Help Pablo finish grad school

Pablo Tut is organizing this fundraiser.

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My name is Pablo Tut. I'm a visual artist from the Peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico, and I am currently trying to finish my MFA in Art Practice at Stanford University. I owe a significant amount of money to the school due to unexpected international taxes and my lack of family economic support. To enroll in my last quarter and receive my diploma, I need to be able to pay this debt. The last day I can register for classes is the second week of the quarter, April 19th.

I came with my wife to the USA for the first time through this educational program. We are from Campeche, in the South of Mexico, and my family is not in an economic position to offer any support. I am a first-generation, low-income, international student, and I fully support myself and my wife through the academic fellowship. I've been creating art since 2012 in Yucatan and Campeche and have been responsible for sustaining independent art spaces throughout my career as a way of learning and supporting my art community. I left Yucatan to grow my creative practice, receive my MFA degree to pursue teaching positions, and secure a more economically sustainable environment. The art and cultural environment in Yucatan has worsened due to real estate speculation, gentrification, and federal cuts to cultural institutions. Economically, I depend 100% on the stipends I receive from the school.

This is complicated by the fact that international students can no longer work outside TA hours, which I was working on in agreement with the school at the beginning of my first year. Now I'm not allowed to work anymore to pay for this debt. Because of our international status, my wife is not able to legally work. I don't count on any fellowship that would suffice to pay my debt. Also, I have a meager credit score as I just moved to this country in 2022. After paying for housing on campus, I receive a payment of $700 twice a month, which sums the total of the months left in my studies here up to $5600, which means that if I even attempt to pay this debt with the only legal money I have access to it wouldn't be enough. I have actively sought out work opportunities during the school breaks, which are the only legal times I can work while being an MFA student.

This is damaging to my psyche and a big source of stress, as is not only impacting my studies but also my wife's living here in a new country. I recently found cheaper rent outside the campus and was denied the opportunity to break my university housing lease even though I explained that my financial situation had worsened. Adding up to a demanding school schedule, and as English is a second language, it is very hard to keep track of everything.

I moved here expecting to have better opportunities for the development of my career. I've dedicated a huge amount of my time and energy to developing my art projects and artworks, but also I've spent a lot of time just managing money to figure out how to pay the high prices of this area. Despite these financial challenges I have consistently received positive academic art reviews and have produced a large amount of artwork with very few resources.

I have exhausted my possibilities with the school for finding funding for my case since I've been actively searching for other possibilities since I was denied the opportunity of payment for extra activities. At the same time, the unionizing of the Stanford Grads and their negotiation with the school has made their financial offices unable to make any changes to how students are being paid. Also, the school policy of recognizing families to give aid only considers families with children and not the living of POC married couples that also have to strive to pay the high prices of Palo Alto.

If I don't pay this debt, I will not be able to enroll for the spring quarter, and therefore, my stipends will also be held leaving me with even fewer capabilities of paying this debt, of sustaining my living here, and without me being able to finish my degree.

Please help me achieve this life dream of obtaining my degree and overcoming this emergency. As a gift for your donations, I want to give small artworks, drawings, and studio tests to the people who support me through this campaign.

Thank you for your time.