Help a Single Mom Move for a PhD Program

So it's official, I was accepted into the Economics Ph.D. program at Colorado State University! After a huge career shift due to the pandemic restaurant closings, becoming a mom, and recommitting myself full-time to school, I am now on a path to becoming a professor of economics!... I just have to get to Fort Collins, Colorado.

Moving to Fort Collins from New York City is not cheap. To get my son, Amir and I, plus all of our stuff, to campus is going to cost around $5,000. This includes the cost of flights, packing supplies, truck rental, gas, tolls, etc. I simply cannot afford that on my own.

I have worked so hard to get to this point in my life. In 2020 I lost my job as a restaurant manager due to the pandemic lockdowns. Not long after that, I found out I was pregnant. There I was, pregnant, unemployed and without health insurance in the middle of a global pandemic. Because I was already laid off, my job had no legal obligation to rehire me or give me any semblance of maternity leave with a guaranteed position upon my return. Even worse, no one else was willing to hire a pregnant woman........especially when millions of others were unemployed at the same time. This is when I decided to pivot and go back to school full-time. I would not only complete my Bachelor's degree, but continue on to earn a Master's in economics.

Through my academic journey, I fell in love with being a student and found a passion for teaching. I found myself searching for opportunities that would keep me on this path, directly leading me to pursue a Ph.D. in economics. I was a teacher's assistant at Barnard College, attended a math camp at Howard University, was a research assistant at the Department of the Treasury, and am the department economics tutor at John Jay College. I have honed in on research interests centering on race and class formation, sustainable development, and amplifying the voices and stories of marginalized communities. I am ecstatic that my hard work has earned me an acceptance at Colorado State University.

None of this has been easy. I have had to deal with a daycare where every semester I had to fight for sufficient hours to meet my childcare needs, inefficient government systems, juggling time for studying with being a present mom, nightmare hospital experiences, and more. Through every adversity, I have managed to push through and continue to pursue my goal. Now that I have been accepted into a Ph.D. program, financing my move is the next hurdle I have to overcome. All my efforts are going towards financing this move. I will not be attending my Bachelor's or Master's graduation because I have to pack up my apartment and leave NYC.

Any help, no matter how seemingly small, will be greatly appreciated. I have not forgotten how my community of family and friends supported me through my pregnancy and sent me things like Amir's crib, high chair, and more. I am eternally grateful to every one of you. Not being able to raise this money means leaving this all behind in NYC......and then trying to figure out how to repurchase it in Colorado.

Earning a Ph.D. in economics will allow me to create a better life for both Amir and I. I just have to get there. I am a single mom and full-time student who refused to push down her ambitions simply because society still makes it difficult for people to choose both. I only ask that you help me along this path. Even sharing my story with anyone who may find it interesting or inspiring will be greatly appreciated. Also, for anyone who wants to hear more about my story, feel free to message me directly.

To anyone who has gotten this far, thank you for taking the time to hear me out. I hope my story has moved you enough to help in whatever way is possible for you!