I am reaching out to invite community love and mutual aid during a very challenging time. For the past seventeen years, my son and I have cultivated our family’s home into a sanctuary, but now we are scrambling to avoid foreclosure.

After three decades of public service in the anti-violence field and with the collapse of federal funding for victims’ services and violence prevention, I have been struggling to make ends meet since July. As a result, I have fallen several months behind on my mortgage, utilities, student loans, and other essentials.

The good news is that I am transitioning into a new career offering soil regeneration services. And with Spring just around the corner, I am confident my services will soon be in high demand. I welcome any support to help bridge the gap during this transition and ensure we do not lose our family home in the meantime.

In the thirty years I have lived in the Olympia area, I’ve found it quite challenging to secure employment in this town, much less a job interview. I have no idea why this has been my experience. What I do know is that I’ve found it necessary to start businesses that create jobs for myself and others that are meaningful, flexible, and human centered.

I am a single queer, BIPOC mother and have worked as a Survivor in Service since the mid-1990’s. Over the past quarter of a century, I’ve opened five small businesses, established a non-profit and led another.

After my son’s birth, I opened The Rose Garden Daycare, a multicultural, multilingual Montessori inspired daycare that enabled me to be home with him, allowed for socialization with other kids, and I could earn a modest income. Establishing Partners in Prevention Education (PiPE) a few years later, allowed me to return to public service, while also advancing the burgeoning field of community organizing for the prevention of sexual violence. Service that I found highly meaningful.

Something I haven’t shared publicly was that during those years at PiPE, my son and I were dealing with domestic violence for more than a decade from my son’s father following our separation. For years, I struggled to navigate single parenting, while my son’s father used visitation schedules, the courts and financial abuse as tools for revenge. It’s only been since my son graduated from high school in recent years, that I’ve been able to end contact with his father.

In 2020, while still gainfully employed, I took on significant student loans to support my son’s college education. He is a dedicated and talented writer who displayed a passion for writing since a young age. He has earned several scholarships to help offset some of the cost, however more was needed. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Pratt Institute in 2024. He is currently earning a master’s in fine arts degree from the University of Mankato, MI. and working as a student teacher for the University.

As part of my commitment to mutual aid, I am offering services and hosting events to give back to the community. Join us for the Raise the Roof Pop-up Market House Party on March 28 and visit our booth at Arts Walk, April 24-25. Through my business, Soil Detective, I offer premium compost extracts, biological soil analysis, and land management consulting. Your support—whether attending these events, utilizing my services, or sharing with others—means the world to us.

The funds raised will go directly toward catching up on mortgage arrears, utilities, and student loans, all with urgent deadlines. Your support will help my family avoid foreclosure and stay in our home. I am deeply grateful for the love of community in all forms. The encouragement to reach out and invite support feels uplifting and hopeful.

Whether you can offer words of encouragement, a financial contribution, or help spread the word about the services I offer, every bit of support brings us closer to securing our future and remaining in our family home. Thank you for being part of our journey!