<div>Hi, my name is Kenn. I'm an artist who tries to bring the joy of art to others. I'm raising funds to try to cover my expenses and get my new business off the ground.

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<div>Recently, I've undergone a very difficult period in my life. I was working two jobs (a seasonal active job and a year-round studio job) both of which I loved and both of which I would regularly go above and beyond for.  I would routinely clock out and stick around and help off the clock when others would have gone home in the same situation.

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<div>But in April of '22, I noticed I was having difficulty keeping up with both of my jobs, as I was having shortness of breath, occasional dizziness, and bouts of weakness. Before I could properly get it diagnosed, things took a turn for the worse. On July 4, I woke up with vertigo so badly that I couldn't sit up straight without great effort, I would simply collapse when I relaxed. My world was literally being turned upside down. I was taken by ambulance to a hospital where they treated the vertigo but were unable to determine the cause. When the symptoms resurfaced two days later, they then diagnosed it as COVID, and treated the vertigo symptoms again. 

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<div>When I returned to work a week later, the other original symptoms were still present, along with a general fatigue that didn't seem to resolve itself. I went for a cardiac stress test on July 28, and the doctor recommended I immediately check myself into a hospital for surgery, as two of my arteries were clogged.

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<div>I had the surgery on August 1, 2022. During all of this and the three months of my recovery, I was still helping my mother, who had been diagnosed with terminal brain and lung cancer. My mother had taught me to always help those in need and to be an ally for those who I cared about. She passed away the day after I was cleared to return to work. 

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<div>In March of '23, while still mourning the passing of my mother, I learned that my best friend with whom I had parted ways a year previously had died, and we never had a chance to reconcile. I was devastated. I was in physically better shape than I had been before the surgery, but still not 100%, and emotionally, I was in a bad place. I tried my best to continue through the pain.

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<div>In May of '23, I clocked out from the seasonal job when I wasn't needed and rather than stick around, I decided to go home and get some physical and mental rest, telling the manager I would return at end of day to perform the difficult tasks for which I was the most qualified. I gave my keys to the assistant manager in case they were needed during the day. The manager took that as me resigning, and told the owner, who was away, that I quit suddenly. The owner, whom I long considered a friend, fired me, claiming I resigned without even asking if that was my intention, and bragged about being able to outspend me ridiculously if I took the case to a lawyer. I learned that he was never my friend in the harshest way possible.

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<div>So I threw myself into my other job. As a male in a predominantly female workplace, I became a sort of "studio dad", and I was very protective of my coworkers. They were very supportive of me when my journey to better health lead me to attempt to hike the Paumanok Path in '24, a 120+ mile hike that I had to stop after only 60 miles because of problems with my feet. They were supportive of me in that decision as well. In January of '25, three of them were sexually harassed by customers, and the upper management did nothing, even allowing the customers to return in February without consequence. When I spoke up defending my coworkers and expressing my dismay at the company's stance, I was fired.

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<div>I was recently told by a reliable source that my application for a job was red-flagged because I told them the truth; that I was fired from my most recent job due to speaking out against sexual harassment in the work place. I don't volunteer that information, but if a company application asks why I no longer work for my past employer, I am honest. I have applied to nearly seventy jobs in the past six months, and have gotten only one interview, which went well, but then the job never moved forward with an offer. 

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<div>If no one will hire you, you have to try to create your own job. I am doing that. I have leveraged the remainder of my savings and credit cards into supplies for my art instruction business. I have landed a few classes at a local library, and a patron has commissioned me to paint a mural at his home, both of which have been vital to my survival.

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<div>But the debts keep mounting. I am behind on rent (though my landlord is a very understanding man) and my vehicle is breaking down and I am unable to afford to have it serviced. I'm just trying to keep my vehicle running so I can get to my classes. 

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<div>In the span of three years, I've had COVID. I've had my heart surgically repaired, and then broken by the loss of my mother and my best friend. I can no longer hike as rigorously as I once did due to lingering problems with my feet. I've lost two jobs that I loved, both of them for doing the things my mother taught me: defending people in need, and trying to do right by people I cared about. Being honest about the circumstances has only hurt my chances of getting a new job.

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<div>By donating, you'll help me with the following needs: 

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<li>Catching up with my landlord on rent;

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<li>Getting my vehicle serviced, allowing me to get to and from my classes and job sites;

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<li>Paying my utility and credit card bills, and allowing me to purchase supplies for my business and personal art work;

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<li>Allowing me to pay for business insurance so I can enter art fairs;

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<li>Helping with groceries so I can eat healthier;

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<li>Allowing me a financial cushion, some peace of mind, a chance to catch my breath so to speak, and a chance to heal both physically and emotionally that I haven't had for the past three years.

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<li>Validation that doing the right thing, as I have always tried to do, has some benefits when help is needed.

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<div>I appreciate any help that you can offer.

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Anonymous

Claudia Frost

Matthew McCarthy

Derrick Grieco

Danielle Christian

Michael Lussos

William Beck

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Samantha Lussos

Donate to Kenn's Journey of Healing and Art

Donate to Kenn's Journey of Healing and Art

Still $3,968 to go. Help us build momentum.