In late 2022, Jaila's wife, Jes, unexpectedly and unceremoniously kicked her out of their home shortly after Jaila had started HRT. As if this wasn't bad enough on its own, Jes also cut off all contact Jaila had with her children.

Up until that point, Jes had not shown herself to be an unfit caretaker, so given the extreme uncertainty that comes with being made suddenly homeless, Jaila figured that despite the incredible pain of being without her kids, the most practical course of action would be to get back on her feet before seeking to regain at least partial custody of the children so they would have a safe and stable environment when they were with her.

Over the past two years, Jaila has managed to rebuild her life to an impressive degree, establishing herself in Chicago and once again finding a place for herself in the harm reduction field. Despite all the upheaval that comes with not only finding a place to land after such a destabilizing event, but also the inherent stress of beginning a medical transition, and the heartbreak of missing her children she managed to reach a level of stability where it was becoming realistic to seek out legal representation and begin court proceedings. Meanwhile, Jes picked up and moved to the Bay Area with their youngest child, and without a word to Jaila to inform her of where her child was. It's not clear how long they've been in California, but in May of 2025, Jes' new partner OD'd and died while he was tasked with the care of Jaila's youngest child, who attempted, but tragically failed, to save his life. Experiencing someone's untimely death is a traumatic experience for an adult; for an eleven-year-old, it would be completely devastating, and it is abundantly clear that the environment Jaila's child is living in is in no way safe, sane, or even somewhat appropriate. This event provided the first definitive confirmation of her child's general whereabouts that Jaila had received in years and made it clear that there was no choice but to set things in motion immediately to gain at least partial custody and give her child the opportunity to grow up in the safety that every kid deserves.

Legal battles, however, are expensive, and while Jaila and her partner make a comfortable enough living to welcome Jaila's child into their home and life and provide everything they could possibly need, the cost of lawyers and court fees is prohibitively high for them.

Jaila has devoted her life to helping people in ways both large and small, anyone who knows her can tell you that she is the first to offer any help and support she is capable of giving, no matter the cost to her. Jaila has made a career of helping people who have been discarded by society, and has given so much to so many, now it is time for us, her community, to reach out a helping hand to her.

Your contribution, no matter how small, will help Jaila afford the legal fees to reunite with her child and ensure a safe environment for them.

All donations will go toward paying lawyers, court costs, and eventually may go towards relocation costs for Jaila's child. While we do not yet know exact figures for any of these expenses, we will be updating donors as things progress in order to maintain as full transparency.

In the unlikely event that there is any money left over, it will be donated to organizations supporting the rights of trans youth, which will be chosen if such an occasion arises.