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Help a disabled student study abroad

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My name is Gil. I'm a disabled lesbian who was recently accepted to Kansai Gaidai as an exchange student, something I've dreamed of for 11 years. This is my last chance to study abroad, and as someone who's low-income, this may be my only chance to travel outside the country.

Ever since I was a kid, my parents told me that they wanted me to go to college, but that they wouldn't be able to make it happen. Since then, I've worked my butt off, saving everything I could so that I could go to school. I've already taken a year and a half off to work so that I could afford this. However, the world is not kind, and the money had to be used for tuition instead.

College isn't nearly as accessible as it could be. I've personally struggled within the system due to ADHD, my statuses as low-income and first-generation, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (a genetic condition that leads to, among other things, partial dislocations and joint pain), and I'm not the only one who's been left behind at times by the educational system. Even those who just have different ways of learning are at risk. However, I believe that anyone who wants to learn has the right to learn. That's why I'm going to use my education to create and translate multimodal and accessible Japanese-English learning materials (apps, websites, workbooks, etc.) aimed at people who can't get a formal education.

My biggest expense by far is going to be the plane ticket. However, I also need to cover books, lunch, a visa, internal transport, other fees, and medical stuff.
For $5, you could buy me lunch.
For $10, you could help me to get one of my prescriptions.
For $20, you could get me to and from school for a week.
For $50, you could take care of a month's worth of books and supplies.
If you can donate, I'd be eternally grateful for your support. If you can't donate, please signal boost this by sharing or retweeting. With your help, we can make my dream come true.

Organizer

Kate Thomas
Organizer
Louisville, KY

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