Homecoming Fund for a Black Trans Woman

My name is Dahlia Ajani Omosalewa Mungo Bekong. I am a Bronx-born, Binghamton-based multimedia artist, performer, and community liaison primarily working within the fields of education & entertainment.

Four years ago, I launched a GoFundMe seeking support in fleeing the physically & emotionally abusive household that defined most of my youth. What for many years had been a dysfunctional, trauma-laden minefield scarcely noticed outside poetic ramblings & the occasional runaway quickly devolved into domestic warfare when outed by a teacher during my senior year of high school. Amid COVID-19’s second wave, I frantically typed that post in a dimly lit room at midnight, covered in days’ worth of sweat & grime laced with an empty stomach, too frightened at the prospect of running into my parents to eat or shower during waking hours. I had been pushed to desperation; my parents had systematically cut me off from any sense of outside community, threatened to hold me from college in fear of rendezvousing with “suspicious cults”, and physically intimidated me at any & all signs of discomfort - all as they continuously restricted access to medical treatment for my worsening psychological conditions.

Yet, somehow, those words sparked a fire that would continuously be lit ablaze by hundreds of people - friends, foes, & strangers alike. In just a month, we managed to raise over $20,000 to cover housing, tuition, and other expenses for my first year at Binghamton University.

Despite all that had happened, I was blessed with the support to move forward - not in fear, but with the strength & sight to glimpse beyond the fog that engulfed my mind, blocked my throat, obscured my vision. Many seldom believe magic strikes twice. I am inclined to try anyway.

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Over the past four years, the path laid bare by those steps necessary for survival have been defined by vagrancy & isolation. Having my RA position revoked midsummer prior to my second year led to losing my student housing & putting my educational prospects on pause, culminating in a last-ditch effort to flee towards the Bay Area. Getting involved in community, non-profit & housing work allowed me to garner the funds necessary to attempt returning to Binghamton the summer after, finding my first footing in semi-permanent housing.

However, I have since then faced multiple issues with healthcare, work opportunities, unnavigability, & cultural isolation that has defined my experience as a Black transfemme living in Broome County. While I initially returned to Binghamton to continue pursuing my Bachelors, it has become painfully clear that neither the university nor town has the support system to make that possible. With most of my support system permanently dwelling within New York City, as well as having neither the funds nor resources to regularly drive a vehicle, most days are spent inside, isolated, and left to simply rot alone when not engaged in online work.

There has not been a single morning in the past four months where I haven’t woken up in a cold sweat, afraid of dying here.

As a result, I am attempting to raise funds to move back to New York City. My deep familiarity with healthcare, housing, educational & work opportunities in the area, as well as a deep yearning for queer-friendly African community, pushes this as a necessary choice for my continued long-term survival. While I am reluctant to do so, the overwhelming malady associated with my time in Binghamton combined with the sheer cost of living in NYC makes the task simply impossible without significant support. As such, I have no choice but to rely on those I’ve made an impact on the most during these past four years.

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Whether you know me from the Bay, Big Apple, or the Southern Tier, I have spent a wealth of time dedicated to community outreach & advocacy work, particularly regarding housing & diversity initiatives. In Berkeley, I served on the Cabinet of the Berkeley Student Cooperative, the largest student housing co-op in the United States, embroiled in internal policy, budget reviews, & eviction rights in order to guarantee quality low-income housing resources for the myriad students who need it. In Binghamton, I am an affiliate to Citizen Action, engaging in houseless outreach & canvassing work similar to my time with the Black Organizing Project in Oakland. During high school, I was deeply involved in student pushes for DEI initiatives at the Bronx High School of Science in the wake of George Floyd’s murder.

Outside of my direct advocacy work, however, I am deeply involved in the creative arts. Much of my personal practice, which ranges anywhere from poetry & graphic design to beatmaking & live performance, is documentation of how much vagrancy has defined my life, whether physical, cultural, or psychosocial. I hope to not only continue such work, but build upon it as my primary vocation, weaving an extensive community that highlights the particular struggles queer African folk face while charting their trajectories, particularly as Americans in this present time.

The opportunity to put this into writing is already blessing enough, so I’m appreciative of the time you’ve taken to read this. However, if you are able to support me, I implore you to donate whatever amount is within your means, as well as share my story. If you are unable to donate through GoFundMe, I am also accepting donations through both Venmo & Cashapp under the tag “wanda1and”. Every little bit helps, and I will be deeply grateful for your support. Thank you.