Raviah is a beloved personal friend and valued community member on X (Twitter) Spaces. He’s a Black queer youth with a passion for social work and a gentle, thoughtful, and sensitive person who wants to pursue a career as a professional social worker. He’s gotten a degree and has a job in his current location.

Sadly, Raviah needs to leave his current country because of an immigrant removal order (effective January). By the end of the month, he will need to purchase international airfare to a new country.

Raviah’s “home” country is not just unsafe, but deadly, and there is mounting evidence from human rights groups documenting this. His current country of residence is not sympathetic to asylum claims from his home country because of white supremacy.

In addition to airfare, Raviah needs guidance identifying the countries most likely to grant asylum to LGBTQ+ people who face persecution in his country of origin.

Unfortunately, Raviah lacks familial support because of his identity. He is working on building a network of supportive friends so he can be safe and secure in his pursuit of belonging.

Despite being an unaccompanied queer youth in a foreign country without family support, Raviah earned a degree and is currently employed. His employer vouched for him in a recommendation letter for a scholarship in New Zealand. Impressively, Raviah won the grant to a social work program at a university in New Zealand!

However, in order to redeem the invitation to NZ, Raviah must show proof that he possesses the remainder of an entire year's worth of tuition, minus the grant, which is still a sizable amount short of his current bank account balance.

With help, Raviah will be able to resettle again and be on a route towards legal asylum. As his friend, I am currently trying to help Raviah select a safe destination where he will be able to obtain employment and/or continue his education in social work while he pursues legal status.

Raviah is an excellent communicator and a gentle, sensitive person who will excel in the field of social work. He’s a thoughtful and caring friend who deserves safety, security, and a future where he gets to apply these aspects of himself to help others navigate challenges like the ones he has already overcome.

Please think of Raviah this holiday season and tell his story to others. With your generosity, it can be one with a happy ending in which Raviah realizes his goals in a new place where he belongs.

-Ruth @rooflesser “Landless”