Let LaLa Live
Donation protected
Hey all!
My name is LaLa, I am a black, queer, nonbinary, transracial adoptee. I am a local poet, writer, community organizer, facilitator, and teaching artist in Portland, Maine. I do work with a non-profit whose focus is restorative and transformative justice with my main focus being equity.
I also work with youth teaching poetry, and will be teaching a class this semester at Lewiston High School. I also facilitate reading groups with various communities through a local humanities organization. I have been a contributor to Black Girl in Maine, had a column with the Portland Phoenix, 'Unpacking the New Normal', and have been published Incomer Magazine, Sisu Magazine, Poliquads Magazine, and the Portland Press Herald's Sunday column 'Deep Water', and a few other publications. I started a poetry night to uplift the voices of black and brown queer & femme people of color called, BloodLetting, and was voted the Portland Phoenix's 'Best Poet of Portland 2018'.
I am raising money because I have been asked to leave my apartment. I had been planning on leaving before the winter, because my pup Eli is unable to live with cats, and it was a very confined space, leaving no room for me to stretch out or take up space in the apartment. The roommates I am currently living with decided that they want me to leave by the end of the month, taking away my power to have time to save and ease to find a good fit within my means.
I have found an apartment I love, owned by a fellow person of color, in a building with several other people of color (which is very important to me, and hitherto unheard of) and there is space for me to make a home with Eli and to stretch out, settle in, take up space and be.
I have had difficulty finding housing in Portland because I am continuing to take up space and ask for what I need and systems don't like that. I would love to have a space where I can set myself up for success.
Total move in costs are: $4140
I would love to reach half of that: $2070
The money contributed would serve as half of the move-in costs. It is a 2-bedroom unit, with a dining room, a living room, bathtub, and quirky kitchen! I have yet to find a roommate and would love for it to be a good fit. If I am able to raise the money, it would give me the time to search for a roommate who would be compatible with me, my pup, and my needs: ie a safe and comfortable space for me to exist with ease in all of my identities.
The ability to meet this goal would mean I would finally have a space to call home, a space to dream, and rest, and be. As it stands I am frayed and on edge and am unable to exhale, to rest, while trying to do deeply important work. This is not sustainable. Meeting this goal would allow me to have rest, rejuvenation, and ease.
I will be so appreciative of the community coming together to help me reach this goal. Housing is so important and I have been searching for a space which will allow me to be fully in myself. To have this dream realized would not only provide a space for me and my pup to live, but for lean into my capacity, dream, build, and grow.
Thank you so much for reading, sharing, and anything you are able to give.
Much love to you!
La
My name is LaLa, I am a black, queer, nonbinary, transracial adoptee. I am a local poet, writer, community organizer, facilitator, and teaching artist in Portland, Maine. I do work with a non-profit whose focus is restorative and transformative justice with my main focus being equity.
I also work with youth teaching poetry, and will be teaching a class this semester at Lewiston High School. I also facilitate reading groups with various communities through a local humanities organization. I have been a contributor to Black Girl in Maine, had a column with the Portland Phoenix, 'Unpacking the New Normal', and have been published Incomer Magazine, Sisu Magazine, Poliquads Magazine, and the Portland Press Herald's Sunday column 'Deep Water', and a few other publications. I started a poetry night to uplift the voices of black and brown queer & femme people of color called, BloodLetting, and was voted the Portland Phoenix's 'Best Poet of Portland 2018'.
I am raising money because I have been asked to leave my apartment. I had been planning on leaving before the winter, because my pup Eli is unable to live with cats, and it was a very confined space, leaving no room for me to stretch out or take up space in the apartment. The roommates I am currently living with decided that they want me to leave by the end of the month, taking away my power to have time to save and ease to find a good fit within my means.
I have found an apartment I love, owned by a fellow person of color, in a building with several other people of color (which is very important to me, and hitherto unheard of) and there is space for me to make a home with Eli and to stretch out, settle in, take up space and be.
I have had difficulty finding housing in Portland because I am continuing to take up space and ask for what I need and systems don't like that. I would love to have a space where I can set myself up for success.
Total move in costs are: $4140
I would love to reach half of that: $2070
The money contributed would serve as half of the move-in costs. It is a 2-bedroom unit, with a dining room, a living room, bathtub, and quirky kitchen! I have yet to find a roommate and would love for it to be a good fit. If I am able to raise the money, it would give me the time to search for a roommate who would be compatible with me, my pup, and my needs: ie a safe and comfortable space for me to exist with ease in all of my identities.
The ability to meet this goal would mean I would finally have a space to call home, a space to dream, and rest, and be. As it stands I am frayed and on edge and am unable to exhale, to rest, while trying to do deeply important work. This is not sustainable. Meeting this goal would allow me to have rest, rejuvenation, and ease.
I will be so appreciative of the community coming together to help me reach this goal. Housing is so important and I have been searching for a space which will allow me to be fully in myself. To have this dream realized would not only provide a space for me and my pup to live, but for lean into my capacity, dream, build, and grow.
Thank you so much for reading, sharing, and anything you are able to give.
Much love to you!
La
Organizer
LaLa Drew
Organizer
Portland, ME