HELP A TRANS FILIPINO WORKER RECOVER FROM STROKE

Jeffrey, a local restaurant worker known to many in the Filipino community in Queens as "Ate Jeff" (pronounced AH-teh), is a BAKLA (Filipino umbrella term for LGBTQ people), gender non-conforming restaurant worker in need of urgent financial support following a brain aneurysm that she experienced on the job. She spent the last 2 months in the hospital undergoing surgery and rehabilitation to regain basic motor skills. As a result of this incident, both she and her husband—a fellow worker in the same restaurant—are unable to return to work.

Ate Jeff is now living at home and requires 24-hour care. She and her husband are overwhelmed with expenses at a time when they should be focused on her recovery.

As a migrant worker in the service industry who holds several marginalized identities, Ate Jeff faces extreme stress even without the added hardship of a brain injury. Unfortunately, her situation is not in isolation. Thousands of Filipino workers are forced abroad each day in search of jobs and better wages. Under the Philippine government’s Labor Export Policy, overseas Filipino workers are often subject to wage theft, trafficking, and harassment. Supporting Ate Jeff is one concrete way in which we can uplift and empower Filipino workers in our community.

Together we call on the community to support her and her care team during her recovery. Your donations will go towards Ate Jeff's urgent expenses including rent, food, transportation to physical therapy appointments, medicine, and caretaking costs.

This fundraiser is organized by Anakbayan Queens (ABQ) and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) Northeast Chapter.

ABQ is a Filipino youth organization and local chapter of Anakbayan-USA fighting for national democracy in the Philippines and the rights of Filipinos across the diaspora, including migrant workers, LGBTQ people, and other minorities. To join or learn more, visit www.tinyurl.com/JoinABQ or email us at anakbayanqueensny [at] [g mail] [dot] com.

NAFCON is a national alliance of Filipino organizations, institutions, and individuals that responds to the concerns of Filipinos in the US and in the Philippines by creating an action-oriented platform that brings people together through culture & heritage, education, health & wellness, and advocacy. To join or learn more, visit www.nafconusa.org or email us at info [at] nafconusa [dot] org.