Our dear friend Jay, who brings so much light to Secret World Books, is in a very difficult circumstance. They have been dealing with significant health challenges as a result of having grown up amidst extreme domestic violence and transphobia. Jay is currently relying on abusive/ transphobic relatives for their basic living needs, but the situation has grown increasingly untenable, and they have reached out to us for help. We are sadly limited in what we can offer them financially, and are opening a fundraiser to our Secret World community to see if together we can offer Jay more safety and independence.

Jay is a treasured member of our community. If you've ever encountered them, you surely treasure their sparkling presence, too, along with their art and other wondrousness they've brought to Secret World Books. We are hoping to raise enough money to help them at least cover out of pocket medical expenses with more ease over the next few months (~900), and we'd love to see if we can raise enough to help them with their housing costs so they can distance themselves from their abusers. Any amount is invaluable and deeply appreciated by us as well as them. You can donate here or directly to their Paypal, where their handle is @JayKrivoSloth. Jay could also use some help with rides--they are unable to drive and have difficulty with public transportation, and could use assistance with occasional local errands in Highland Park and the occasional ride to Evanston. They also would deeply appreciate the occasional meal delivery--once in awhile, they are too ill to make their own food. They usually have precursors to when they experience this much pain, and could reach out for help at that time. If you'd like to be part of a meal train or can sometimes offer a ride, please reach out to Jay or us to arrange this.

Please reach out directly if you have any questions. Jay has an abundance of creative gifts to offer others, which you've likely experienced if you've spent even a short amount of time around them. We hope you can join us in helping Jay gain more stability and safety so they can more freely share their magical gifts with the world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping this beloved member of the Secret World family.