While I am saddened that a friend, and true soldier for the LGBTQIA+ Community is in need of our mutual aid, I am proud to introduce you to someone who is beyond deserving of our support during a challenging time in their path. Jason is a true community builder - someone who gives of themselves to any and all needed work to uplift and support his neighbors. That is why, in a time like this, their neighbors must show up to uplift and support him.

Please read the following message from Jason, and then I ask that you contribute whatever you are able to in order to support my friend! Thank you for showing up for someone who forever shows up for everyone else.

Hi! My name is Jason (they/them) I live in Brooklyn, I am a social worker, working in the foster care system, and I am a leader and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community in NYC. I recently have been faced with an unfortunate infestation of bed bugs in my apartment. It has been an absolutely petrifying process and traumatizing experience since discovering them on my bed. I had to act fast and make decisions on how to handle resolving the problem before it got worse. As unsurprising as it is dealing with landlords in NYC, my landlords were less than cooperative in communicating effectively and providing essential details of what actions will be taken and when a treatment for the bed bugs would happen once I had plans for my cat, Waylon, to be out of the apartment and for myself to have plans on where to stay as well in the interim.

They even insinuated retaliation for calling 311 for their lack of timely responsiveness in addressing the urgent matter. This resulted in me making the choice of hiring my own exterminator to ensure that it was handled in the best possible way, while also knowing the huge expense this whole process would be, and the financial burden I am now faced with.

For anyone who has had the misfortune of having to live through a bed bug infestation, or knows someone who has, you know what a nightmare this is. I’ll never hear the expression “don’t let the bed bugs bite” the same way ever again. I had to throw away a great deal of my clothing, special things and then had to deal with the likelihood of replacing a great deal of my furniture. All of this happened while living out of bags for the next month, and having to deal with all of my existing expenses for the month.

I almost never ask for help, but I find myself in a position that I could have never imagined, and realize that I am in a huge struggle to get out of it. Any and all support will be a huge difference, and it is extremely meaningful to me and getting through this challenging time. From the bottom of my heart, I truly and humbly say thank you and much love to the community support and love that I am grateful to receive!