Hello my name is Lauren. For those of you that know me, you know I am very much in love with the community of Austin,Texas. I am extremely passionate about the arts,social issues, and music and I absolutely love children. When I moved to Austin in 2009 I had two goals; I wanted to pursue music and I wanted to direct a non-profit that helped the artistic community and the social issues community. That year we lost an incredible 23 year old musician to a house fire and so it was perfect chance to not only help the family but also help the music community and it birthed a very very special beginning of a non-profit called $3 shows. Long story short with help from friends,artists,venues, and community I was able to Connect the arts community with social issues community for almost 5 years. Every month we held a show that benefitted a different local non profit , booked 20 local art vendors, and showcased 5-6 bands, dancers, and creatives. The idea was to help the non-profit not only raise funds but increase promotion and connect them with creatives but also bring inspiration to the artisans, and bring inspiration to all really. We raised over $30,000 for local Austin non-profits. Our modo was the three C's. Community. ColIaboration. Cross Promotion. I would love to bring $3 Shows back some day.
Link to $3 Shows- https://www.facebook.com/3dollarshows/

I went on to get heavily involved in the Austin Music Commission and tried my hardest to get artists invovled with the city and the commision. And then my most recent endeavor for music was working for a music tech company called Solstice Live where I was lucky enough to get to book 3-4 album releases a month, a festival with 75 bands at 13 venues and Pan Am Park, podcast interviews, and more for almost 3 years!
I've tried where I can and when I can to support the community. But through out the past 9 years, those of you who know me, also know I've constantly been battling a stomach disease called Ulcerative Colitis. I've been in and out of the hospital many times. At least once every year. Sometimes I'm there for longer then a week. It's made it difficult to live to be honest and I have medical bills beyond belief. And when I can't work i've been on and off food stamps. But i've tried to also stay positive, pro-active, and passionate and eat healthy and work as much as I can.
Ulcerative Colitis is very scary. When I am sick I poop blood and mucus constantly, I lose my appetite, I become extremely anemic, I cannot absorb nutrients, i'm dehydrated , I have accidents, and eventually I reach a point where I cannot even live without being in the hospital and getting steroids and nutrition. If it gets bad enough i've had to be on feeding tubes and pic lines to my heart.
Here is more info about the disease; (I know its Dr. Phil but it's pretty spot on. )

I've never let it stop me though. And I couldn't get through it all without the help of friends, doctors, and the community.
FAST FORWARD to right now. 2018. 28 years old me.
I am extremely excited because I found out I was pregnant in March 2018 . This is huge. For one... it's huge because with the Ulcerative Colitis I was unsure if I'd ever be able to get pregnant. So I was happy. But I also knew I was a high risk pregnancy.

