Help Two Disabled Trans People Flee The South

Hello, our names are Ana (She/Her) and Riley (It/They), two disabled trans roommates currently living in south Georgia. The area has grown increasingly hostile to people like us, and we have faced a rise in employment discrimination and threats against our safety.

I (Ana) have been unemployed for months and repeatedly harassed on the street when going outside. I have been spat on by strangers and called slurs, even threatened with violence. The stress has weighed heavily on us, and with a lack of proper medical care in the area, our mental and physical health has suffered greatly.

Our current lease ends in two months, and with rising housing costs, along with a lack of job opportunities, we can no longer afford to live here. Our only options are to either flee the south and start a new life in a more accepting city up north, or move back in with family in even more unsafe areas of the south. I would be forced to move back to Florida, which is among the most dangerous places in the country for a trans woman to live, and Riley would be forced to move back to rural Georgia, where there is no community or resources to help them. Neither of us have a car, nor a license, so we would completely lose all our autonomy, and be effectively trapped in these places.

As discrimination against trans people in the south grows worse by the day, and more legislation is passed which targets our lives and our rights, the two of us do not see a future here. This could be our one chance to escape these conditions and move to a place where we will not only feel safe, but also, where we can truly thrive.

But to make this move possible, we will need some help.

We are looking to move north and settle in Chicago. This will likely be a costly move, which we could not afford on our own, especially since only one of us is currently employed. We need to raise enough money to actually get to Chicago and secure a place to live there. Every dollar will bring us one step closer to making this move a reality, and ensuring our safety.

If you'd prefer to donate directly:

Cashapp: $AnaJoan

Venmo: @ajashling

Thank you.

- Ana and Riley