Empower Hasanah's New Chapter with a Car

This is Sarah writing for Hasanah, with permission.

Over a decade ago, I met Hasanah in an activist space called the Minnehaha Free Space and I knew right away I wanted to be her friend. In the years since then, she has taught me more about radical political history and movement building than anyone I know. She has gone out on a limb to help me when I was going through stuff and has stayed up late into the night to support me.

Hasanah is a brilliant friend, activist, and storyteller who has been incredibly supportive to so many different movements and communities, it would not be possible to hard to list them all. She is a trans woman, and she has expanded inclusion and improved ethics within activist circles, religious communities, and workplaces for so many years.

Recently, she was laid off from her job. She had had this job for many years, and it was devastating to lose her primary source of income.

The great news is that she has a new job where she can actually use a lot more of her amazing skills, and she just moved to a new rental with friends that could be a great home base. She has worked *extremely hard* to get to this place. If you have seen her within the past 8 months, you know how much hard work she has put in, not only in terms of cleaning and organizing and finding a new apartment that works well for everyone involved, but in applying to a huge number of jobs where her training and knowledge will be valued. This is a period of immense change and I think there are times when she feels a huge sense of hope about what is possible.

But it is also really, really hard. The main thing right now is transportation. She needs a car in this new job to get to locations around the city. She is currently borrowing a car from a friend, which is a great short term help. But ultimately she needs a car of her own that she can use for work on an ongoing basis.

There are times when she feels crushed by the weight of uncertainty and the financial strain of moving and switching jobs. She has had a lot of anxiety and trouble sleeping, just trying to figure out how she can make sure to survive these next few months. But I really hope community can ease this in some way. If you can contribute even a few dollars to this fundraiser, it will be deeply appreciated. If you can share it with a comrade, that is amazing. And if you have read this far, just thank you for that, and I'm wishing you a great day.