1 year post jaw surgery - Help Shawna Avoid Eviction

Shawna Spady is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Hi there, my name's Shawna and I probably should have made this sooner, but the anxiety of asking for help is overwhelming. Getting a notice to quit is even more overwhelming though, so here we are... I'm the only reason we are behind on rent, and I don't know how to handle the thought of my friends getting evicted because of me.

I have lived in this apartment for over 9 years and was never late on rent before May of this year. I have always lived paycheck to paycheck, which would get me trapped in jobs I hated, but I would never quit a job without a plan or new job already established, knowing bills needed to be paid. But I guess I reached my breaking point.

I actually liked the work at Plaster Fun Time - working with paint and hanging with kids, hosting adorable birthday parties, and having the freedom to run a store. For a while, I convinced myself those were reasons to appreciate what I had despite the bad. Ultimately, I left my job because it started to affect my health.

On November 3rd, 2023, I underwent major jaw surgery. I was meant to take at least a month off for recovery, but when you live paycheck to paycheck and your work refuses paid medical leave, you find yourself unable to take that much time without getting paid. I went back after only a week.

Aside from having to sit in front of a tiny space heater for months because the heat was broken, I started becoming more aware of the dangers my job was exposing me to. A benefit from surgery was being able to breathe more efficiently, which in turn made breathing in the aerosol fumes and moldy plaster dust more severe. On busy days, I'd get light-headed and delirious. Then, on days of putting away 50+ boxes of plaster, I was having extreme coughing fits. I could feel the dust building up in my lungs. My hair was even falling out, which could have been stress but also another possible symptom of exposure to the aerosol. I now wear wigs.

During April vacation week (one of the busiest of the year), I got very sick. I have never lost my voice to the point of literally nothing coming out, yet they still expected me to run the store. I think it was when I tried using a whiteboard to communicate with customers that I realized I couldn't keep putting myself through this for a company that didn't care about my health. In May, I told them I didn't feel safe going in and sent them the safety data sheet for the spray we were using. They could not have cared less. They completely ignored the safety data sheet, only saying, "Since you are quitting, give me your employees' phone numbers." I told them I cared about their safety too, so I refused to send them. That was the end of my 3 years at Plaster Fun Time.

And so the stress of falling behind on rent began. I've been doing a lot of networking for my art, chasing the dream of making a living as an artist, but I just haven't reached that point in my career. I got caught in a loop of believing maybe if I make the greatest piece I've ever made, someone will notice and my financial problems will magically disappear. That's just not reality. I've actually made more than I ever have with my art, but it's not enough to pay rent, and now I'm really behind.

Last week, I finally got offered a job that I know I'll enjoy and felt like I could breathe. I excitedly informed my landlord I can finally make consistent payments to catch back up as we had talked about. Three days later, I received a notice to quit. Why now? Why the moment I was finally able to breathe and get back on track? I just don't understand.

It's only the first step and only a court can make us leave, but I can't catch up in just ten days. I can reapply for RAFT, but can they get back in ten days? Doubt it. So here I am, feeling very uncomfortable posting this, but I don't know what else to do.