I am a trans woman living in the most dangerous city for pedestrians in my state, in a country where attacks on trans health care are escalating fast. I need help purchasing a vehicle. Here are some basics.

On Monday, I learned that my transmission is scrap. So, after serving me well for more than 6 and a half years and reaching more than 290,000 miles, my truck "Malissa" has passed into the next life. While I knew this day would arrive eventually, it is crushing to have this happen after having this year poured $2,500 into repairs that had her running better than ever - until she very much wasn't. And, of course, on a mostly petsitting/ dog walking income, my savings are now much depleted.

This comes at a time when trans gender affirming health care is under attack across the country, including in North Carolina. As a safeguarding measure, I was also trying to save up for my orchiectomy procedure that is set to occur in January.

There's no way around it. I'm going to need to raise money.

While I still have some savings, $5,000 will be a good starting place to find a reliable vehicle to get me to and from my gigs, pick up groceries, and access healthcare while also gaining some stability before my procedure (which is sure to also require substantial resources, even with insurance).

If you know me, you know that I've put a lot of myself into building community in Asheville since moving here in 2015. For years, that meant volunteering as a core member of Asheville's chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice. I then made a transition to writing articles for the leftist local media co-op the Asheville Blade starting in 2019.

I was on the ground for the Blade on Christmas night in 2021 when Asheville police arrested me and a fellow Blade reporter (who is also trans) for reporting on the sweeping of a homeless camp. Our lawsuit regarding press freedom violations is ongoing.

In recent years, I have faced a variety of health challenges and have needed to shift up how I do both journalism and community care. But I still show up, and I dearly hope to continue to be able to do so. Having a functioning vehicle in the most dangerous city for pedestrians in my state is essential. Help me find and afford a quality vehicle that will get me through this time!