Hi! My name is Layla and I’m a 21 year old writer and lesbian. I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. It was only for fun back then, but now it’s become something I take really seriously, and it’s one of the few things that’s stayed mine while everything else has fallen apart.

On the 5th of January this year, I lost my mother. She was my love. We didn’t always get along, but we loved and listened to each other. She was the person I could always count on and losing her was the end of my world. Since her death I’ve had to go no contact with the rest of my family, who have been violently abusive and homophobic toward me. I haven’t had anyone to fall back on since and I’ve been houseless since then.

It’s been an all around lack of stability for me since. I’m constantly asking people if I can stay with them for a while, and constantly being told no. That rejection, on top of grieving my mom and never really knowing where I can rest my head, has hit me harder than I can really put into words. My anxiety is at an all time high, and there have been many times I’ve not wanted to be here anymore.

Stable work work been hard to find. The job market has been brutal, and I’ve been getting by on sporadic freelance gigs, which isn’t enough to build anything on.

Before this, I was someone who loved volunteering and showing up for my communities. I still am, it’s genuinely one of my favorite things to do. I also enjoy going on long walks when I can. It all sounds very small but it’s who I am beyond everything I’m dealing with right now.

My goal is to raise enough to cover a year’s rent, so I can finslly have the stability to grieve my mom properly and the time to actually pursue real job opportunities, instead of scrambling to survive week to week. I’m also hoping to cover a few basics things like a bed, utility bills, moving in costs, and food.

I need all the support I can get in achieving this goal in whatever way it comes to me, whether financially, with a kind word, or even a job opportunity. Thank you for your help.