Help Me Graduate!

Hello, my name is Eid Alhouseini. I'm an international student from the besieged Gaza Strip of the occupied territories of Palestine attending St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN. As a double major in Studio Art and Women's and Gender Studies with a concentration in Race and Ethnic Studies, I'm hoping to establish a presence in the activism art industry. I also happen to identify as queer, non-binary/non-conforming, and trans femme/woman of color who is, all things considered, a spiritually-minded human with a vision of spreading gravitational love and understanding into the world through the love of God, life, justice, and art. 

I'm setting up this campaign to raise funds for a summer class that would ultimately count for the last credit I'm in need of to graduate with the rest of my class year, class of 2019. As an international student, I'm disqualified from receiving financial aid for summer classes as well as for any additional time that exceeds the four anticipated years of completing my bachelor's degree. I also have a 3.02 GPA, which I hope to raise by my graduation time. 


I have currently completed 24.25 credits out of the 35.00 credits that I'm required to take in order to graduate. I'm also scheduled to earn the maximum amount of credits for the coming school year 2018/2019, 4.5 credits for each of the two semesters and the interim class counting for 1.00 credit as well; leaving me .75 credit short from graduating on time. This coming year will be the year with the most class overload I could take at St. Olaf. If I don't succeed to earn the full 35.00 credits by the end of next year, I will either have to take a class the next summer or might possibly need to graduate the following year of 2020, which either way I don't have the financial capability of pursuing as options. 

The estimated fees for the summer class registration is $2,875, without boarding expenses. I'm currently trying my best to cover my own expenses of housing and food, along with whatever help my mom could provide. Unfortunately, I have been financially cut off by my father due to conflicts in personal beliefs and values that started off by him leaving my mother to become the only source of support for herself, my brother, and myself. Due to mental health concerns and dilemmas-primarily an ADHD condition and a re-adjustment disorder due to coming out and being stuck on a college campus for four years-, I haven't been able to work this summer or even within the length of last year, which has been financially very devastating. However, I have been focusing on improving my mental, emotional and physical health instead and expanding my art portfolio. 

You can take a look at my artwork through my website: 
https://eidalhouseini.weebly.com/

The class I'm hoping to take is the only art class offered for the second summer session: ART 240: Topics in the Fine Arts which will be about the Scandinavian concept of craft and handwork known as "sloyd," there is a material fee of the class of $80 that will add up to the full amount of $2955. I know it's a lot to ask for, but I'm hopeful that I will be miraculously saved from this summer of uncertainty and boredom with the help of our collective efforts of supporting one another. 



What I'm kindly asking you here is to help me in any form or way to graduate on time. St. Olaf College, Northfield, and MN haven't been the idealist places for me to call home or for my very particular personhood to develop. As a queer artist who's been ever stuck living on St. Olaf College campus throughout the school years, breaks, and summers, watching their ownself grow, I have often observed the unhelpful outcomes to surpass the helpful ones regarding my disposition at the school, especially considering all of what is culturally and personally going on in my head due to my identities, how I see myself and see others, and how others see me and see each other. But what can one do about that other than learning from the experience of it and speaking up against the pain and suffering in the hopes of educating those blindly responsible for it? Your help is considered an aid in my journey of finding the home and love I wish to build into the world, for myself and for others.

Thanks a lot,
Eid Alhouseini