Candido's Coming Out Special in San Fransisco

Hi dear friends,

I am coming to you with a very special request, and something I don't really do for myself.

As you've probably seen, I've been pow wow dancing for a little over a year now. I was introduced to the arena in a wonderful short film I cast "The Roof" by the late John Sneezy. I was gifted a jingle dress, which is a healing dance of the Anishinaabe people, and I was assigned by my teachers to dance for about a year before my Coming Out Special.

A Coming Out Special is an initiation where a dancer is joining the dance circle officially as a serious dancer. Usually a community elder will speak for the dancer, and the dancer's teachers will escort them into the arena. That very special day for me is finally coming, and I am beyond moved. February 1st 2025, and non other than at BAAITS (Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits) which happens to be the BIGGEST Two Spirit Pow Wow in the country! I am beyond excited and honored.

Usually within Native/Indigenous culture, the dancer's family steps in to help with a giveaway. A giveaway is when the dancer's family honors those who have helped the dancer on their journey. The family usually donates or gives what they usually have, beaded jewelry, blankets, quilts, arts and crafts, food. But as all my family is in my homelands of Mexico and El Salvador, and they are of very low income, I don't really have that support.

It's only myself, my mother and my father, and they are both elderly and I take care of them. The strike has taken a tremendous financial and emotional toll and quite frankly I am stressing to even make my basic needs. But I'd like to do this giveaway the right way, as this community and chosen family have been above and beyond with my reconnecting journey.

So I humbly come to a selected few, friends, chosen family, industry colleagues, to please help in whichever way you can for my special day. It would mean the world to me.

All fundings would help with my trip to SF with my parents, gas, lodging, but most importantly the purchases of all gifts for my giveaway; Pendleton blankets, beaded jewelry (that Ill have to purchase as non of my family makes it), coin purses, tobacco, and some personalized gifts like fabric, ribbons, etc, and food. I am honoring about 10 people so I'd be buying 10 of everything.

This usually would be no problem for me to handle on my own, but work has been painfully slow. Your help would be tremendously appreciated. I'm essentially, very humbly asking you to step in as my chosen family.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

If you'd like to make a donation to the organization itself you can do so at www.baaits.org/donate The work being done by them is incredible.

If you'd like to know more about BAAITS you can see the following video below.

I sincerely appreciate your time,

Thank you for being an amazing relative in my life. Hope to connect soon.

All my best,

Candido