A Letter from MAC's New Fundraising & Development Manager

Hi folks,

My name is Dezi Primous-Gillon, and I’m MAC’s new Fundraising & Development Manager! I’m a Black American and a third-generation Chicagoan. I come from a working-class family that has always had to navigate bureaucratic systems to access basic needs.

My studies in sociology, theology, and social and sexual ethics have shaped how I think about our responsibilities to one another. My professional experiences have taken me through community organizing, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and direct service. My work has always been grounded in the ethical imperative to get folks access to the care and resources they need, and to disrupt barriers to freedom. I'm interested in how systems shape our lives, but also in the practical ways we can show up for one another within those systems.

I joined MAC in 2022 as a Client Coordinator, and since then, I’ve helped more than 1,300 people access abortion care over text and phone calls. I know what it’s like to help someone get from point A to point B, to coordinate transportation and lodging, or to be the person on the other end of the phone when someone is trying to figure out whether they can access the care they need.

I know how much work happens behind the scenes to make a single appointment possible, and how much it matters when someone can say, “Yes, we can help.”
I’m eager to advocate for the work I’ve done alongside my colleagues for years and help secure the resources needed to sustain it. I’m deeply interested in ethical, sustainable philanthropic practices. For me, that means building relationships with supporters, being transparent about our needs, and making sure the people doing this work have the resources to keep doing it.

Every movement needs to be resourced, and I want to make sure we keep saying “yes!” to folks who contact us. More than ever, we have to tap into community. We want to keep doing the vital work that supports healthcare access in this country. I believe people shouldn't have to depend on organizations like MAC to access basic reproductive healthcare. But until that changes, we will keep answering calls, coordinating travel, getting financial assistance into people's hands, and distributing emergency contraception.

Whether you've supported MAC for years or are just getting to know us, I hope you'll continue to be part of the MAC community. I look forward to meeting more of you, hearing your ideas, and building relationships that will help sustain MAC for years to come.

As we work toward our year-end fundraising goal of $250,000, I hope you'll consider making a donation. Your support helps us continue saying “yes” to people who need us.

In solidarity,
Dezi Primous-Gillon
Fundraising & Development Manager
Midwest Access Coalition