My name is Mercy Abolarinwa, and I am raising funds because my life was turned upside down after I was fired for speaking up about the microaggressions and discriminatory treatment I was experiencing at work. In the first week of June, everything changed. I went to HR to report the pattern of disrespect and mistreatment that had gone on for months. I believed they would help. I believed doing the right thing would protect me. Instead, I faced retaliation. I was terminated days later for telling the truth. I have worked with integrity all my life. I came to the United States legally for my master’s degree. I studied hard. I built a career in biochemical engineering. I followed every rule. I trusted that if I showed up and did my work, I would be safe. Nothing prepared me for the impact of losing my job because I spoke up. My employment was not just a paycheck. It was directly tied to my immigration process. Losing that job put my housing, my stability, and my future at risk. Since June, I have been displaced. Every dollar of my savings has gone toward trying to stay afloat while searching for new employment. It has not only been difficult to find a job, but even harder to find one willing to sponsor me. I am now fighting two battles at once: • The battle to stay housed • The battle to protect my immigration status and secure new employment I have filed a motion with the EEOC because what happened to me was wrong. I want to pursue justice. But fighting a legal battle requires stability. You cannot take on a company when you are choosing between rent and food. You cannot defend your rights when you do not know where you will sleep. I am raising US$10,000 to cover: • Legal fees related to my immigration case and wrongful termination • Temporary housing so I am not displaced while I search for a new job • Basic living expenses during this period of instability • Transportation, documentation fees, and consultations needed to protect my status I know the world is heavy right now. I know there are many things to be worried about. But this injustice is something that can happen to anyone. Many employers believe that immigrants have no support, no voice, and no protection. If this goes unanswered, they will do it again. To someone else’s friend. Someone else’s cousin. Someone else’s loved one. I am asking for your help so I can stay stable long enough to fight this the right way. Whether you donate, share, repost, or pray, I am deeply grateful. Thank you for helping me stand up for myself and fight for the justice I deserve.

 With gratitude,
Mercy