Who Is Team Humanity?

Who is Team Humanity?

Team Humanity is a place for the injured, bereaved and non-injured to gather, connect, and support each other.  We believe in the power of telling stories and sharing first hand accounts of Covid vaccine injuries.  Our goals include bringing a voice to the voiceless; showing light when there is darkness; and providing hope for those who are suffering.

Who started Team Humanity?

Suzanna Newell started Team Humanity.

Prior to receiving her vaccine Suzanna was a triathlete, an active mom, and a vice president at a top bank.  She also participated in the MS 150 bike ride to support fellow Minnesotans suffering from this debilitating disease. Suzanna was physically active; and was always looking out for those in need!

After Suzanna’s second Covid vaccine her life completely changed.  She has been diagnosed with a multitude of neurological, rheumatological, and cardiac issues by her doctors including small fiber polyneuropathy and POTS.  

Now, Suzanna needs to use a walker or wheelchair if she needs to walk more than a few blocks.  She can not work and spends most of her days in and out of different doctor’s offices.  

At first Suzanna felt like she was the only one who was injured from her Covid vaccine.  She had learned firsthand how hard it was to find doctors and other health practitioners who would acknowledge her injury and provide therapeutics to help her heal. She was desperate to find a cure and find others like her.  Others who were struggling to get out of bed in the morning; to climb their way out of the intense pain, debilitating fatigue and extreme brain fog.  Others who couldn’t stand for more than a few minutes without their heart racing.

In her distress Suzanna turned to Facebook and started searching for other injured Minnesotans who she could tell her story to and recommend therapies and doctors that were helping her.  Everytime Suzanna shared her story she felt a little hope take over the desolation, the loneliness, the isolation.  This hope gave her the fortitude to wake up each morning and to keep searching for a cure.

Suzanna realized that sharing her story was powerful.  No one can take your story from you.  It is yours to tell.  It is your truth, your reality.  She wanted all of the injured to have this opportunity-to share their story, connect with others, and find hope.

On October 23, 2021 Suzanna decided to go BIG and share her story at the St Paul capitol to 1000’s of people.  It was truly an act of bravery-putting herself and her story out there.  Please watch the video below to witness Suzanna’s fearlessness.

While preparing for this speech it occurred to Suzanna that her vaccine injury wasn’t a political issue.  It was a humanity issue.  It doesn’t matter if you vote blue or red-it matters that you are a human.  And, humans take care of each other.  Suzanna realized that she, too, could be a friend to the countless injured here in Minnesota.  Out of this act of courage Team Humanity was born.  

Team Humanity has chronicled some of our stories on Substack.  One of the first injured Minnesotans Suzanna met was Kristie.  It is a great story…an accidental meeting on the Mississippi.  

“Suzanna was the first person who understood exactly what I was feeling and knew how I was hurting.  She had the same questions as me.  Both wondering why? And, what comes next?  They commiserated about their pain, immobility, and the complete 180 that happened in their lives.  Prior to their injuries both Kristie and Suzanna were strong, fit, energetic and healthy women who loved to move.  Now they were chronically fatigued, disabled and weak.”

Why do we believe it is so important to offer this support?

We acknowledge that the Covid vaccine injured are real people.  Real people who had a life filled with travel, work, friends, and loved ones before they were injured.  A life that existed outside of their house, their bed and their pain.

This is why Team Humanity is sharing these stories.  Somehow in the midst of all that has happened in the last few years people who have been injured have become “acceptable collateral damage”.  When did this become ok?  How is this ok?  

Team Humanity believes that we are called to speak for the weak and the voiceless.  We are called to tell our stories, gather those who are struggling, and offer them hope and help.  We are called to pull those who are stuck in the shadows and darkness into the light. 

How do we support the injured?

Team Humanity includes both the injured and non-injured; and we all take on various roles. 

First and foremost we listen to each other’s stories.  Everyone has suffered from some sort of trauma over the last 3 years.  We have all struggled, felt sad, felt alone and need to share those feelings. We need to acknowledge these hardships in order to heal.

Some of us have taken on advocacy roles, and contacted local and national legislatures to discuss the lack of government support for the vaccine injured.  

Another group of members have harnessed their marketing skills and found support at public events like the state fair and community gatherings.  We have discovered that wearing our t-shirts and holding up posters opens doors for conversation and connection.  We have personally connected with 100’s of podcasters and asked them to share our stories.  You can find links to these podcasts embedded among our Substack stories. 

Last December we helped to sponsor the Minnesota and Wisconsin premiers of the movie Anecdotals, produced and directed by Jennifer Sharp.  “Anecdotals is a compassionate exploration of the nuanced vaccine debate.  While the vaccine debate grows more divided, those with adverse reactions get stuck in the middle.”

During the spring of 2022 Suzanna connected with a new friend, Lorri.  After health issues had affected her family, Lorri felt a calling to become a friend and advocate for people who were suffering from vaccine injuries.  Lorri learned of Suzanna’s story after reading it on WSAU.   

Lorri reached out to Suzanna with one simple request-she wanted to help Suzanna.  

Lorri had no idea what she could do to help Suzanna; but she knew she had to show up in her life.  Suzanna and Lorri started communicating weekly.  They met for coffee, discussed Suzanna’s health issues, and together decided that they needed to start sharing the stories of those who have been injured.  

Lorri and Suzanna’s friendship perfectly exemplifies Team Humanity-people coming together from different backgrounds with one goal in mind:  to build in love and humanity a community of people who's uncomfortable truths are seen, heard, believed and supported.

One day in June of 2022 Lorri felt compelled to participate in the YMCA triathlon August 14th-the very same triathlon Suzanna used to compete in.  Lorri “hired” Suzanna to be her trainer over the summer.  On the day of the race Suzanna was there to cheer her on; and Lorri and Suzanna, in her wheelchair, crossed the finish line together.  In the middle of Suzanna’s pain, brokenness, fear and anguish Lorri showed up.  Lorri gave Suzanna hope and courage to continue fighting.

It truly is amazing how Team Humanity has grown this last year.  We have connected with dozens of injured in Minnesota; and dozens more both nationally and internationally.  We have joined forces with national groups who share our same mission and goals.  We have over 100 members.  Half of them are supporters and half are those who have been injured. 

On Sunday, August 13th 2023, one year later, Team Humanity participated in the annual YWCA triathlon.  The same triathlon Suzanna raced in for 10 years before she was injured.  The same triathlon Lorri and Suzanna finished together last year.  

But, this year we had eleven competitors and a huge crowd of supporters with an undeniable purple presence.

Team Humanity is growing each and every day.

If you are injured we want you to know:

💜We see you.

💜We know you are real.

💜We care.

💜We are not moving on.

Why is Team Humanity’s logo a purple heart?

When Suzanna spoke on the capitol steps in October of 2021 she realized that vaccine injuries should not be a political issue.  They are a human issue.  Team Humanity doesn’t align with blue or red politics.  We are here for everyone, all humans.  Team Humanity’s logo is a purple heart because purple is the intersection of red and blue.  The color purple is where all people come together to support those who have been injured, suffered trauma during the last 3 years, or lost a loved one.  Our goal is to bring people together from all walks of life around one central theme:  heartfelt compassion.

Please reach out if you would like to join Team Humanity and thank you for reading our stories.  Every story you read spreads hope to someone in need.  Please know we have all come to Team Humanity with different gifts, different needs, and different levels of interest. We accept all of it and would love to meet you. 

Our email address is: MNteamhumanity@proton.me