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Urgent mutual aid. My name is Royal. I'm a Black, nonbinary yoga teacher in Denver, and I'm asking for help during the hardest year of my life. After surviving sexual harassment and racial discrimination across multiple workplaces — while living with a chronic spinal injury — I've lost my savings, my stability, and almost my housing. I did what I was told would work: I went to college, worked in corporate spaces, and have applied to more than 500 jobs.
I've seen people raise money to build businesses, houses, and even cosmetic surgery...so I am hoping that it is not a stretch to raise money to recover from my spinal injury and rebuild my life after experiencing years of harassment and abuse in the workspace. I have never had to do this before, I would not ask unless I felt it was absolutely necessary for survival.
I've learned you can't outwork systemic oppression on your own. So for the first time, I'm leaning on my community. I'm raising $15,000 to cover six months of stability: rent and transportation ($9,600), physical therapy for my spinal injury ($3,600), and food and essentials ($1,800). My immediate need is $5,000 for this month's rent and transportation. I have until 6/7 to pay backpay on rent and my car note! Every dollar gives me room to heal and rebuild somewhere I'm not harmed or judged for who I am. If you can't give, sharing this matters just as much. Thank you for meeting me with care, this is one of the most challenging things to express publicly - I am praying for a miracle.
I am moving away from corporate systems to provide my own services. I am not the only one who has experienced this type of discrimination.
One-third of LGBTQ employees (34%) reported experiencing at least one form of employment discrimination (including being fired, not hired, or not promoted), and 37% of LGBTQ employees reported experiencing at least one form of harassment at work due to their sexual orientation or gender identity at some point in their lives.
More than half of trans and nonbinary employees (55%) reported experiencing discrimination compared to 31% of cisgender LGBQ employees.
LGBTQ employees of color (42%) were more likely to report experiencing discrimination than White employees (27%).
Source: Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law (2024)
Despite navigating one of the most challenging times of my life -- I still want to use my skills to serve others, especially Bipoc Sapphic individuals.
Other ways to support me include
1. sponsoring a Community Sound Bath or Yoga class for Bipoc and or Queer Folx.
2. book a 1-1 thai stretch or yoga experience.
3. hire me to teach at your retreat.
4. share, comment, get the word out!
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