Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force

🎲 You're Invited to Game Night! 🎮🍔

Looking for a fun way to unwind and connect with the community? Join us for Game Night at MSSCTF's Jo's Place!
📅 Friday, July 25
🕟 4:30–8:00 PM
📍 Jo's Place
518 28th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144

Bring a friend and join us for an evening of laughter, connection, and fun!

The Annual Sickle Cell Walk is BACK! ♥️👟

Join the Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force on Saturday, September 12th, from 9AM – 1PM at Seward Park as we walk, run, and bike together to raise awareness, build community, and support individuals and families impacted by sickle cell disease.

Registration is officially LIVE! 👟♥️

Suggested Registration:
🔺 Adults – $50
🔺 Youth (11+) – $25
🔺 Youth (10 and younger) – FREE

Registration includes:
✔️ Official Event T-shirt
✔️ $10 Food Ticket

This is more than a walk — it’s an opportunity to show up, stand together, and make an impact!

Register TODAY and view full event details at: mssctf.org/sicklecellwalk

Maya always dreamed of being a dancer, but at 11 years old, her life changed in an instant. A stroke forced her to relearn how to walk, speak, and navigate the world through a new lens. She turned to the only thing that called to her just as deeply as dance: art. What started as a necessary pivot became an intentional form of expression and healing. Growing up with sickle cell, Maya often felt like an outsider. She struggled to feel seen while navigating a chronic illness that many people didn’t understand, all while being naturally shy. So, she created what she couldn’t find.

“A lot of my pieces are about navigating life with sickle cell. I want people to understand what isn’t always visible.”

Living with sickle cell means navigating an “invisible illness,” one that is often dismissed or misunderstood. That reality appears vividly in her work. One of her pieces features roses tipped with darts aimed at the body, a metaphor for the ebb and flow of pain that isn’t always visible to others, and what it means to manage that pain in public. It reflects the constant, shifting nature of living with sickle cell.

More than anything, she wants young Black artists and those living with chronic illnesses to see themselves reflected in her work. Her piece, Sacred Rest, centers the importance of rest, something often overlooked in both art and everyday life. “Rest is incredibly important, especially living with a chronic illness.” Now exhibiting in her first museum at the Northwest African American Museum, Maya is stepping into a new phase in her journey. After a period where things felt slow, she’s beginning to see renewed momentum.

“My art has taught me I’m incredibly resilient, that I’m powerful.”

Maya refuses to be confined. Her work reflects that mindset, blending Afrofuturism, identity, and symbolism into a visual language that is entirely her own. As she looks ahead, she remains intentional about growth and collaboration, hoping to work with artists and organizations that align with her values and sense of purpose. Her work can be found through 21 Entities, her creative platform where she shares her evolving body of work and artistic vision. https://www.21entities.com/

The Seattle Sickle Cell Workforce Pathways Internship is here to help sickle cell warriors, family members, and community supporters explore meaningful career pathways while building confidence, skills, and connections. ❤️

✨ Internship Highlights:
✔ Introductory exposure to a medical-clinic environment
✔ Learn alongside a patient-focused coalition
✔ Help coordinate community events & retreats
✔ Gain hands-on real-world experience
✔ Build leadership and teamwork skills

📅 Program Dates:
July 30, 2026 – August 31, 2026
& September 11–12, 2026

💵 Stipend: $1,500

🗓 Application Deadline: May 30, 2026

This opportunity is designed to honor your health, your strengths, and your future while helping you grow in supportive environments.

🔗 Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2H5uOQycw4GIdSFBs6Vy2FntaxVip_SP-61SFKABYyxjaQA/viewform
For more information or questions email [email protected]