<div>Hi, my name is Felicia. I am raising funds to support my journey in becoming a certified practitioner of Ablon Therapy.
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<div>Born and raised in California's Central Valley, I am the youngest daughter of Filipino immigrants from Ilocos Sur and Metro Manila. For many years, I have been driven to uphold an image of myself that I believed made my parents proud and would produce the greatest return on their sacrifices to provide a better life for their two daughters. Regrettably, that drive led me to pursue a college degree that was ultimately not meant for me. Dealing with the mental and emotional aftermath of dropping out and what that meant for my identity and my purpose in life was one of the most difficult challenges I have faced.
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<div>Thankfully, fate brought before me a career path I would have never thought of for myself: massage therapy. I have truly found work I love and am passionate about as a certified massage therapist. This passion was evident when the pandemic threatened to take my newfound career away — I was not only stressed about my income but also heartbroken at not knowing if I could return to my new profession. Now, fate intervenes again with <a href="https://www.kailukuan.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kailukuan School of Indigenous Science</a>. As an American-born Filipina whose primary language is English, I have looked for all the ways I can connect to my Filipino roots. Kailukuan teaches its curriculum from Ilocano traditions and knowledge. By enrolling in this program, I hope to connect deeper with my Ilocano roots and broaden my offerings as a manual therapist.
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<div>I know there are many great causes to direct your donations to but I hope you will consider contributing to my journey. It is my community that most inspires me and my community that I intend to give back to with this learning opportunity; so I hope it is within my community's capacity to support me while I do this necessary work.
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<div>I make a modest living as a Massage Therapist in San Francisco. The greatest financial challenge in participating in this program is having to be in the LA area for about 7 weeks as I complete the required in-person hours of training. During this time I cannot sustainably work because I will be in school Monday through Friday 10 am - 5 pm. While I am doing what I can to afford this and budget appropriately, I have to consider:
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<li>Program Tuition &amp; Supplies (~$4.5k)
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<li>Transportation and Accommodations for the in-person hours (upwards of $3k)
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<li>Necessities, mainly food (~$1.5k)
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<li>Usual expenses that cannot be paused while I'm away (rent, student loans, bills, etc.)
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<div>Realistically, all of this will cost me about $10,000 but I am only attempting to raise $6,000. Any amount raised will be put aside for any of the listed expenses for my program. If I am blessed enough to receive an excess of funds, I intend to put it towards expanding my breadth of knowledge and skill further with other adjunct therapies, funding my goal to offer sliding scale sessions to low-income individuals (including but not limited to students, educators, and activists), and/or donating to local non-profit health &amp; wellness organizations in the SF Bay Area and/or San Joaquin Central Valley.
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<div>If you would like to contribute offline, please message me to arrange that. I can accept transfers via Zelle, Ca$hApp, or Venmo. I'm also open to receiving gift cards for my gas fund.
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Kayla Brault

Anonymous

Henry Cardiel

Shayna Fertig

krystle simon

Geraldine Bermudez Callaghan

Dio-Ann Valmores

Rebecca Fleming

Amanda Nascimento

Sherylley Lomboy

Support Felicia's journey with Ablon Healing Arts

Support Felicia's journey with Ablon Healing Arts

Still $3,192 to go. Help us build momentum.