Jessica Van Tiem never planned to become a public advocate. But like many Black mothers in Michigan, she didn’t get the luxury of planning. When her son was diagnosed with epilepsy, she did what Black women, especially Black mothers have always done—she organized, she educated, and she fought for visibility in a system that too often ignores neurological disorders in children of color.

On Saturday, June 14, Van Tiem and hundreds of others will gather at the Detroit Zoo for the 33rd annual Stroll for Epilepsy™, hosted by the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan. From 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., families, survivors, caregivers, and advocates will walk side by side—not to be seen, but to bring visibility to a condition that too often remains unseen in public health conversations and funding priorities.

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