Help Afua pay 2 months of Rent

Hi Everyone,

On July 16, 2021, I was terminated from my job for sexual harassment without any information as to what the claims were until a few days after my termination. Currently, I am seeking legal counsel on this. That same weekend I filed for unemployment while I took a month off to take care of my mental health. I have worked in retail and food service industry for 15 years and never in my entire working career have I been accused for sexual harassment. This came as a major blow to me, mentally and economically. Mentally, because within 6 months, I had been fired from two jobs accusing me of being something that I am not (both at the hands of cis hetero Black women - so the anti-Blackness, homophobia from that unto me as a queer black woman is very traumatic and violent) and economically because there is a delay in receiving any unemployment benefits because my claim is under current investigation. Although I've been certifying for weekly benefits since the weekend of my termination, no economic assistance has come and when such assistance is coming is unknown. I've been told to keep filing until I receive a call or a letter stating otherwise.

Also, since March , I had been rent striking with a friend and our friendship took a turn for the worse when in June she began to display emotionally irrational, controlling and manipulative behavior towards me after I called her in, and questioned her behavior and treatment of me when I had invited her to small gathering of my friends.

Despite her claiming that I was being a malicious friend whom she did not trust, and treating me condescendingly, she insisted that I sign a sublease even though she herself was not paying any rent and had not been paying since summer of 2020.

I had expressed to her when I initially moved in, and twice afterwards, that I had no intentions of staying come the end of the summer. Because I had lost my job in July and was not receiving any unemployment benefits, I told her I did not feel comfortable nor was it in my best interest to sign a sublease without a job. She did not take my decision well. As a form of retaliation, she began to intentionally bombard me with paragraphs of passive aggressive text messages telling me of when she came into contact/moved my things in shared spaces even when I had told her, twice, not to touch my things.

Monday 9/23, she began screaming, yelling, slamming doors and blasting loud music at 7/8 am as a result of me setting a hard boundary of refusing to communicate with her whenever she demanded and felt entitled. She had no respect for my personal things, privacy, space, and/or boundaries. I understood her irate behavior was an intimidation/manipulation tactic to get me respond, to get me forgo my own boundaries I had set for myself for my own wellbeing/safety and force me to talk to her. It became emotionally exhaustive and toxic to coexist in the same space, making it hard for me to focus my time and energy on securing housing and employment.

Such irrational irate behavior I do not tolerate.

I had to leave.

Feeling unsafe, I asked for help from friends to move my music equipment out of the apartment that same day. While sleeping on couches, and living out of a suitcase, I was able to schedule job and housing interviews within that week. Sleeping on my friend's couches was a necessary struggle I was willing to endure in order to gain a peace of mind and the clarity to focus on securing what mattered to me; autonomy, housing, employment. Thankfully, I was able to find safe housing and part-time employment.

Here is where I need your help. My new housing situation is month to month. September rent is paid. The worry is my new job, which starts on Sept 1, is only part-time and that I will not be able to make enough to make next month's rent. I am currently in search for another part-time or full time job. I am seeking 2 months of rent to buy some time to look for a more stable job situation . Also, it will allow me to take some time to see my mother and family in Dallas. I have already purchased my ticket and intended to take two weeks off in October to go home, spend time with my mother and rest. Securing 2 months rent will allow me to enjoy time with my mother and not stress.

Those who know me know that I am an independent woman. I am serious when it comes to pursuing my dreams as a working musician/music producer. I love living here in Brooklyn, New York and there is much more work that needs to be done here. Rarely do I ask for help and to be honest, this is difficult for these events have illuminated that there is much I still need to unpack around economically insecurity and scarcity . I am extending myself grace.

We are still in a pandemic, climate change is clearly real and housing is completely unaffordable EVERYWHERE! Situations like being wrongfully terminated for sexual harassment and dealing with toxic living situations are all circumstances that are unforeseeable and outside my circle of control.

Despite it all, I believe I deserve to be here in Brooklyn. Living in Brooklyn, especially during 2020, taught me the power of community and mutual aid. Within the past 8 months, I have learned how to stand firm and advocate for my myself and for others. I've learn to give and share resources, be it economically, information, food, or a listening ear. I have learned that people will hate who I am simply because I KNOW who I am. And I am learning that however strong I might appear, that I am human and apart of abundance is giving as well as allowing myself to receive.

I believe community is the key to survival.

I believe community = abundance.

I know I can overcome any obstacle but, I also know I cannot always do it alone.

With that understanding I am hopeful and persistent in moving forward.

If you can help me raise 2 months of rent I truly appreciate you. I have been living in New York for 5 years and this is my first time publicly asking for help in paying for housing. We living in strange transformative times. Any help would be appreciated.

Very thankful to everyone who has reached out and come to my aid in the capacities that y'all could! I am blessed for my Dallas, Chicago, Brooklyn, LA, Instagram and Facebook communities.

Thank you for taking your time to read this.

Afua Darko