“No one is healed in isolation…we heal in community.” ― bell hooks
I came to love myself as a disabled woman within the intimacy of community. When safety and belongingness seemed absent, community among my disabled kin—whether digitally or in-person—was always present. I believe that it’s in the refuge of the community that disabled people will find rest, hope, and peace during these politically heightened times.
Over the years, I’ve internalized the wise words quoted above from Mother bell hooks when thinking about strategies for giving back to the larger disability community. This is why I’ve created the Dear Friend Mailing Collective—a snail mail community created to build morale among disabled people of marginalized genders. Those who are interested in being a part of this community can subscribe via our form. All we need is your name and address so we can start sending snail mail directly to your mailbox.
The critically acclaimed movie The Six Triple Eight expertly illustrates the power of mail. This all-female Black battalion distributed over 17.5 million letters during World War 2—all because they understood the value of community building through letters! Who understands community building more than oppressed groups, like disabled people? Nothing about us without us, right?
Disabled people have long been at the forefront of shaping the true essence and value of communal spaces in the United States. Because external support has often been inaccessible, disabled communities have relied on internal resources to survive and thrive. In my own life, whenever I encountered gaps in knowledge or barriers to access, it was the disability community that supplemented my educational experiences.
Within this community, I learned to advocate for myself, developed skills in research and accessibility, and embraced the importance of safety and reciprocity. As the community continues to evolve, it remains my greatest teacher, and I, its lifelong student.
During the first wave of the Disability Rights Movement, the 504 sit-ins showed the world firsthand the power of our community. We exemplified this dedication by working with other marginalized groups such as the Black Panthers who, during the sit-ins, helped distribute meals to hungry advocates. Disabled people will continue to forge on and create pathways of community long after the political wars are over. Because community is who we are and what we embody.
Community forges the bridges that help us all to walk, roll, and be cared for. In a world that often overlooks the need of disabled people of marginalized gender for intimacy and connection, a letter can be a lifeline—a tangible form of care. Especially for those of us navigating isolation, snail mail offers a presence that digital messages might fail to hold. It’s the opposite of urgency—it is patience, care, and rest. Letter writing is a slow, deliberate act of love.
So, in these uncertain times, my strategy is simple: cultivate circles of friendship through letters and kind words. I may not be able to change the world or shift policies overnight. But I can control the words I put into the world—and I choose to make them life-giving. Here’s to the letters we will write and receive. May we be healers behind the pen and liberators behind the page.
Inhale: We all need friendship and community.
Exhale: Let our communities be a place of refuge and peace.
Rasheera Dopson (she/her) is a disability advocate, researcher, and digital storyteller dedicated to advancing equity for women and girls with disabilities. She is a PhD student at Northern Arizona University and the founder of the Womanhood and Disability podcast, where she amplifies stories at the intersection of disability and womanhood.
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