Some of you may know Kayla as your bright-smiling downtown barista, with a warmth and easy-flowing conversation that tops off your morning latte with a touch more of sweetness.

Others may know Kayla just from the quiet random acts of kindness she does to bring joy to others: such as personally giving meals when she can to those who can’t afford food, passing out flowers on Mothers Day, or seeing her face when dropping off homemade goods to folks after personal tragedies.

If you're like me and have had the privilege of being longtime friends with Kayla, you know her as the human embodiment of the summer-evening sun warming your cheek. 

Kayla is a devoted curator of community in Oakland and Berkeley, nurturing spaces for joyful and nourishing connections through her heartful craft of mixology and cuisine. Recently, she's catered for local events, including being a fixture at J's4TheGays, and the Queer Ultimatum S2 Watch Party Mixer!

Unfortunately, Kayla has experienced a difficult and enduring experience with a volatile, abusive, and physically dangerous roommate who, for several months refused to leave the premises, even after receiving a temporary restraining order(and violating the order several times) for physical and emotional aggressions against Kayla and other folks in the home, and an eviction notice for multiple lease violations.

TW for brief descriptions of roommate's offenses:

The roommate in question is also currently under criminal investigation for offenses against other queer folks in the Bay Area, including but not limited to: physical assault, sexual abuse, human trafficking, breaking-and-entering, destruction of personal property, and racism. The individual in question will not be named to keep my friend from further harm.

Despite Kayla's commitment to pursuing protection through the legal system, this roommate has refused to engage cooperatively -- instead, they've zeroed in on Kayla as their next target, and prolonged their vile and vengeful campaign to punish and disrupt Kayla's life as much as possible.

One of the most taxing burdens placed upon Kayla has been the financial duress of making ends meet for rent. This roommate stopped paying several months ago-with the knowledge that if Kayla (the master tenant) did not cover the missing portion, everyone in the house would be kicked out. Alongside the loss of this roommate's contribution to rent and utilities, Kayla has also lost hours of her own wages to court preparation and attendance. To make up for this increasing shortage, Kayla has been not only been putting all of her funds from working two jobs, but also took out a personal loan on her credit to make sure that her and her roommates have a roof over their heads at the end of the month.

We all deserve to feel ease, calm, and rest when we come home after a long day of work -- and someone as loving, generous, and hard-working as Kayla especially so. Unfortunately, for months on end my friend has been enduring a nightmare which has been compounded by the fact that her personal funds have been drained by this abuse.

And though Kayla's commitment to legal and nonviolent resolution is a testament to her strength, we, her friends and family, are deeply concerned for her physical and emotional well-being with each day that has passed. Despite the fact that she is now out of immediate danger due to this roommate leaving, we're concerned about the deterioration we’ve observed in Kayla’s physical and mental wellbeing and the effects of long-term nervous system activation on Kayla's body.

During these turbulent times, we want Kayla to feel undeniably seen, uplifted, and poured into by the communities and individuals she has invested so much love, energy, and time into. In this aspect, we're reaching out to the community to ask for support in raising funds for the rent and utility deficit Kayla has been forced to take on, court/legal fees, and any wages lost from having to attend hearings/evacuate her home to escape violence.

If you are interested in alternative ways of supporting Kayla, you may send supportive funds to her via:

Venmo: @kayla-fleming-33

Cashapp: $kayrflem

Or if you can support in a different capacity, such as leading fundraising events (e.g. bake sales, skilled workshops, etc.) or directing us towards legal resources, we'd love to hear from you!

IMPORTANT: If you feel called to circulate this campaign, please only do so with the intention of uplifting my friend’s needs and supporting her. My friend has had a target on her for months and for legal and safety reasons, I am unable to name this person in the campaign description.

If you want to get in touch with this campaign's organizers, please reach out to Shay via DM to @shaystruck_ on Instagram, or leave your contact information in your donation comment, and I will get back to you ASAP.

Thank you for reading through and supporting!!

Love you big time, Kayla!