Big Dreams in the Big Apple: My Journey to NYC

Hello, friends. My name is Dora Diamond, and I would like to share my story with you. I am a disabled trans woman with a lifelong passion for music, entertainment and performance. In the earliest infancy of that passion, a dream was formed; a dream that I believe can come true with your help. I am launching this GoFundMe campaign because I need your support in raising funds to make the life-changing move to New York City and pursue my dream of supporting myself as an established professional entertainer and musician.

Why New York City?

There's a reason it's called "The City of Dreams". New York City is a vibrant hub of creativity and opportunity, brimming with ambition, inspiration and the ceaseless thundering of the tenacious human spirit. It is also the place where I believe I can truly thrive. Delia Ephron said it best, "New Yorkers are born all over the country, and then they come to New York City and it hits them: Oh, that’s who I am." I was first blessed with the opportunity to visit this remarkable city in April of 2023. I spent two weeks exploring, performing and meeting an array of incredible people, including some of my idols of the entertainment industry. That experience gifted me with such a sense of affirmation, self-realization and determination. I thought these feelings could only exist in my dreams, and for the first time I was living them in real time. Though I have only recently experienced the Big Apple in person, I've dreamt of this city since I was a very young child.

For as long as I can remember, New York City has always existed as a sort of mythical wonderland in my mind, a place too larger-than-life to be real. Like many small town midwesterners, I was first introduced to the rich culture of New York through the seductive lens of cinema, music and theater. But even then, what drew me to the city more than these glamorous spectacles was the intimate portrait of the city painted through the stories told to me by my late maternal grandmother. She was born in 1921 in Manhattan, and some of my earliest memories are centered around the stories she would tell me of her childhood there. She spoke of Springtime in Central Park, Summers at Coney Island, going to the Metropolitan Opera House with her sister, and discovering her love of music within its hallowed halls. Her stories filled my little mind with visions of a city that embodied hope, optimism and a lust for life.

In my adolescence, my mother made me aware of our family's Jewish heritage. This came as a surprise to me, as my grandmother had never mentioned it to me growing up. When I asked why, it was revealed that while she was stationed in Florida in the 1940s, my grandmother became the target of an Antisemitic hate group. Because of their threats, harassment and abuse, she was forced to conceal her Jewish identity and heritage, and convert religions out of fear. She would go on to raise my mother, aunt and uncles to do the same, warning them to never let anyone know that our family was Jewish. Antisemitic violence tore me and my family away from our culture, and I have yearned to reconnect with this part of my identity ever since. During my visit to New York this past Spring, I was able to meet some of the surviving members of my grandmother's family, where I learned even more about my family's history in the city. New York City is, quite literally, in my blood.

There are opportunities to explore my culture in this city that extend beyond just one facet of my identity. As a transgender woman, it is impossible to overstate the cultural and historical significance of New York City. It is the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ Rights movement, from Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera and the riots at Stonewall, to the royal houses of the Ballroom community, to the Club Kids of the 80s and 90s, to the proliferation of queer artists and creatives like Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and James Baldwin. New York City is synonymous with queer history, art, and joy.

This city has a rich history of embracing diversity and providing a platform for artists and creatives of all backgrounds to shine. As a disabled trans woman, I know the challenges I may face. Not only am I convinced that this city holds opportunity, community and accessibility unlike anything I have experienced before, but I am determined to work tirelessly, break barriers and pave the way for others like me. New York City offers a welcoming and diverse community where I can be my true self, realize my true purpose and share my art with the world.

My Journey So Far:

Throughout my life, music and entertainment have always been my refuge. I have been performing music and theater since I was a young child, and for the last 12 years I've poured my heart and soul into honing my skills as an entertainer, whether it's writing songs, singing, performing, or producing. I've had many incredible experiences performing in my city, playing for crowds of anywhere between 2 and 2,000 people, but living with an invisible disability in a smaller city with limited opportunities and accessibility has made it increasingly difficult to survive and pursue my dreams.

My disability prevents me from being able to safely drive, so public transportation is the only transportation available to me. A car is essential to get around in my city, and the public transportation is unreliable and inconsistent. I also struggle with maintaining traditional full time employment, as my disability makes things like time management, executive function, routines, and consistent sleep schedules virtually impossible. It is only through the combination of entertainment gigs and supplemental part time work that I am able to live, but supporting oneself as a creative in Wisconsin is difficult in a myriad of ways. The job culture of New York City has always embraced the artist working part time to make ends meet, and has always invested in its creatives in ways unheard of in the rest of the country. I've faced many challenges related to my gender, my location and disability, and I've had to overcome numerous obstacles to get to where I am today, but I am confident that New York City is the place where I can realize my full potential.

My Dream:

Everything I create is presented through the lens of my lived experience. Every piece of music, every stage performance, they are all vulnerable expressions of my struggles, triumphs, insecurities, philosophy, pain, and joy. My goal is to create and perform meaningful pieces that can empower and provide solace, not only for those who share my experiences, but for anyone who can relate to them. I want to create music that resonates with people of all kinds and that makes a difference in the world, no matter how small. I aspire to be a voice for my community through my art, bringing hope, inspiration, and joy to those who listen and watch. To make this dream a reality, I need your help.

How Your Support Will Make a Difference:

The goal set in this campaign is designed to cover four months of rent and moving/living expenses. In addition to this campaign, I am raising money by working as hard and as often as I possibly can, performing and working in my current part-time position, as well as selling my belongings and organizing in-person fundraising events. GoFundMe does not require campaigns to meet their goals, so any amount raised will help immensely. The funds I'm seeking to raise will go towards the following:

Ways You Can Help:

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read my story and consider supporting my dream. We live in unprecedented times and we are all doing our best to survive and achieve our dreams. But together, I truly believe we can make this dream a reality. By supporting me, you're not just helping one person; you're helping to create a more inclusive and diverse world where everyone's talents and dreams are supported and celebrated. Please join me on this journey to New York City and help me share my story with the world. I know in the deepest parts of my soul that this move is the key to improving my mental/physical health and wellness, realizing my potential and becoming self-sufficient. With your help, we can make it happen. Thank you so very much.

Donate today and help Dora's dream take flight!