Happy New Year. My name is Julia Métraux, and I’m a disability reporter at Mother Jones.
Last year, the disability community lost a leader, a treasured friend, and an oracle: Alice Wong. There’s so much to remember Alice for, so any list would not do full justice, but I’ve admired her dedication to advocating for Palestinians and also co-creating Crips for eSims for Gaza, which helps provide access to the internet.
Her advocacy on this issue has received backlash, but as someone who embodied the principles of disability justice, Alice kept fighting the good fight. I’m going to miss her insights on how disabled people can fight back on Medicaid cuts, including to home and community-based services, as Alice has been a crucial voice on the importance of disabled people living independently. She was also very encouraging to me and others:
When I was very much an up-and-coming disability journalist, Alice was always kind to me, often reposting my calls for sources, which led more people in the disability community to trust me. I was fortunate to be part of a Bitch Media Access series she co-edited in 2021, and when I was ranting about the University of California graduate workers’ union representatives not meeting the needs of disabled workers, she invited me to write a piece for Disability Visibility Project.
In an obituary for Literary Hub, journalist Steven Thrasher recounted a story where Alice, who could no longer eat, gave him cookies. Thrasher said he needed to lose weight. Alice’s response? “EAT THE FUCKING COOKIES!!!!” What a nice, blunt, and enthusiastic friend she was.
Rest in peace, Alice, and I hope you’ll read my tribute to her.
—Julia Métraux
