If you’ve ever had the pleasure of working with or knowing Jessie, you know that she’s a FIGHTER. Fierce in her passion, vision, and work ethic, Jessie embodies strength and fire. Your palate may have been forever elevated by eating her brilliant meals bursting with flavor, creativity, and love; your life’s most treasured moments may have been captured by her connected and caring eye behind the camera; you may have experienced transcendence while dancing to her other-worldly DJ beats; or perhaps you’ve had the deep honor of being known by her in friendship…but what you may not know is that she has been battling an often debilitating, chronic, excruciatingly painful autoinflammatory physical condition known as Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) for the past eight years.

Behind those stunning eyes and vibrant smile, Jessie has been battling the physical, mental, and financial war that is unrelenting pain. A wealth of creative potential, promises, and plans, Jessie is on the cusp of professional excellence that will undoubtedly elevate the collective and we’ve never needed her gifts and talents like we do in the US in 2025. Tragically and unjustly, Jessie is struggling to meet her financial and medical needs due to systems and structures out of her control, to include rising insurance and living costs, a general lack of understanding of her day-to-day physical limitations amongst potential employers, and increasing bigotry. Simply put, she is working her ass off through excruciating pain just to survive and that’s unacceptable…for any human and especially for someone who so passionately and excellently carries abundant medicine that we all need to thrive.

Will you join me in collectively caring to help seal up holes created by our current societal realities? Specifically, Jessie needs $30,000 to cover the costs of surgery she needs before the end of the year, living expenses while she recovers, and chef equipment to help propel her culinary career upon healing.

Deep, heartfelt gratitude for any bit of financial support you can provide. Times are tough right now for many of us, so a HUGE thank you for your compassionate generosity!