Hello, everyone.

My name is Ellis (Joan E. Burgos), and I am a trans Latina woman and a therapist. I'm writing this today because I am asking for your help.

I am in the process of escaping an unsafe and emotionally damaging living situation.

For years, I've worked hard to heal from past trauma, build my strength, and fully embrace my identity. I am a professional with a graduate degree, and I am proud of the resilient, compassionate woman I have become. But I have reached a point where the environment I'm in has taken an unbearable toll on my health and well-being. I can no longer heal here.

As a trans woman of color, my safety is not guaranteed. My emotional and physical sustainability now depend on making a clean, fast break.

But I don't just have an escape plan; I have a career plan.

I am in the final stages of applying for my Professional Counselor (LPC) license in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My goal is to secure a "Behavioral Health Therapist" position with a major medical network, some of which offer up to $10,000 sign-on bonuses for the exact roles I am qualified for. I've already paid my application fees, and becoming fully licensed in Pennsylvania is only a matter of a few weeks.

This career is my future. It's how I build a life of stability and self-sufficiency, and it's how I give back to our community—the community that so desperately needs therapists who look like us and understand us.

The problem is that I must leave now, before I've saved enough to do it safely and before that first paycheck.

This is where I could use your help.

My core survival budget to make this move is $7,500. This is the non-negotiable amount I need to create a stable, three-month safety buffer.

To ensure I have this full amount—and to protect this plan from being derailed by platform fees or a single unexpected disaster like a cross-state flat tire—I am setting the goal at $8,500. This provides a small but critical contingency fund for the unknown costs of an emergency move.

This fund is the bridge between the unbearable situation I'm in today and the self-sufficient, professional life I have waiting for me. Every dollar will be used to build my core $7,500 safety budget:

❇️ $3,000 – Housing Security: This will cover the immediate security deposit and first month's rent needed to sign a lease on a small, safe apartment in Pittsburgh.

❇️ $1,500 – Logistics & Setup: This covers the non-negotiable costs of a cross-country move (gas, truck) and the deposits to turn on basic utilities (water, electricity).

❇️ $3,000 – Three-Month Living Cushion: This is the most critical part. This will cover food, transportation, and my essential medical needs while I am in the final interview stages and surviving the 4-6 week gap before my first paycheck clears.

By helping me, you're not just helping one person get to safety. You are investing in a future trans Latina therapist who will be on the front lines, fighting for and healing our community for years to come.

Thank you for believing in me and being a part of my new beginning.