Dayjah Jenkins, a Black trans woman in Kentucky, is preparing for her release after eight years in prison. When she steps back into the world this October, she'll have no clothes, no phone, no transportation, and few of the basic necessities needed to rebuild a life. What she does have is the determination to start over, along with the support of a few family members and the community we're working to build around her.

I've been corresponding with Dayjah, along with a few other incarcerated trans women, over the past several months. These relationships have reminded me that community doesn't - and shouldn’t - end at prison walls; we have the ability (and the responsibility) to remain connected to people who have been separated from their communities and to support them as they return home. Many of my neighbors, co-workers, and their families have been impacted by incarceration, and I've seen how deeply it affects individuals, families, and entire communities.

Supporting people who are marginalized can't just be rhetorical or ideological. It can't exist only on our social media feeds or on our ballots. It also means showing up in material ways when people need support the most. For Dayjah, that means helping her secure the basic essentials she'll need as she begins this next chapter.

Our goal is to raise $5,000 to help Dayjah secure the essentials she needs after release: clothing, a phone, transportation, food, identification documents, housing costs, and other basic necessities that will help her begin rebuilding her life with dignity. If we exceed our goal, any additional funds will help cover ongoing living expenses, healthcare, employment-related costs, and other unforeseen reentry needs.

Your contribution will help provide clothing, a phone, transportation, and other necessities that will make Dayjah's transition home more stable and dignified. Every donation is also a reminder that she is not returning to the world alone.

Please join me in welcoming Dayjah home. If you're able, donate to help meet her immediate needs, and consider supporting local organizations working toward Black liberation, trans justice, and successful reentry for formerly incarcerated people.