Help A Black Trans Man Keep Job & Buy First Car

Hello, my name is LaVelle Ridley and I’m raising $4,000 to help Xander Jackson buy his first car so he can continue working at a job he loves and build a stable future for himself.

For those of you who don’t know, I met my boyfriend Xander in late 2019 in Ypsilanti, Michigan on a dating app. After months of talking and texting, we decided to finally go out on a date; unfortunately, the lockdowns due to COVID-19 had other plans. After more months of getting to know each other virtually, Xander suggested we meet in person for a socially-distanced picnic and see where things go from there. I’ll never forget how beautiful the park was that day in June nor how tasty the homemade onion pierogies Xander made were. Since that memorable first date, he has been very supportive of me and my academic career. Now it’s my turn to support his goals, which is why I am raising money to help Xan purchase his first car.

Earlier this year, Xander had the rare opportunity to make a career shift after years of working in retail. After seeing Xander’s potential, his close friend Addy recommended that Xander apply for entry-level IT work. His enthusiasm, adaptable nature, and willingness to learn helped him land an IT specialist position in July. Since then, Xander has developed a passion for this work and is planning to pursue training certifications so he can further his career.

Unfortunately, the company Xander works at is 22 miles away, in an area of Michigan without a bus system. Although the company allows him to work remotely twice a week, Xander’s boss refuses to provide further flexibility with his schedule. For the past few months, Xander has been relying heavily on his friends in order to keep this job. Twice a week, a rotating cast of folks drive Xander to and from Detroit, where he sleeps on his friend Alana’s couch from Monday night through Thursday. Friends check in on his cat Bean, who must stay home alone, while Xander uses ride-shares from Alana’s house to get to and from his job daily.

The exhausting and unsustainable nature of this situation pushed Xander to work through previous trauma and overcome his fear of driving, after which multiple friends spent hours helping Xander prepare for the road test. Just a few weeks ago, Xander got his first driver’s license at 30 years old and we couldn’t be prouder! However, after so much growth this year, Xander is stuck because he cannot afford a car.

I am hoping to raise $4,000 so Xander can make a down payment on a used car, transfer the vehicle registration, and purchase six months of car insurance. If you can spare any amount of money this holiday season, please consider donating to this GoFundMe. Every dollar brings us one step closer to our goal, and no donation is too small.

For Xander, this car is about more than commuting to work. It’s about getting his life back. A car will allow him to continue working at a job he loves; pursue certificate training to further his career; return to spiritually fulfilling part-time work mentoring queer youth at Ozone House; and stop relying so heavily on his network of friends just to get through the week.

After working so hard to overcome many challenges, Xander is so close to being able to build a stable future for himself. If you’re able to donate or share his story, it would mean everything to me. Thank you so much for reading this and for any kindness you can offer.