My name is Michael. If you are seeing this, you probably know me from my work with Black and brown authors. I am here for another reason today.

Recently, I took to my online platforms to raise money for a close friend who was facing housing insecurity. Since then, they have become unhoused completely and have been living in a hostel while they try to pull together the funds to get into a new place of their own. Iva Pear, as many of you know them on social media, is a thriving part of our community and is in dire need of help right now. They live in LA, which is already unbelievably unaffordable, but considering the suddenness with which all of this happened, they are in a bad situation and really need our help to secure better housing.

Since then, another very close friend has also come to our community with a dire need. Blk.boy.joy, or Cici as many of you know them, has been leasing a vehicle for a few years. Well, last week, it broke down and needs several thousand dollars worth of repairs. Repairs that wouldn't be worth it, except they owe enough on the car where it is not doable to just move on to another vehicle.

They both came to our community in need, and while we tried to rally for them, it is 2026 and you've met the economy. Most of our community is struggling to just stay afloat and just don't have the means to fix a problem this large. So I am coming to you with both of their needs and asking for your help.

If you have the means to pitch in even a couple of dollars, it would mean the world. Iva and Cici are incredible human beings and desperately need our help.

There are also several people in our community with large medical bills and smaller needs that we hope to be able to meet if we go beyond our initial goal, but right now, our focus is on these two emergent needs. So once again, if you're able to help, please and thank you!