<div><em>[looking at the picture above reminds me of when I thought I could hold it together, I could weather it all alone while being delusional about my declining health and hair loss. But I was keeping myself in delulu land for survival.]</em>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My name is Peace Zodanou and I'm a Black, queer, [insert more marginalization here] writer and mom.
</div>
<div>Just recently I told someone that asking strangers for money is so embarrassing I'd rather die. Well, it turns out that when you do a web search for how to unalive yourself, at the top of the result page is a number to call. And talk to someone.
</div>
<div>While I didn't call to talk to anyone, I was so surprised it drew a bitter laugh out of me.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>What's going on</strong>
</div>
<div>TLDR - Last summer I got laid off from my job and less than a month later my marriage ended. Fast forward to now, the co-parent is moving out and leaving me with the kids and a mortgage. I have a new job that pays less than what I used to earn and I need help with utilities and living expenses for the rest of this year.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Long version - Last summer I got laid off from my job through no fault of my own. My guess is the company did what most companies do in the US. Cut a position here and place it overseas. I'm pretty sure that was my case because when I started sending out applications I came across the exact position I used to hold at that company within the same week I was laid off, except it was based out of the US.
</div>
<div>Losing my job was the straw that finally broke the camel's back when it comes to my marriage. It was already deteriorating but I was doing what I was raised to do, try everything in my power to fix things and hold it together for the kids, especially since I was the one constantly blamed for "how things got here".
</div>
<div>I lost my job and realized fixing my marriage or trying to make it work wasn't worth taking an anti-nausea tablet with every meal so I don't throw up after one bite. Fixing my marriage wasn't worth the bald spots on my head. So I said I was done.
</div>
<div>Fast forward to now. I'm three months into a new job that pays less. The co-parent who earns way more than I do is moving to their new place. The amount they determined they can contribute as child support is not nearly enough. Every interaction with this person is triggering to me even when civil. A lawyer, this gofundme and a new job, will help streamline and finalize everything, hopefully this year.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>What I need</strong>
</div>
<div>My entire check after I make payments to credit card debt is going to the mortgage.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This is how you'll be helping me:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With 800 dollars a month I can manage utilities and living expenses for the kids, not including emergencies, not including my needs.
</div>
<div>800 dollars for May-December is 6400 US dollars.
</div>
<div>I need money to cover fees for an LGBTQIA friendly law firm to handle divorce paperwork and such. That's an additional 2800 US dollars.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>What I'm doing</strong>
</div>
<div>I've reached out to people I trust in the writing community for help before setting up this gofundme.
</div>
<div>I'm juggling two writing projects in hopes of getting them ready for a simultaneous submission.
</div>
<div>I pushed my health issues to the side because I can't afford them and can only hope the Universe will be kind enough to keep this body functioning for a long while.
</div>
<div>I'm applying to jobs that pay better than my current one.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>But Peace why can't you x,y,z?</strong>
</div>
<div>I don't have a support system here. I'm a naturalized immigrant and the only family I have here is so emotionally abusive we're no contact.
</div>
<div>My mom says I should not get a divorce. Nobody want their child, their first born to become a pariah. And I bet she doesn't want the shame and disgrace either.
</div>
<div>My dad, well let's not even.
</div>
<div>My in-laws ignored my plea for help. I get it.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>If you can't donate but want to help</strong>
</div>
<div>Please share this with your circle. I feel like throwing up as I'm typing this, but at least I can say "I tried that too".
</div>
<div>If you know of any opportunity to audition for IP work reach out to me on BlueSky for my agent's contact.
</div>
<div>I can't take on another 9-5 job because I don't have anyone who will step in for me when it comes to my children. The last thing I need right now is to be accused of being a negligent parent.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If you've read this far, thank you and I hope you won't judge me too harshly for begging for money.
</div>

Anonymous

Rebecca Villarreal

Karen Hallam

Elizabeth Anderson

Peace's Journey: Overcoming Job and Marriage Loss

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

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Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

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OneTrust next-app audience

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desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

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checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

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EUR Donation Upsell

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fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

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fallback mode accounts

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Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

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Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

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Influencer - Prod

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New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

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Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

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CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

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iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Peace's Journey: Overcoming Job and Marriage Loss

Still $3,120 to go. Help us build momentum.