Help support my MA in Publishing at UAL

Help Me Navigate This Dream I Never Thought Was Possible: The Goal to $5000

There are a lot of emotions going through me right now. It's like a cycle of excitement, crashing, depression, regret, then back to excitement.

Relocating in a month to London to begin an MA in Publishing - something I never thought I would be able to achieve - is happening, and you just have no idea where to start when things come at you full throttle. I'm very excited about this opportunity, but with this continuing cycle of emotions, it's just been difficult to enjoy it.

You think about one of the biggest things: money. That's the trouble with everything. The lack of it infiltrates our mind and prevents us from celebrating the wins because we think about what we don't have in order to press forward. We don't ask for help because we don't want to bother people, so we sit there and suffer.

Especially in 2025, when there are record numbers of unemployment, when people spend days looking for jobs only to find out the positions are fake or have already been filled, the last thing anyone wants to do is contribute to someone's move to London for school. Those are the thoughts that have gone through my head.

But here I am, asking anyway. Because sometimes you get way into your own way. The same advice you give others when you're in the position to give it, you fail to take. Your friends - true friends - will tell you that directly. They'll also add swear words just in case you planned on not hearing them.

They reminded me that people need assistance sometimes, and this is all okay. The great thing about community is that helping looks different. If people can't give, they'll share and send encouraging words to help you through, because those words do matter. Friends reminded me that there are people out there asking for money on promises they never intend to keep. I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for help because "we get by with a lil help from our friends."

I'm not asking for help while doing nothing myself. I took a job at everyone's favorite places, Trader Joe's - which is surprisingly a really great place to work and I've been enjoying it. This job has helped pay the bills at home and cover other minor expenses, but on a retail hourly salary, you really don't get much more than that. I'm doing everything I can on my end, but there's only so far that can stretch.

About This Journey:

I'll be pursuing an MA in Publishing at University of the Arts London, focusing on accessibility and design in art books and photobooks for blind and partially sighted readers. This is vital work that needs to be done - making visual art accessible to everyone, regardless of vision.

University of the Arts London is an industry school, which means lots of networking, hands-on learning, and growth in photography and printing. I have so many ideas brewing and cannot wait to organize and focus on them. I'm even planning to share the journey through a YouTube channel and blog (stay tuned for that).

Classes begin September 22nd, and I need to be there by September 15th. While I do have student loans approved, they won't be disbursed until the end of September - which creates this crucial gap where I need support to get established and survive those first weeks.

What Your Support Will Help With:

The $5000 I'm asking for will cover the essential costs of making this transition possible:

• Air travel to London in September - getting there is step one

• First installment of rent payment - securing housing so I have a place to land

• Downsizing and moving costs - the practical expenses of closing out life here

• Shipping essential items (clothes, books, household items) to London, plus the luggage and equipment that will travel with me on my flight

• Covering essentials during my first weeks - food, public transportation, bedding, and other necessities until my loan disbursement comes through

• Health-related costs - getting medical needs taken care of in the US, since it takes about a month to find a doctor in the UK

• Surprise academic costs - we've all had these happen in undergrad (books, class supplies, unexpected university fees), and studying abroad should be no different, right?

This support means I can focus on my studies and this incredible opportunity instead of scrambling to cover basics or going into even deeper debt before the program even starts.

Thank You

If you donate, share, listened to me explain why I couldn't do a GoFundMe, or encouraged me - thank you.

This dream feels impossible and inevitable all at once, and having people witness this journey and support it in whatever way they can means everything to me.

Check out my program I'll be studying, UAL Publishing Program

Check out my website: Portfolio

** If there is an option to leave an email address as a donor, please do, I would love to reach out to send a personal written post card (would need your address) or to just email a personal thank you.