Our names are Dao Wolfe and Maxwell Winchell. We are LGBT, neurodivergent, and POC. This is our story:

Maxwell and I grew up in abusive homes. We have been misunderstood, misinterpreted, and invalidated for our neurodiversity our entire lives. Max has been targeted for his gender identity and me for my diagnosis.

I am 23 years old. Growing up with low expectations from my guardians, I have struggled to keep up with the average young adult for everything that’s normally taken care of by 16. I was never given the opportunity to do so.

I was relocated to Puerto Rico where a year later, Hurricane Maria hit, devastating the entire island. At 19, I fled to America as soon as I was able and was taken in by family members in San Diego, CA. I suddenly, and unexpectedly, had to find another home in a very short period of time.

I have struggled with homelessness since then, bouncing between houses until finally losing everything. I was forced to wander the street with no direction, and no destination, just as COVID-19 was at its peak in America.

I spent the entirety of 2020 roaming. That was the start of my healing journey. I learned that neurodiversity is not a flaw, it is unwelcome. I was forced to conform to a world that pushes the belief that our only value in life is to benefit the patriarchy. And if we are unable to do that, then we are worthless.

I refuse to believe that. I refuse to believe that my life can’t have purpose.

Max and I crossed paths at the end of 2020 and I began a new life with him and our partner. 

Max is 19. He grew up in poverty and spent much of his life drifting from house to house. He was isolated and traumatized as a child for his autism and gender identity. It wasn’t until he drove to and from California where he had his first travel experience. He has been yearning for that feeling ever since.

Max has endured sexual trauma, gender related trauma, and emotional abuse for his entire adolescence and had always blamed himself for it. He was convinced by the people around him that he was the problem, causing the feeling of hopelessness to overwhelm him, and drive him to seek comfort in unhealthy, and damaging, relationships that he modeled after his own parents.

It’s been a year into our polyamorous relationship when we came to the unfortunate realization that our own partner was not a right fit for us. Their own internal struggles turned toxic and began affecting our relationship negatively, causing us to have to disconnect them from our lives to avoid further abuse and manipulation.

In Max’s own words: “I want to live unapologetically and despite all of the trauma I’ve faced I want to see the world and the beauty it holds in everything. I want to live minimalistically and be free of my ties. I want to show people that you can live past trauma and it doesn’t need to break you.

I have known and been relying on our partner to some extent since high school. Because of the toxic environment I was raised in, it took a long time for me to realize and accept the fact that he wasn’t good for me or Dao. Learning that I’m neurodivergent helped me realize all of this and I want to help spread awareness and share my experiences for both my neurodivergent and LGBTQI+ kin.”

We are now advocates for both mental health, liberation, and the freedom of expression.

And this is our situation:

Our partner was the only one out of us with any means of transportation and employment. Neither Maxwell or I have a job and living in such a remote area, it’s impossible to obtain one without a car. Our income is made solely off of commission work through the online art community but it still won’t be enough to cover what we need to survive here. We are stranded, and by the end of June, we will be evicted.

We no longer wish to live in this town. It has been our life’s dream to be able to travel. We have the means and the knowledge to survive on the road as digital nomads, but no means of transportation. Which also means: no form of shelter.

What we’re asking for is your assistance to help us pay for a car, to achieve our dream, and to leave an abusive situation. To help us advocate for human rights, to spread awareness, and to share our stories.

Thank you.