But like any pregnancy it comes with difficulties.
I had a job at the beginning of this but I got so sick the first month and so so depressed that I could not work. The second month I started a UC flare up and i've been in an out of the hospital 5 times so far. The third month, which is now, I am still sick but strong enough to work and because I ate through all my savings during the first and second month,and food stamps is just not enough, I applied for a dream job and got hired!!
The job is filming and taking pictures of newborn babies and births at the hospital. I started training last week.
On the way to my first day my car broke down in the middle of Mopac. I luckily was able to get to work and get the car fixed but it cost $1100.
THEN two days later I was informed that I could no longer continue training until I got my vaccine records to them and because they are out of state it could take up to two weeks to receive them. Which means I won't be working and also can't take another job in the meantime. (I am however babysitting when I can and feel up to it. I am still trying as much as I can.) But this week I feel even sicker and honestly extremely depressed. I have a therapist I see weekly through the SIMS foundation but I am honestly just so scared for the future and the baby and my health and everything. I don’t feel good.
I am reaching out to all of you because I need help. Besides emotional support/advice, I need financial help. I am not going to be lazy and not be proactive and not try and seek work and get this job I have figured out but I'm in a bad position. I need your help to get by and to keep my housing and keep my lights on and eat healthy. I've reached out and applied for as many resources I can and its all waiting lists. I need your help, advice, and support more then ever. Please. I am feeling so sick and so scared for the future. I want to provide a great future for this baby . I am so excited to be a mother.
Your support with go to:
Housing/rent bills
Car
Food
Medical
Baby and Baby future
survival
I appreciate you so much. I thank you so much.
For those of you who have already reached out and sent love, money or support. I am eternally grateful.
And to all my friends who have been by my side through all of this or helped me creatively in any way . I love you and I couldn't survive without you.
If you'd like to know more about my creative work you can visit this link: https://www.lululight.xyz/
Thank you so much
Link to $3 Shows- https://www.facebook.com/3dollarshows/
I went on to get heavily involved in the Austin Music Commission and tried my hardest to get artists invovled with the city and the commision. And then my most recent endeavor for music was working for a music tech company called Solstice Live where I was lucky enough to get to book 3-4 album releases a month, a festival with 75 bands at 13 venues and Pan Am Park, podcast interviews, and more for almost 3 years!
I've tried where I can and when I can to support the community. But through out the past 9 years, those of you who know me, also know I've constantly been battling a stomach disease called Ulcerative Colitis. I've been in and out of the hospital many times. At least once every year. Sometimes I'm there for longer then a week. It's made it difficult to live to be honest and I have medical bills beyond belief. And when I can't work i've been on and off food stamps. But i've tried to also stay positive, pro-active, and passionate and eat healthy and work as much as I can.
Ulcerative Colitis is very scary. When I am sick I poop blood and mucus constantly, I lose my appetite, I become extremely anemic, I cannot absorb nutrients, i'm dehydrated , I have accidents, and eventually I reach a point where I cannot even live without being in the hospital and getting steroids and nutrition. If it gets bad enough i've had to be on feeding tubes and pic lines to my heart.
Here is more info about the disease; (I know its Dr. Phil but it's pretty spot on. )
I've never let it stop me though. And I couldn't get through it all without the help of friends, doctors, and the community.
FAST FORWARD to right now. 2018. 28 years old me.
I am extremely excited because I found out I was pregnant in March 2018 . This is huge. For one... it's huge because with the Ulcerative Colitis I was unsure if I'd ever be able to get pregnant. So I was happy. But I also knew I was a high risk pregnancy.
But like any pregnancy it comes with difficulties.
I had a job at the beginning of this but I got so sick the first month and so so depressed that I could not work. The second month I started a UC flare up and i've been in an out of the hospital 5 times so far. The third month, which is now, I am still sick but strong enough to work and because I ate through all my savings during the first and second month,and food stamps is just not enough, I applied for a dream job and got hired!!
The job is filming and taking pictures of newborn babies and births at the hospital. I started training last week.
On the way to my first day my car broke down in the middle of Mopac. I luckily was able to get to work and get the car fixed but it cost $1100.
THEN two days later I was informed that I could no longer continue training until I got my vaccine records to them and because they are out of state it could take up to two weeks to receive them. Which means I won't be working and also can't take another job in the meantime. (I am however babysitting when I can and feel up to it. I am still trying as much as I can.) But this week I feel even sicker and honestly extremely depressed. I have a therapist I see weekly through the SIMS foundation but I am honestly just so scared for the future and the baby and my health and everything. I don’t feel good.
I am reaching out to all of you because I need help. Besides emotional support/advice, I need financial help. I am not going to be lazy and not be proactive and not try and seek work and get this job I have figured out but I'm in a bad position. I need your help to get by and to keep my housing and keep my lights on and eat healthy. I've reached out and applied for as many resources I can and its all waiting lists. I need your help, advice, and support more then ever. Please. I am feeling so sick and so scared for the future. I want to provide a great future for this baby . I am so excited to be a mother.
Your support with go to:
Housing/rent bills
Car
Food
Medical
Baby and Baby future
survival
I appreciate you so much. I thank you so much.
For those of you who have already reached out and sent love, money or support. I am eternally grateful.
And to all my friends who have been by my side through all of this or helped me creatively in any way . I love you and I couldn't survive without you.
If you'd like to know more about my creative work you can visit this link: https://www.lululight.xyz/
Thank you so much
Organizer
Lauren Bruno
Organizer
Austin, TX