Hello there!
Those of you who know me, know that I am very hardworking and dedicated with everything I do. I have always been the person to give help and support to my community, to the people in my life, and towards social causes that I am passionate about. However, at this point in my life, I find myself in a place of need and I must ask my community for financial support.
My Struggle:
Before 2019, I worked three jobs and hopped around my friends' couches to save money and have more time defining my dreams as a first-generation college graduate. Unfortunately, in 2019 I suffered a spinal injury through a ruptured disc and had to move back to Southern California as I could not afford to work or pay Bay Area rent. A couple of months later, I lost my father to COVID-19. These events made it incredibly difficult for me to navigate through the pandemic and left my mental health in a very bad state. Four about a year and a half, I found myself battling depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Through lots of struggle and doubt, I managed to round up the courage to move back to the Bay Area, my second home, and give my dreams another chance.
Where my dreams & I need your help:
I have decided to pursue a Certificate of Holistic Health from San Francisco State University. The Certificate of Holistic Health is a program that provides students with a “deeper understanding of health, healing, and optimal well-being from a holistic perspective." After struggling with my mental health and working towards recovering from my physical injury, I learned that not only do I want to gain more knowledge about how to heal myself, but my community as well. My dream is to use the knowledge from this program to educate and inform the Immigrant, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities on healing trauma through Healing Justice initiatives.
This program is through Open University, and therefore, I do not qualify for scholarships or any financial assistance from the university itself. My goal of $7,500 is only half of what the $15,000 certificate program will cost. The only way I can afford to pay for this is out of pocket, which means that, once again, I must work a couple of jobs and adapt to the most affordable housing situations available.
However, having gone through all the adversity that 2019 put me through I have learned to deeply value and prioritize my mental and overall health. I know that juggling three jobs, volunteering, and not having a consistent place to rest at night is not sustainable. And that is why I am asking for your support in my education.
I am hoping to reach my donation goal by August 15, 2021. Thank you for your support!