My name is Charmaine, and I am reaching out to request your support as I rebuild my creative career after transitioning from a period of homelessness into stable housing.

I am a comedian and comedy historian currently working on a multi-year research initiative and documentary project working titled "Documenting Black Women in Comedy, Starting with Stand-up." This project explores the intersection of race, gender, and performance as a tool for resilience and social critique, utilizing a podcast format to build a permanent digital archive of Black creativity.

For the first phase of this project, I am seeking funding to travel to Chicago in June 2026 to visit Columbia College Chicago and interview artists, creatives, and comedians within the Queer community. This first phase of my project focuses on the lived experiences of Black women in North American stand-up comedy. The data collected will serve as the foundation for my future graduate research project and help establish a field of study that honors Black women's humor as a form of social resistance.

Any contribution toward this research trip and the production of this archive would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and for considering supporting this work.