Hello, there!

My name is Kit and my spouse (Andy) and I are moving to Aotearoa/New Zealand, and we need your help!

Some info about the both of us:

I’m Kit, a fat, nonbinary, trans-femme theatre practitioner who previously used political street art to protest evangelical preachers throughout the United States. I created the role of the “UCF Jedi,” where I would dress up as a Jedi preacher armed not with a lightsaber but the gospel of the “Jedi Path” as a means of diffusing tension and providing entertainment while evangelical ministers tried to tell my fellow students at the University of Central Florida that they would be condemned to hell for trivial things like being queer or wearing shorts. I used my skills in interactive performance to allow my audience to laugh at the absurdity of the situation rather than solely responding to bigots with rage or violence, thereby opening up conversations about dogmatic thought. My goal is to use interactive performance strategies to be able to sculpt around an audience to empower them to be an active participant in their own stories.

My spouse, Andy, is a nonbinary, trans-mass political scientist who previously taught anti-racism at Florida State University before being forced to leave due to the harassment from admins who did not support his curriculum. Since then, he has found numerous applications for his experience in political theory, including supporting organizations like Trans Asylias, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking, and Freedom Network, and has recently started his own nonprofit for assisting queer folks within the US to find ways to leave and go to safer, more accepting locations.

A few months ago, I had the privilege of getting accepted into New Zealand’s School of Drama: Toi Whakaari, where I will be earning a Masters in Creative Performance Practices, a multidisciplinary program focused on encouraging artists of all sorts to create, produce, and support decolonial performance art. I am ECSTATIC about this opportunity, as I myself have often struggled to find my footing within the context of US Theatre, which despite being a modern beacon of progress still struggles to break away from its own roots in colonialism and white supremacy.

Unfortunately, in order to be able to make it there, I not only have to pay for the full tuition of the program up front, but then have to have enough money left over in a bank account to show Immigration New Zealand that I can afford to support myself while on a Student Visa. On top of all of this are additional costs associated with travel not just for us but for our two cats, who are close to the only family we have left and have been a tremendous boon for our mental health. While other people I know have been fortunate enough to rely on their families, both Andy and I have abusive parents, and for our safety we are no longer able to speak to them or rely on them for any kind of support, which means we ostensibly have to pay out of pocket for all of these expenses.

That’s where you come in! By donating to our GoFundMe, you are helping two trans political activists get out of a series of unsafe situations so that we can create art and provide services to help other people get the help they need as well. Our fundraising goal is $50,000 USD, which will be enough to cover the tuition for the program, the extra costs for the student visa, as well as our travel to Aotearoa. This option also then allows for Andy to get an open work visa, allowing him to continue his nonprofit efforts and provide permanent stability going forward. Any additional funds that exceed our goal will be put towards Andy’s nonprofit with the explicit goal of paying for people’s passports to help them also get somewhere safe.

While financial support is always welcome, we’ll take whatever assistance you can provide! If you have any other suggestions for scholarships, side gigs, or connections to employers within Aotearoa, please let us know as well! Every dollar counts and every bit helps!

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider us, please donate today!