Laurie has years of experience working in non-profits and the arts. Prior to joining the #MEAction team, Laurie was the Director of Impact for Unrest, using the film to educate and advocate for those in the ME community.  She has served as Programs Director at Brave New Films, worked on the Why Poverty? film campaign and fundraised for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago.  She has a BA in Production Studies in Performing Arts from Clemson University and an MA in Applied Human Rights from the University of York.

Kim Flores (Communications Manager) Kim is a digital media professional experienced in digital content creation and strategy in the documentary film and non-profit world. Prior to joining the #MEAction team, Kim was the Communications & Digital Manager for Unrest, overseeing social media, website, and email marketing. She has been an integral part of Brave New Films, working as an intern, fellow, and ultimately Digital Manager. She has a BA in Film and Digital Media with a concentration in production from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Ben HsuBorger (Community Organizer) Problem-solver, project manager. Over the past 10 years Ben has worked in nonprofit, academic and government organizations on projects spanning: microfinance, study-abroad, public health, fair housing and community development. He is a former Fulbright scholar eager to help teams innovate through better integration of people, processes and information. He loves extra-large whiteboards.

Adriane Tillman (Editor) Writer, journalist, traveler, thinker, lover of art, dance and books. Adriane graduated with degrees in literature and Russian language. She worked as a newspaper journalist for five years, had a few stints in organic farming, and now consults in marketing and copywriting. She grew up in Cincinnati, New Jersey, England, Switzerland and Russia. She resides in Oakland, California.

Of course, we wouldn’t be able to achieve any of our goals without the help of our hardworking team of volunteers; the initiative, skills and passion of countless organizers and advocates all over the world; and the thousands more who have supported our work!! A huge thank you to those who give their time and energy to #MEAction and the broader movement. I stand in awe and gratitude of you all.

Onward!

PS- We also hope you’ll join us this May 12, 2018 for #MillionsMissing, a global day of action for ME rights. Local organizers will be planning protests, rallies and events in cities all around the world. There will also be plenty of opportunities to join in virtually. Visit http://millionsmissing.org to learn more!