Hello friends, family, and community,

I was recently accepted as one of only 23 students worldwide the prestigious Krenov School of Fine Furniture.

After 15 years of working toward this dream, I now face my biggest challenge yet: finding a way to attend.

In addition to being accepted, I was awarded a $7,000 scholarship from the Krenov Foundation, a meaningful vote of confidence from one of the most respected institutions in the woodworking world.

For 41 years, my journey as a woodworker has been deeply connected to my journey as a human.

Growing up in the Midwest, I was told that tools and trade work were "for boys." Instead of pursuing what felt natural, I followed a more traditional path into investment banking and real estate. While I found professional success, the pressure of that life—combined with persistent transphobia—became unsustainable. In 2013, I left banking, transitioned, and began rebuilding a life that finally felt aligned.

That search for alignment led me to the woodworking program at Cerritos College.

For the first time, I picked up the tools I had been discouraged from touching as a child. What started as curiosity became confidence, craft, and purpose. Through that training, I developed the skills that ultimately led to my current creative role at Urban Outfitters.

Now, as corporate landscapes shift and that position comes to an end, I have a choice: retreat into something safe, or fully commit to the work I love.

I'm choosing the leap.

One of Only 23 Students Worldwide

The Krenov School is widely regarded as one of the most respected fine woodworking programs in the world. Its approach emphasizes exceptional craftsmanship, hand-tool mastery, thoughtful design, and a lifelong dedication to making beautiful things well.

Each year, hundreds of applicants compete for just 23 spots.

This year, they chose me.

They saw potential in my hands, my work, and my vision for what comes next.

Building More Than Furniture

For most of my life, I have fought to claim space in industries where I wasn't always welcomed—from professional kitchens to aviation training programs to the trades.

I am done fighting.

I am building.

My long-term goal is to launch a fine furniture studio focused on heirloom-quality work while creating apprenticeship and mentorship opportunities for girls and women who have traditionally been excluded from hands-on trades.

I want to build the workshop I desperately needed when I was younger.

I want the next generation to encounter possibility instead of barriers.

I'm Investing in This Too

I'm doing everything I can to make this opportunity happen.

The Krenov Foundation has already awarded me a $7,000 scholarship, and I have already committed $5,000 of my own savings toward tuition, relocation, and living expenses.

Together, that's $12,000 already committed to this journey before I ask anyone else for support.

I'm Exploring Every Available Option

I take this opportunity seriously, and I'm working hard to make it financially feasible through every avenue available to me.

In addition to the scholarship and my personal contribution, I am:

The Krenov program is widely considered an ultra-full-time commitment, with students spending long days in the shop fully immersed in the craft. I will continue pursuing every resource available, but there is a limit to how much outside work can realistically be balanced with the demands of the program.

My goal is not only to complete the program successfully, but to emerge ready to launch a career in fine furniture making without being overwhelmed by debt. Every dollar of support helps me spend less time worrying about survival and more time developing the skills, portfolio, and professional foundation that this opportunity makes possible.

That's why community support is so meaningful. It helps bridge the gap between what I can secure on my own and what it will actually take to complete this program successfully.

Where Your Support Goes

The Krenov program is a full-time, nine-month commitment. To attend, I must relocate from Los Angeles to Fort Bragg and dedicate myself fully to the program.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Total Cost: $33,022

Funding Already Secured

Already Committed: -$12,000

Campaign Goal

Total Cost: $33,022

Less Scholarship: -$7,000

Less Personal Contribution: -$5,000

Fundraising Goal: $21,022

Every dollar will go directly toward making this opportunity possible.

Budget Sources

Tuition, material fees, project materials, and tool estimates are based on information provided by The Krenov School of Fine Furniture.

Housing, food, transportation, and personal expense estimates are based on the Mendocino College 2025–26 Cost of Attendance Calculator.

How You Can Help

If you're able, please make a donation of any size and share this campaign with your community.

Whether you contribute financially, share this page, or simply encourage me along the way, your support means more than I can express.

I have already received a generous donation of tools to get me started.

Asking for help is difficult. But opportunities like this don't come along often, and I know where this path can lead—not only for me, but for the people I hope to mentor in the future.

By supporting this campaign, you're not only helping me attend one of the world's premier woodworking schools. You're helping invest in a future where more people—especially girls and women who have been discouraged from pursuing the trades—can find a place at the workbench.

Thank you for believing in me, in this craft, and in the future I'm working to build.

With love, gratitude, and determination,

James