Hi, my name is Ash. First of all, I have cerebral palsy, it is cerebral palsy awareness month and I am very neurodiverse, but I hope everything below makes sense: I am a sociology student at the University of Colorado, Denver, started in 2022 as the 1 year grad program..still here (for reasons below..I'm so sick). Anyway, doing a research study mentored at CU Anschutz and it's a longer story than this, so let's just say: everything, everyone has stood in my way. I already have all my credits, but have to continue to pay for classes just so I can get to graduation despite this. It sucks here (universities in general right now).

Funding goals: money for food, surviving, paying bills/rent, accessibility equipment, and my ability to do art as therapy. I realized that I set the goal wrong and I’m sorry—first gofundme. I’m trying to raise at least $5k to get me through a long recovery.

The good news? I have talked to queer disabled people in every U.S. region, BUT I need time for it to grow and become what my participants deserve because almost every participant trusted me to share stories for two hours straight...and I'm just a grad student and I have been so sick, feeling close to death, but completed the interviews and I am concerned right now because a routine procedure/surgery resulted in a lot biopsied. I'm not sure if things will get worse, is what I'm saying. I live below the poverty level in Denver, CO and I really need help. I need the money to support myself to change Spring graduation to Summer graduation because CU Denver is delaying me with bureaucratic nonsense (literally, not kidding: based on policy that is non-existent. I guess kinda in the works, but no matter which way I cut it, it feels disability-targeted).

I really need financial support to bridge to a new job that pays me what I was worth because I found out on 2/23 that I was fired with no communication on 2/1. I worked a great job, but I keep getting life threatening cases of sickness and need help getting through.

Anyway, I am tired and so underpaid/under-appreciated and everyone won't just let me work on my research that needs TIME, except for very few people that are genuine real life angels. So, if you can, please consider donating even $1. Stuff like that goes towards helping me buy gluten free bread, because my GI tract is all sorts of wack and being disabled in Denver is so expensive. I also have a cat and partner that I care deeply for. I just want to afford to survive and make it through to my next job, but everything takes time.

Thank you for taking time to read. This is an ongoing need. This research is deeply important in these times (trust me, it's worth it. So beautiful, so poignant, so perfect in ways I couldn't have anticipated...even in my dreams). Queer disabled stories must be heard right now especially (do the research.

I am really trying, but I am so stuck.

Thank you for reading. My Dad helps when he cans, but lives in a motel and I lost my Mom in my life this year (yesterday), and what felt like my real mom...well I lost her to actual death. I have suffered so much loss this year and I need the one thing that has always kept me going: research. It never feels like work. I am grateful to do what I do.

I'm really struggling and need everyone to help me afford time off (if you can obviously, but do please help).

Thank you kindly again,

Ash Bedore

Sociologist, Health & Society: CU Denver

Former Data and Eval Lead Specialist at CU Anschutz

Instructor of Social Determinants of Health

Specialties: REDCap, R Studio, Qualtrics, Qualitative in-depth Interviewing, SPSS, Stata, Stigma/social bias, and health disparities.