Nereida's (SRS) Butterfly Fund
Donation protected
Dear Community,
Nereida is a BIPOC trans woman, artist, and organizer who works tirelessly for her community's liberation through art and activism. She is one of my best friends, and a beloved figure in Chicago. Nereida has an incredible vision and so much to offer, yet struggles daily with discrimination and debilitating gender dysphoria. She urgently needs our help to undergo SRS (sex-reassignment surgery).
I first met Nereida when she moved to Chicago from NYC in the summer of 2017. She came with two suitcases, very little money, and a dream to finish college at SAIC. What I didn’t know was that she was escaping many social and economic traumas: homelessness, domestic and sexual abuse, harassment, and lack of financial resources amongst other hardships. I didn’t know then because she was self assured and strong willed to the point where I only saw someone fiercely resilient. Over the next few years, I witnessed her create her own world in her art, friendships, and community at large, showing rare and powerful human strength. Recently she blossomed as an artist, and has done vital work on trans history, justice, and violence against Black trans women and sex workers of color. As she works towards upcoming gallery shows and museum exhibitions, these struggles have become almost unbearable.
SRS would give Nereida the inner peace she deserves to contribute important art and social justice projects to the world. Even though she is incredibly hard working, she doesn't have the means to do this herself, so it is our responsibility to uplift her and help make this dream come true.
The Ask
We are looking for public support as Nereida pursues SRS to complete her transition. This cost also includes gender affirmative care like electrolysis for hair removal. All of the funds will go towards surgery costs, consultation fees, travel, and recovery support. Nereida has Medicare insurance, but there are no viable SRS surgery options in the state of Illinois, so she has chosen to get SRS with a trusted surgeon in Thailand.
To support Nereida directly:
Cashapp: $materialpublishing
Venmo: @materialpublishing
Paypal:
From Nereida
Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for your support and reading this far. Asking for help is really hard for me!
I’m someone who has made my way into this world myself and overcome a lot of struggles to get to the place I am today. Beyond everyday hoops, living with genital dysphoria has been an intense, daily struggle. Most days it feels like I am treading water and doing everything I can to stay afloat, but am watching my own life pass by incomplete.
SRS and gender-affirming surgery is both a “freedom dream” and life saving procedure that will not only create physical safety for me in my daily life, but also remove a powerful physical barrier that is blocking my ability to grow and live my life happily. Unfortunately, as someone who has been supporting themselves since age 16, as a survival sex worker, and marginally employed BIPOC artist, it is something that's currently impossible without community support. I'm asking for your help as I realize this lifelong dream, and faith that I will come out on the other side doubly resilient and committed to Black trans futurehood.
Follow Nereida on Instagram for Updates
Header photo by Chelsea Ross @queenofhaerts
Nereida is a BIPOC trans woman, artist, and organizer who works tirelessly for her community's liberation through art and activism. She is one of my best friends, and a beloved figure in Chicago. Nereida has an incredible vision and so much to offer, yet struggles daily with discrimination and debilitating gender dysphoria. She urgently needs our help to undergo SRS (sex-reassignment surgery).
I first met Nereida when she moved to Chicago from NYC in the summer of 2017. She came with two suitcases, very little money, and a dream to finish college at SAIC. What I didn’t know was that she was escaping many social and economic traumas: homelessness, domestic and sexual abuse, harassment, and lack of financial resources amongst other hardships. I didn’t know then because she was self assured and strong willed to the point where I only saw someone fiercely resilient. Over the next few years, I witnessed her create her own world in her art, friendships, and community at large, showing rare and powerful human strength. Recently she blossomed as an artist, and has done vital work on trans history, justice, and violence against Black trans women and sex workers of color. As she works towards upcoming gallery shows and museum exhibitions, these struggles have become almost unbearable.
SRS would give Nereida the inner peace she deserves to contribute important art and social justice projects to the world. Even though she is incredibly hard working, she doesn't have the means to do this herself, so it is our responsibility to uplift her and help make this dream come true.
The Ask
We are looking for public support as Nereida pursues SRS to complete her transition. This cost also includes gender affirmative care like electrolysis for hair removal. All of the funds will go towards surgery costs, consultation fees, travel, and recovery support. Nereida has Medicare insurance, but there are no viable SRS surgery options in the state of Illinois, so she has chosen to get SRS with a trusted surgeon in Thailand.
To support Nereida directly:
Cashapp: $materialpublishing
Venmo: @materialpublishing
Paypal:
From Nereida
Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for your support and reading this far. Asking for help is really hard for me!
I’m someone who has made my way into this world myself and overcome a lot of struggles to get to the place I am today. Beyond everyday hoops, living with genital dysphoria has been an intense, daily struggle. Most days it feels like I am treading water and doing everything I can to stay afloat, but am watching my own life pass by incomplete.
SRS and gender-affirming surgery is both a “freedom dream” and life saving procedure that will not only create physical safety for me in my daily life, but also remove a powerful physical barrier that is blocking my ability to grow and live my life happily. Unfortunately, as someone who has been supporting themselves since age 16, as a survival sex worker, and marginally employed BIPOC artist, it is something that's currently impossible without community support. I'm asking for your help as I realize this lifelong dream, and faith that I will come out on the other side doubly resilient and committed to Black trans futurehood.
Follow Nereida on Instagram for Updates
Header photo by Chelsea Ross @queenofhaerts
Organizer and beneficiary
Johanna Trejo
Organizer
Chicago, IL
Nereida Patricia
Beneficiary