THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING CLARISSA and her Support Team!!!!

March 17th Update: Clarissa has joined the ancestors.

Clarissa Rogers! Rise in Power!

Nov 12th 1967-March 17th 2024

Some of us have known Clarissa for decades, from grade school to Philly, from anarchist work to anti-racist work with SURJ. Others met her in the successful campaign to free Russell Maroon Shoatz or the current campaign to free Kamau Sadiki. Many of us had the privilege of her consistently warm comradery and visionary mxntorship through white maroons sessions. However you knew her, she is unforgettable. Please take a moment to read Clarissa's long time friend and comrade, Sachio's words below, in purple of course. As we are learning, there is always more to know about Clarissa Rogers.

"Friends and loved ones of Clarissa, On this day, she has made her transition.

And her work lives on!

Two years ago, due to long Covid, Clarissa fell into a coma. She awoke, but with no memories.

She later described this time as akin to a process of writing a detective novel of her own life. She started to remember in bits and pieces, looked through old photos, found out more and more by researching her own life. Accompanying this process was an eerie feeling of all of these events happening to someone else, but that someone else was her. She remembered friends, and asked to find out who they were.

She remembered tastes, re-discovered that she was a foodie, and investigated which foods excited her. She came across a picture of herself at the Opera! She remembered advocating for a friend years ago, saving them years from a prison sentence.

She found out she loves writing, and that she's a poet! She found out she loves photography, that she has a camera and a collection of serene nature pictures and pictures of little wild creatures. She learned that she loves the Simpsons, and especially loves using episodes to talk about anti-capitalism.

She remembered she’s a working class anarchist, involved in supporting workplace struggles, and the struggle against racism, and ultimately found out that she's involved in the world’s oldest Anarchist International! Perhaps most meaningfully, her detective skills revealed a whole community across the country, and around the world that supports her and adores her.

She remembered more and more, and figured out quickly that in her own hospital experience as a poor working class woman, she witnessed the health inequities shaping her own journey. While still hospitalized, she took up Disability Rights of working people as a central part of labor organizing. She started to regain her capacity for organizing and theory, so she started what became an international reading group of Kropotkin’s Mutual Aid. And she facilitated the first meeting from her hospital bed at the Critical Care Unit! Her comrades were inspired by this, called her their hero for this, and will always remember this remarkable commitment to the movement. As her memories and capacity increased, she found herself right back in the thick of the movement.

Like a Phoenix, she found herself, miraculously, at the height of her achievements. She recovered her abilities not just for writing, but for editing, and even contributing to theoretical conversations about what anarchist editing ought to be. She was working with authors again, providing help and guidance for their articles. She started a series of interviews and a possible book, giving it the SO Clarissa title: “From Comma Girl to Coma Girl and Back Again.”

She came to facilitate one of the most difficult meetings of her life, and did so brilliantly. In this meeting she helped bring about a feminist revolution within the country's oldest Anarchist-Syndicalist national organization. Clarissa Rogers–lover of puns, connoisseur of wacky adventures, fiercely loyal friend, quirky builder of community–we love you!

Coming from so many walks of life, our collective support has poured through for you from our hearts, as we feel a profound gratitude for all you have given us.

Clarissa, you have made your transition, and we will carry on your work, for… the wacky adventure continues!

Long live the planarchy!

Clarissa, rest in power! We love you!"

Thank you Clarissa! We meet this Saturday on Zoom at 11 a.m. EST to continue your legacy. Those interested can email Rosa@urbanartbeat.org

FUNDS:

We are now focusing on raising funds to support those closest to her who are covering costs incurred while caring for Clarissa and her home and for the unfortunate capitalistic expense of death.

BACK STORY: You may know that Clarissa’s health journey has been challenging these last few years, with Long Covid contributing to the factors that put her in a coma in 2020. She has survived two heart attacks, multiple complications, amnesia, amputations and perhaps the most disturbing, the neglect of the Medical Industrial Complex in acknowledging the links to Long Covid, in Clarrisa’s case and cases around the globe. Through all that she has never stopped fighting, FOR OTHERS! She was feeling stronger and stronger recently, back to asking others what they need, back to steering committees, facilitating meetings, inspiring critical thought, deep listening and developing leadership as she has for decades. Then in January, multiple infections invaded, blood pressure dropped and she ended up in ICU. The hospital she is in has horrible reviews and she is currently planning for hospice care in her own home.

Support from the community has been helpful and is necessary.

FEBRUARY: Clarissa’s family are her chosen friends, many of whom live far from her.

IMMEDIATE NEED to SUPPORT VISITORS

In her transition to her home for Hospice, it is important that she receives quality care and mutual aid from folx that know her and can advocate for her and raise up the level of care and love.

According to a 2023 study, isolation “may inadvertently cause serious adverse outcomes including psychological harm, limitations to care, increased incidence of delirium, deconditioning and reduced quality of life.”

We are fundraising currently so that friends who might not have the means can still visit her without incurring too much expense. In true Clarissa thoughtfulness, she wants donors to know that any unused funds will go directly towards liberation work. This will ensure that her legacy of making the world a better place through compassionate commitment, radical care and strategic action, continues.

Let’s put our magical powers together to strategize and fundraise short and long term support for Clarissa.

May the “Wacky Adventures" continue!

Team work makes the Dream Work! Let's work our planning skills to make a plan of fundraising and support! As Clarissa would say "Long live the Planarchy!"

WHO IS CLARISSA? (Add Your LOVE in the comments)

For decades Clarissa, an avid Simpsons fan, has dedicated her time and trauma informed praxis to making the world a better place for ALL humxns, especially those on the front lines of institutionalized oppression.

A few words from cadre, friends and fans who have worked and adventured with her:

"A visionary strategist and revolutionary bad ass. Thank you for all the inspirational work that you do, sending love" - KB

“Clarissa is the coolest and most whimsical white maroon. Her ability to hold space, challenge us, and ask questions, all while making us feel so welcome is unmatched. She is just so brilliant. We are so grateful to have this space with her. It is such a privilege to experience her wisdom and warmth.”- Eleanor

“Clarissa has been working tirelessly to end systems of oppression for longer than most people I know personally, and with an incredibly unique tenderness and care. Her ability to hold space for the diversity of experiences that are brought to any anti-racist coworking session is astounding and inspirational.” - lucia

WHO is ORGANIZING this Fundraising Campaign?

Clarissa Rogers is an inspirational genius, proud anarchist, whimsical strategist and active organizer with MANY different groups, the maroon party for liberation being one of the current lucky ones! Many of us here met her through political prisoner work or through the maroon liberation school. We are a passionate formation of mostly unpaid pedagogues, artists and rEvolutionary organizers. We have been and are working around the clock with youth, elders, organizers and grassroots movements. We are joining forces with Clarissa’s long time friends and family, from Philly to Cape Vincent, Belgium to Rhode Island!

Rise Up Together! We believe we have an obligation to show up for our siblings through awareness, articulation and action. We believe political education and informed collective action is the strongest way to pre-figure a new society for all. Together we maroon!

THANK YOU for joining us, all skills are needed! Caring for our people so they don't have to rely on the Medical Industrial Complex is liberation work!

Dirty Dancing I Carried A Watermelon 1" Sticker for Sale by AnnaMode | Redbubble

Team Clarissa Rogers rallies for more Wacky Adventures!

Team work makes the Dream Work! Long live the Planarchy!

Team Members