Dj & Susan need your help; they need a vehicle so that DJ is able to continue working - a vehicle is a requirement for his job - and they’ve also amassed medical debt. Their rental home of 12 years just got sold, they have to move, they have lost income because of the pandemic, and now their car died.
They are much-loved elder members of several communities in Vancouver and afar, including the queer, HIV, activist, feminist, and Black communities, as well as the local theatre and events community.
DJ is also our friendly local pyrotechnician, and has provided many excellent fireworks shows throughout the years for folks, often at his own expense.
Susan had been off work with health issues for some time but returned to front line work in supported housing when the pandemic hit. With 30 years of experience in accessing health care for marginalized residents and prisoners, she wanted to bring her skills and experience in infectious disease to where it was needed. Sadly, along with the Covid 19 pandemic came a giant increase in the opioid poisoning epidemic. Susan is no stranger to this work but after a shift with 6 overdoses and one death she reached a tipping point and has since been dealing with cumulative PTSD and is off work again. She is a tough cookie - but even tough cookies crumble.
DJ has been part of our community since coming here from South Carolina in 1994. He works in live events production and pyrotechnics. If you know him you know he brings something special, maybe even magical everywhere he goes, at work and at play. While COVID has proven challenging for many of us, the events industry has been decimated - and so DJ’s livelihood has been seriously impacted as well.
DJ has also been managing life as an insulin-dependent type 1 diabetic for over 50 years - a minor miracle in itself. The costs of sustaining life with diabetes has risen several hundred percent in recent years - it now costs $300-400 a month for insulin and supplies. Free health care in Canada can cost a fortune.
They've recently been evicted as their long-time home has been sold and they are being forced to move this month, which is really stressful and expensive enough already.
To make matters worse, their vehicle recently died; the transmission failed and it is not worth repairing ($4,000+). This means they are going to need a new vehicle - having access to a reliable vehicle is a requirement for DJ’s ongoing employment and is needed for him to maintain his livelihood.
The loss of wages they’ve faced has also meant they have mounting medical expenses and have gotten themselves into increased debt.
Friends have set up this go fund me to help them get back on their feet. The goal is to get them a reliable working vehicle and help pay down some of their medical debt.
If you’re not able to contribute right now, please share with your circles.
They have both given so much to our communities over the years, please consider making a contribution if you are able! Every dollar will help!