remembrance

[totient]

Today seems like a good day to remember Cassandra Lease, who was one of the first people to step up to save Arisia in October 2018. Her running for the board was one of the things that convinced me that saving Arisia was even the right thing to do. She was one of the best writers I have ever met, and certainly the best writer I've ever collaborated with.

Cass did not die violently, but I rather suspect that structural violence was a contributing factor to her untimely death in early 2021.

Comments

[minkrose]

She was such a gem! I miss her so much. When J was a baby, we took Cass and Sol out for a fancy dinner a Mooo.... (this was a special treat dinner we usually did when Andy got his bonus for new hires, we'd take them out for a fancy meal on our dime). She had never tried oysters before, and I think she also tried marrow for the first time at that meal? I still think of her whenever I eat oysters (she did not actually like them but was glad to have had the chance to try one). I was so grateful for all the work she did for Arisia. And I completely agree that her death was caused by oppressive systems, not least of which was inadequate COVID protections for her to seek routine care. Most of the deep-pandemic deaths of people I know were not specifically from COVID but the situation with medical care for those in need absolutely contributed or directly caused it, IMO.