BIPOC communities are diagnosed later, treated less consistently, and face more barriers across autoimmune disease, long COVID, rare conditions, and chronic illness overall. These challenges are not isolated issues, they reflect long-standing gaps in prevention, early identification, access to specialists, and culturally grounded support. Many people spend years searching for answers while managing symptoms that disrupt daily life.

The Summit brings these realities into focus and creates space for community voices, public health partners, and healthcare organizations to work toward solutions. By addressing the cultural, structural, and system-level factors behind these inequities, the Summit pushes the conversation toward practical change that can strengthen community health.

The ROCK Summit is ABN’s cross-sector convening focused on strengthening community health for populations disproportionately affected by chronic illness. The Summit brings together community members, healthcare leaders, public health professionals, researchers, advocates, and partner organizations to examine the practical, cultural, and structural factors shaping care in BIPOC communities.

Grounded in ABN’s mission of Access, Inclusion, and Prevention, the Summit centers lived experience and community knowledge. While many participants represent autoimmune and long COVID communities, the Summit addresses chronic illness broadly, recognizing shared challenges such as delayed diagnosis, fragmented care, limited prevention, and barriers to meaningful support.