Help a Trans Person Find Community in California

Hello friends and family! My name is Robin Fisher, I am a 32 year old transgender person, and I am in need of financial support in the short term so that I can start my life again in California. Living alone in Portland has not worked out well for me, for reasons related to finances and my mental health, and I am in need of as much community support as possible to make this huge change. I have accepted a job offer in the same career doing what I love in the labor movement, which I am incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity for. However, this means I need to move soon, and I do not currently have the savings account to support a move between states. In fact, I'm in quite a bit of debt thanks to personal finance woes that I will save you the sob story on and just acknowledge that I am struggling!

This is where you come in! Any support you can offer me right now would be wonderful. Below are some Q&As you may be interested in!

I want to help, but I can't afford to donate right now. What else can I do?

If you are a friend in the Portland metro area who cannot contribute financially, but you're willing to help in other ways, I sure could use anything right now! Especially when it comes to things like packing, pet sitting and cleaning. There are a lot of things that need to get done for this to be successful, and many hands make light work. :) If you are not in the Portland area, please share this GoFundMe!

Why California?

I have been regularly visiting friends in California for the last few years, and in 2024 I happened to meet someone who I would be so lucky to share my life with that has inspired me to stop living in the depressed bubble I've contained myself to and start my life again while I'm still young! He lives in California, and so too shall I. I am also very much looking forward to the change in weather and new opportunities to learn about advancing workers rights in one of the most worker-friendly states in our country. Right now, things are horrifying in the United States, and if it all comes crashing down soon, I would like to be surrounded by my closest friends, who all happen to be in California.

How did you calculate your fundraising goal?

In terms of fundraising goals, I am setting the financial goal high and expecting to hit nowhere near that amount. I calculated roughly $10,000 to make the move, including deposit and first months rent for a new place, moving costs, lease breaking costs, and a few other misc. expenses. GoFundMe starts that around $4,000, which I don't really expect to exceed either. I do expect to split some of these costs with my boyfriend, who I will be moving in with, but I also will need to navigate a higher cost of living in California and any extra raised will go towards having a security net to keep me from slipping further into debt during the move.

When do you need to move by?

Timeline wise, I am hoping to move by the end of April. I have not broken my lease yet or signed a new one, so that date is somewhat flexible, but my new job is hybrid and allowing me to work remotely while I save money/prepare to move. I will have this fundraiser open for a while, so if you can't afford to help out this paycheck, please bookmark and come back when you can!