Support Sac(Kona)'s Bubblegum Dreams of Graduating NYU ITP

Every hello is a compliment to the energy that I put out in this world.

– DonYé Taylor

Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.

-Wilma Rudolph

Always think of the greatest outcome - Ali Santana

Live it like the first time, cuz it is, fall in love with it-Tanika Williams

Hi beautiful love,

Thank you for taking the time to land softly here on my page.

Hiii!! My name is Sackona Fitts (she/her), many folks know me as Sackona, Kona, or Miss Fitts.

I am a proud 1st Generation Black Khmer artist, afrofuturist, world builder, poet, educator, roller skater, and creative technologist.

I rise from the roots, soil, bricks and trees of Mama Africa and Aunty Asia by way of Black Boston, Black America, and Cambodia.

Growing up in the housing projects, I always loved the community that is created, built, and brought from each persons homeland, world, and experiences. The housing projects were my first community outside of my moms womb.

I would always view the projects as a way of safety, the bricks were the ribs of the community, the windows were eyes and the white speckled ceiling and walls were my paper, my dreams were my pen. My voice the ink, stories were like water in kitchen sink, I always listened to them.

Graciously my parents were my first teachers, storytellers and they always shared about how they grew up, the joys, the struggles, the trauma, the wins and their worlds.

I learned quickly what it meant to survive, what it meant to be alive, and what it meant to really fight for your life and truly live it especially through genocide, colonialism and war.

My parents didn't have the opportunity, generational wealth or college support to attend college. They survived genocide and the complications and consequences of it. My mom didn't get to go past 3rd grade and my father didn't get to go to college.

My father survived, until he didn't and he tragically passed away while I and the rest of my family took care of him while I was in college. I remember studying about Art, community and culture of Black and non-Black Communities, and remember my studies soon turned into a world grief I couldn't fathom.

He passed away during my last year of undergrad and I remembered not wanting to continue school after that. I didn't feel it was a place for me at all.

Both of my parents didn't have the opportunity to attend college. My mom fled the genocide and 3rd grade and my daddy went to high school.

I dreamed one day of what it would look like if I could go to college? What would it look like to achieve a dream of mine?

I received the blessing to attend Hampshire College, now l'm bubblegum blessed to be at New York University Tisch School of the Arts Interactive Telecommunication Program (ITP) studying what I truly love; Immersive Experiences, Virtual Reality, Roller Skating, Black Joy, Black American Culture, Storytelling, Herstory and accessibility.

I am truly so honored, grateful of the work of my enslaved African Ancestors, the Native Americans, my Khmer ancestors and the many beautiful communities who built these institutions that have migrated, escaped, fled, or just came to the U.S for a better life.

It's a miracle to be alive and it's a miracle to be in an institution built off of slavery, genocide, colonialism.

As I'm studying how to nourish self and community wellness, I'm faced with the loss of my financial aid, facing an eviction leading from the loss of financial aid and I'm a primary caregiver, guardian, and provider for my family.

My journey at NYU has been such an enriching one, I'm genuinely so grateful to immerse myself in science, technology, art, engineering and math. I'm super grateful as well to have been able to receive scholarships, funding in the past, and community love/support so thank you to everyone deeply including the my communities home in Boston, NYC, at ITP, Xanadu Roller Arts Rink.

I have definitely struggled in my journey, Covid twice, a medical leave in 2021, emergency room visits, homelessness, hospitalization, the loss and transition of family like my grandmother, uncle in Cambodia, my mentor and cat and so many others.

I've faced new disability diagnoses, faced personal and familial health emergencies and I am even more passionate and motivated to get deeper into wellness, community nourishment, fitness and advocacy.

Due to losing my financial aid and currently being unemployed, I'm facing financial struggles, eviction and disability exacerbations.

It's taken me a while to make this GoFundMe because of shame, the nervousness to ask for help and of being vulnerable of where I'm at, yet I understand, that as community, we are interdependent beings and love and support is abundant in our resources, knowledge and wisdom.

Also my friends have really asked me to make this and to really ask for help.

I'm writing for community support to gather breath, love and hope to cross the finish line to graduating from NYU with my Master's Degree, where I will be able to teach on a university level, receive a technical degree, and focus on Extended Reality, Virtual Reality, Storytelling, Teaching and creating spaces to foster wellness, love, and safety.

Breakdown of Costs

Here's how your power can help.

1. Word of mouth

-Share this post, the more people see it, the more they will be aware

-We are spider webbed with greatness, each one, teach one

-Share it and let's make it contagious to share this post

2. Donate

.50 cents, 1 dollar, 5 dollars, 10 dollars add up so greatly.

All funds are appreciated forreal! I know times are super duper hard right now.

3. Point out leads for housing, housing support, resources like apartments

The greatness of our connections is that they are present. What spaces are available that are stable?

4. Job Leads, income leads, artists residencies, fellowships, paid internships

I welcome leads for employment, art creation, and income for stability, survival and thriving.

5. Host/Cohost an event with me to guide the fundraising

We are super talented and I'm grateful to witness folks honing their talents. I love working with other folks on events to support, create, etc and will be finding ways to either create art, make events, parties, to fundraise.

6. Send some sweet words!!! Loving words of strength is always super appreciated.

Thank you all with so much deep gratitude from my heart. I am here already because we are here together, and I am sooooooo deeply gracious for the love, support, affirming words and positive energy, resources towards my journey, our journey in making a better present, and future for everyone.

I can't wait to skate to the finish line and pop that bubblegum dream together!!!

*Pictures, Videos by Migi Pics, Sk8.Ne, HalcyonHalfLife, RedHelmetSun, myself and many more folks. Forever grateful for yall, thank you for your talent, for seeing yourselves, for seeing me and capturing, practicing greatness. Thank you Xanadu Roller Arts Rink and the skate community, in Boston, NYC and worldwide. And a huge deep love and deep gratitude to my Intelligent Mischief family who has deeply been present with me and deeply inspired my thesis and is also a huge believer and breather of my bubblegum dreams. This work was done through loving, imagining and creating with them through the Black Imagination Content Fellowship