It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the passing of activist and organizer Stacey Park. Stacey passed away from surgical complications on May 19, 2020, on her 33rd birthday.
Originally from North Carolina, Stacey served on the North Carolina Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) and was a former American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) intern. She was a fixture of disability activism in the Bay Area after moving there in 2010. A co-founder of the Disability Justice Culture Club, Stacey coordinated direct aid to disabled people and other marginalized groups during emergencies like the 2019 PG&E power shutoffs in the Bay Area and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Stacey’s activism was truly intersectional in nature, addressing overlapping systems of oppression and all facets of a human being, including disability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status. Her commitment to disability justice as a queer disabled woman of color was unparalleled.
Stacey’s leadership in the now defunct National Youth Leadership Network fostered a generation of young disabled activists. She was a recipient of NCIL’s Diana Viets Memorial award in 2006. Most recently, she headed the impact campaign for the film Crip Camp along with fellow disabled woman of color Andraéa LaVant.
Stacey was unapologetic in holding organizations that are both led by and in service to the disability community, including NCIL, accountable to identify and address how their systems exclude multiply marginalized people. Our recent communication regarding ongoing work around racial justice would not have been possible without the groundwork she laid.
Stacey’s absence will be felt throughout NCIL and the rest of the disability community. We send our condolences to all who were touched by Stacey’s life and activism.
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