<div>hey, i'm sammie. as a disabled queer woman, the united states has stopped being a safe place for me to live. i'm currently stuck in north texas, making barely enough money to even feed myself- my only income source being a single $697 check i get from the VA every month that i'm at an increased risk of losing as the trump administration destroys all of our already poorly funded and managed social services. i've already been denied social security benefits once, and if not only because of my age i'm unlikely to ever be approved, provided social security will even be allowed to continue existing.
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<div>i may not be visibly queer, but my medical conditions that prevent me from working are undeniable. as the united states plans to abandon its LGBT and disabled citizens and leave them to fend for themselves, i've had to make the difficult decision to leave my home country, and collect the resources i need to escape to minas gerais to live and rebuild my life with my partner, gabriela.
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<div>my artwork won't be able to sustain me here in the states, and i have no family who will be able to support me longterm. my health insurance and monthly support checks through the VA are conditional on me remaining poor and unmarried, and wouldn't even cover just my rent if i were to live alone. just trying to buy groceries is becoming prohibitively expensive, and trying to hold out here in the states will undoubtedly lead to my cat leona and i being homeless.
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<div>i believe that my health can and will improve, but in order for that to happen i <em>need</em> to relocate somewhere less stressful with someone who i know i'm comfortable and safe with. my current living arrangements leave me so stressed i barely have the time, energy, or money to fulfill my own basic needs every day. i regularly forego medical care because of how difficult it is to find practices that cover me under CHAMPVA.
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<div><strong>your donations will help cover:</strong>
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<ul>
<li>my personal travel costs. <em>round trip tickets from DFW to MG often run around $900-1000. i need to make at least one trip ahead of time in order to notarize my papers. leona's travel will run me $170 just for boarding her in the cabin. i've been recommended to buy secondary tickets incase anything happens to my initial planned flight.</em>
</li>
</ul>
<div><br />
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<ul>
<li>international freight to move leona and i's belongings estimates around ~$3k. <em>it's difficult to get quotes because i have no set travel dates yet. estimate stems from other people's experiences with moving costs, and averaging different companies together. i'm only moving a bedroom's worth of belongings, but sea freight across the world is still very expensive.</em>
</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>leona's required immunization and veterinary exams to enter the country. <em>the total of her exams could be anywhere between $750-1,200.</em>
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</ul>
<div><br />
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<ul>
<li>obtaining my necessary documentation to verify my immigration.<em> part of the requirements for being approved for a brazilian visa are to have $2k in your account for 2 consecutive months, which is extremely difficult with my income.</em>
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</ul>
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<li>obtaining necessary documentation to verify gabriela and i's relationship, and subsequently marriage.
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</ul>
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<li>legal costs involved with retaining an immigration lawyer, so i know i'm doing everything right the first time.
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</ul>
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<div>my goal of $10,000 is, <em>ideally</em>, an upper limit- the vast majority of which will be from transporting leona and my belongings. i'm frustrated with the lack of concrete costs too, trust me. but without travel dates, i can't get quotes- but without quotes, i don't know how much i need to save before i can travel.
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<div>that being said, if there are any surplus funds after all is said and done, they will all go into savings for gabriela and i. USD stretches <em>incredibly</em> far in BRL, at a 1:5 ratio. for example just $400 USD a month from me, in addition to gabriela's income, would help us support ourselves tremendously. i want to be as upfront as possible about where my donations will be going because i know $10,000 is <em>steep.</em> i'm glad to share any developments i make along the way, as soon as they're made, for full transparency.
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<div>leona and i have been together for almost 8 years, we've bonded to eachother throughout everything and i can't fathom the idea of ever leaving her behind. the cost of importing her is a high but necessary one, and being able to pack personal and sentimental items will make settling into my new home much easier.
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<div>after a life full of loss and uncertainty, <em>i want to live</em>, and i'm ready to start working towards the happiness and safety i've always dreamed of. thank you so much for your support. any amount you can donate will help, and i'd greatly appreciate if you could share this online or with friends, family, coworkers, whoever.
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<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/88900501_1747374533965662_r." width="100%" />
<div><br />
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<div>so, so much love from leona and i.
</div>

Cali Matthews

Aidan Garcia

Anonymous

Cecilia Heistad Johnson

Karin Berendsen

Timothy Palmer

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Andrew Su

Help Sammie and Leona Escape the United States

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