My name is DJ. I was recently accepted into a pre-nursing program in Minnesota, and I need help getting myself and my family there.

I'm a queer, gender-nonconforming person from Montgomery, Alabama. Living in the South as someone who looks the way I do has cost me jobs, educational opportunities, and stability. I've been fired, pushed out, and discriminated against more than once. My wife and I have spent years trying to build a future here, but we've reached a point where staying is no longer sustainable.

We originally planned to move when our lease ended in October. Then our timeline moved up to August because of this opportunity. Now, our landlord has informed us that we must be out by August 1, giving us just days to complete a 1,150-mile move. What began as a planned relocation for school and long-term safety has become an urgent race against the clock.

Part of the reason we needed to leave in the first place is that our landlord has been abusive throughout our tenancy and physically assaulted me before we even moved in. We do not have a safe or stable future here.

Since launching this fundraiser, we've made incredible progress thanks to the kindness of friends, family, and strangers. As of July 18, we've secured temporary housing in Minnesota for August and possibly September. That means we'll have a safe place to land when we arrive, and it's a huge step forward.

Our biggest challenge now is getting there and making sure this temporary opportunity becomes a permanent fresh start. We still need to transport our family and belongings, cover the costs of the move itself, and save enough to secure long-term housing before our temporary stay ends.

This nursing program is a chance to completely change the direction of our lives. I'm working toward a career where I can care for others, and Minnesota offers opportunities and protections that simply aren't available to us where we live now.

We'll be relocating with my wife, my elderly mother, and our cats. We're contributing our own savings, income, and financial aid funds, but the accelerated timeline has stretched every resource we have.

Funds raised will help cover:

• Transportation costs, fuel, food, and lodging during the move

• A moving truck or POD for our belongings

• Security deposits and move-in costs for permanent housing in Minnesota

• Emergency expenses as we transition from temporary housing into a permanent home

We've raised **$2,501 of our $5,000 goal** so far, and every donation and share has helped make this move possible. Reaching the halfway point and securing temporary housing are milestones we couldn't have achieved alone, but we still have a long way to go before we're fully settled.

If you're able to donate, thank you. If not, sharing this fundraiser is just as valuable and helps us reach more people. Every bit of support brings us one step closer to completing this move, starting nursing school, and building a safer, more stable future for our family.