This is Alice’s friend Sandy Ho, posting. Per Alice’s wishes, this message is being shared at the time of her passing.

Hi everyone, it looks like I ran out of time.

I have so many dreams that I wanted to fulfill and plans to create new stories for you. There are a few in progress that might come to fruition in a few years if things work out. I did not ever imagine I would live to this age and end up a writer, editor, activist, and more.

As a kid riddled with insecurity and internalized ableism, I could not see a path forward. It was thanks to friendships and some great teachers who believed in me that I was able to fight my way out of miserable situations into a place where I finally felt comfortable in my skin. We need more stories about us and our culture. You all, we all, deserve the everything and more in such a hostile, ableist environment. Our wisdom is incisive and unflinching.

I’m honored to be your ancestor and believe disabled oracles like us will light the way to the future. Don’t let the bastards grind you down. I love you all.

Statement from Alice Wong’s Family:

Alice Wong passed away on Friday, November 14th at UCSF Hospital due to an infection. She was 51 years old. Alice lived in San Francisco and grew up in Indiana.

Alice was the daughter to Henry and Bobby. The elder sister to Emily and Grace. The cat mom to Bert and Ernie, and a dear friend to many.
She will be remembered as being a fierce luminary in disability justice, a brilliant writer, editor and community organizer. Her work can be found at Disability Visibility Project.

As we mourn the incomprehensible loss of Alice, we share the words she gifted us with from her memoir, Year of the Tiger. “The real gift any person can give is a web of connective tissue. If we love fiercely, our ancestors live among and speak to us through these incandescent filaments glowing from the warmth of memories.”

We would like to invite her friends, community, and her many fans to contribute to Alice’s GoFundMe to continue the legacy of her work.