My name is Emely, I’m a 2L full time student at CUNY Law and hopefully, a future immigration attorney :)

I always expected that being a full time law student from a low income background without external support would be difficult, but I never anticipated the emotional and financial stress I’ve experienced over the past year.

Remaining focused on law school throughout this year has been incredibly difficult as I’ve been forced to navigate the detention and deportation of an immediate family member, toxic environments, and abusive relationships. This is all in addition to struggling with food insecurity, financial stress, and the overall stress of simply being a law student.

Due to food insecurity and stress, I’ve lost over 20 pounds throughout my first year and a half of law school.

I currently have no more than $11 to my name and will not receive a cost-of-living loan disbursement until January 20th. I do not have any means to pay my rent on January 1st or cover the cost of traveling to work or buying groceries.

I have spent the past three months zealously applying to any part time job that was hiring, but I didn’t manage to secure a position until this week. Unfortunately, due to my work’s payroll system, I can’t expect to be paid until January 2nd, past the due date of my rent. I managed to pick up a pet sitting gig that’ll pay me in the interim, but this is only enough to meet the cost of groceries, not rent.

I applied for an emergency grant through CUNY Law, but was denied on the basis that my circumstances do not meet “the criteria for an unexpected emergency.”

I have run out of options and this gofundme is my last resort.

I am incredibly grateful and appreciative of any help you can give.

Thank you