Preeti Juturu

For as long as I can remember, I have experienced nerve pain and the severe, debilitating neurological symptoms associated with migraines, scoliosis and various headache and nerve pain disorders.

Having invisible chronic conditions, especially as someone seen as "high functioning," has meant that my pain and struggles with navigating the day to day have been diminished and even ignored, whether that be by medical professionals or by individuals in my daily life. From the slightest change in lighting to the brief inhalation of specific perfumes, every-day "normal" environmental factors can lead to debilitating pain, nausea/vomiting, photosensitivity and the inability to communicate, sometimes even stroke-like symptoms that I must "power through;" recovery from a migraine attack and/or other neurological-related pain is lengthy and fluctuates, and then repeats all over again.

Moreover, as an AFAB and BIPOC individual navigating access to care for chronic pain and pain-related conditions, it has been particularly challenging to get the resources, supports and accommodations I require to be the most successful version of myself.

My lived experience, as well as the community I've built with other folks with chronic conditions, particularly those with intersectional identities, has been a primary driver in pursuing a career as a public health professional and policy professional. Furthermore, as a former instructor of disability studies and an active disability studies researcher and writer, I am always exploring the experience of disability and chronic pain within the context of the American healthcare system, the history of healthcare and disability in the U.S., and the ways in which Black and Brown individuals have and continue to navigate disability and healthcare access.

Growing up in a small town in California's San Joaquin Valley, I was very much attuned to the socioeconomic, environmental (built and natural) and structural issues that impacted access to care for individuals with chronic conditions, as well as accessibility in the workplace, in school and in public spaces.

Leaving my hometown and going to college and grad school, I became much more familiar with issues in urban spaces, and learned more about the ways in which inequality and divide is created, not inherent, to our daily lives. For too long, comprehensive healthcare, accessible housing, fair wages and nutritious foods have been framed as luxuries and things that need to be "earned," not fundamental human rights.

I advocate for systemic change that centers around universal design and unconditional access to basic needs such as healthcare, food, economic freedom, etc. because everyone, especially individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities, deserve a life that is dignified and supports their holistic well-being.