Howard Student Needs Financial Support!

Hello, my name is Olivia Nzang. I am Junior Political Science major, Psychology and Spanish double minor at Howard University from Equatorial Guinea.

Being queer in my parents household, was a burden that became too much to bear. As i feared what i would be capable of doing to myself in that house, I had to leave. It wasn’t an adequate environment for me anymore to be successful academically and mentally sane. I left the house in March of 2021, sleeping on the metro, public buses, parking garages, outside buildings, & friends couches all while being in contact with the office of International Student Affairs, the vice-president of student affairs, the college of Arts & Sciences assistant dean, Howard university residence life, and Howard university counseling services. I asked if I could be housed on campus given that i had nowhere else to go and no resources, however no resources were identified for me, and the vice- president of student Affairs, Dr. Evers stated that the university isn’t just going to free me housing.

Being that I’m an international student, this means I’m in the United States legally only as a student which doesn’t allow me to work. This also means that I do not receive federal aid from the government, my tuition is paid for completely out of pocket. I was homeless from March 2021 up until August of 2021 and the university knew, but unless I had the money to pay there were not going to help me. My father stated that if I returned home, he would finance on campus living for me once the semester started. However after the lease was signed, he stated that he would not be taking on that responsibility and therefore refused to pay. I didn’t have anywhere else to go, & couldn’t break the lease so I moved in. I was housed in said apartment starting August 2021 up until now.

Monthly rent is approximately 1.8k including amenity fees, and I now owe my apartment complex 6 months of rent. Along with my 2021 fall semester tuition which is approximately 16k. Until i get these bills cleared I’m not able to register for classes, which means I’m not a student right now. I asked the office of internal students — Dr. Upbong, for help once again and he stated that it is not his responsibility to identify resources for me, and that I should “respect my father.” I asked the vice-president of student Affairs — Dr. Evers for help, and she stated that I have to pay, there’s no way around getting this hold lifted. I asked my father for help, and he stated that I was on my own.

As a Junior, I only 3 more semesters before i can get my degree. And I really need help to get to the finish line.