Somebody told me they would donate to my journey of getting braces but didn’t have a place to donate. My name is Dailahntae and this is not an easy thing for me to share but I’m learning that sometimes healing begins when we speak up for ourselves.

I didn’t grow up with my birth parents. I was raised by someone I call my custodian, she took me in and gave me a roof, meals, and safety when life had already handed me more than my fair share of struggle. I wasn’t her biological child, but she did her best. She had her own children, and when it came time for braces, she could only afford them for her kids. I don’t hold that against her. I’m deeply grateful that she even cared for me at all.

But the truth is: I've always struggled with how my teeth look. I've learned to smile with my lips closed, to laugh with my hand over my mouth, and to avoid mirrors when I can. People sometimes don’t realize how something as “small” as a smile can shape the way you move through the world. For me, it's been a quiet weight for years.

Getting on my feet has been difficult. I’ve spent time in institutional settings, and navigating life from that place makes progress slow. I’m not asking for donations as a handout I’m asking from a place of psychological healing. For me, braces aren’t just about straight teeth. They represent a piece of normalcy I never had, and a chance to feel proud of the way I present myself to the world. A chance to feel seen.

This fundraiser is about more than fixing my teeth it’s about giving me one small, powerful step toward the confidence and dignity that so many people take for granted. I want to finally smile without holding back. I want to walk into a room and not wonder what people are thinking. I want to show up fully at job interviews, in relationships, and in life with a smile that feels like mine.

If you’ve ever had someone believe in you when you couldn’t believe in yourself, or if you know what it’s like to want something so simple and human then I hope you’ll consider helping. Every little bit brings me closer to something I’ve been waiting for my entire life.

Thank you for reading this. Thank you for seeing me.

With gratitude,

Dj