Always With Compassion

Erin Gilmer was an activist, lawyer, advocate, consultant, and patient who helped lead and inspire a diverse community of individuals suffering with chronic pain and disability. Erin Gilmer died in July 2021. The New York Times wrote a stirring obituary. In an effort to celebrate Erin and to commemorate her life, Narrate is working with a group of her friends to create a video memorial.

Narrate has conducted interviews with Gilmer’s friends throughout the world. These interviews have focused on her many community roles, her strength and character, her legal work, and her advocacy. Though Erin suffered great emotional and physical pain, she worked diligently to challenge and defy the stereotypes of persons in the disability community and to ensure all persons may benefit from compassionate health care.

In these recent interviews conducted with her friends, many of Erin’s close confidants referred to the phrase “always with compassion” as a guiding principle in Gilmer’s life. Even while fighting ignorance, misinformation, and indifference, Erin believed that compassion for others and empathy should always be present in activism and advocacy. This belief is what made Erin’s work so vital. Erin’s policy work, her blog, her kindness, and the legal assistance she offered fellow community members continues to define her legacy. We hope that the documentary about Erin will continue this as well. Stay connected with Narrate to follow our progress.