Help Lee Become Sebastian's Legal Dad

Hello everyone,

My name is Lee Chanley, and my husband, Miguel, and I are reaching out to you with a heartfelt plea for support. We live in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, and have been blessed to raise our incredible son, Sebastian, since day one. As a same-sex married couple, we have done everything within our power to provide him with love, stability, and all the care he deserves. But there is something crucial missing – I have not yet been able to become Sebastian’s legal father.

Here in Jalisco, same-sex married couples technically have the right to adopt. Unfortunately, the laws are not fully written into the books yet. Our attorney has informed us that to exercise our rights, we have to sue the State of Jalisco. This is a daunting, exhausting, and expensive process.

I am the only one who needs to adopt Sebastian. My dream is to become Sebastian’s legal dad and provide him with the opportunities and protections that come with being his father legally. One of my main goals is to secure US citizenship for Sebastian to give him a brighter future.

Time is of the essence. We feel a tremendous urgency to complete this process so that Sebastian’s future is legally secured as soon as possible. We are dedicated to overcoming any obstacles in our way, but we simply cannot do it alone.

Ever since the pandemic, our business has struggled, and we are barely staying afloat. Raising the money needed to navigate this legal process feels like an impossible mountain to climb on our own.

We have consulted an attorney and have a clearer idea of what this process will entail. It will require several trips to Guadalajara, the state capital, which involves travel expenses, legal fees, and more. Additionally, we must cover the costs of bringing Sebastian’s biological mother from Michoacán to Guadalajara and back. After calculating all of this, we estimate we need around $8,000 USD to complete the process.

We humbly ask for your help. Without the kindness and generosity of others, we may never be able to complete our family in the legal sense. We love Sebastian with all our hearts, and we want nothing more than to ensure his future is secure.

An important point to mention is that once we successfully sue the State of Jalisco and I am granted permission to adopt Sebastian, all future same-sex couples like us won't have to fight this battle.

The door will be fully open for them to do what we are trying to accomplish now.

So, in essence, your help will not only be assisting us but also paving the way for other loving families like ours to gain the same legal protections.

Any amount you can give will make a difference. If you cannot contribute financially, sharing this page with others would be incredibly helpful.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading our story and for any help you can offer.

With love and gratitude,

Lee & Miguel