Hi everybody,

My name is Jonathan and I’m a local Nuyorican community activist, musician, and native New Yorker who has been struggling the past couple of months financially due to the highly competitive labor market and high rents that have been plaguing New York for the past couple of years.

I have been a service worker for close to 10 years, and unfortunately, most bars and restaurants don’t really prioritize hiring native New Yorkers for unknown reasons. Opportunities are limited for a lot of us, which then contributes to financial hardship and eventual displacement.

I would like to stay in the home I live in because my immediate family is a 15-minute walk from me and they are getting old, so I would like to be in close proximity to them in case anything happens.

I am super grateful that my wonderful roommate has been able to support me with rent the past couple of months, but I would like to no longer burden them with my financial instability and pay them back.

I am also trying to work towards obtaining my acupuncture license, which requires me to study and take 3 tests, all of which cost thousands of dollars.

Ultimately, I am not interested in trying to make a whole career in practicing Chinese medicine. I am simply just trying to use these tools to serve working people that our society historically and currently continues to neglect medically.

Your contributions will help me work towards that goal.

If you’re not a native New Yorker, this is your chance to help a native New Yorker not get displaced because of gentrification.

Right now, I currently work one job, but it is not enough to sustain me financially, and I would like to secure a second job. I have tons of experience bartending, barbacking, barista-ing, and being a door person.

If you have any leads, please contact me here.

Thank you ❤️