Meet Chimére!

The OG of Black Long Covid Advocacy.

Chimére L. Sweeney is a retired educator and Long Covid activist, writer, and lecturer. Experiencing racism and discrimination while obtaining medical treatment for Long Covid and drawing from teaching underprivileged students in Baltimore, her mission has always been clear: inspire and empower Black patients to tell their unique stories on the physical, mental, and financial effects of Long Covid. From sharing her testimony with Congress to recently being a featured guest on The Washington Post’s Post Live, Sweeney’s message on aiding Black and disabled Long Covid patients in advocating for equitable health care is both passionate and honest. 

Chimére became a compassionate, trusted figure in the Long Covid community by aiding Black patients with receiving medical care and hosting social events that are inclusive and accessible, including #TheTealReveal, a virtual prom for disabled Long Covid patients that also provided mutual aid to participants in need. This year, she organized #BLCEBHMSocial: Chronically Committed, a 10-day social media campaign to observe Black History Month for disabled Black people with Long Covid. This effort was supported by Long Covid and ME/CFS patients along with prominent community organizations with focuses on both health conditions.

Sweeney is a graduate of Morgan State University, earning a BA in English/Literature and Language. She is the curator and writer of The Blackest Side of Long Covid and host of The Blackest Side Podcast via Substack. In her spare time, she pet-sits and loves to paint. She lives in upstate New York with her husband, Taurean Sweeney.