In October, I will be relocating to Canada to begin a Bachelors in Fine Arts. As a first-gen, low-income, transmasc student who has struggled throughout their school years with undiagnosed autism, I never believed I would have the resources or the skills to make going to college a reality. However I have been lucky enough to have found a community of people who are helping encourage me to take the steps I need to in order to create a future where my dreams are possible. The biggest hurdle in my path forward has been how I am going to afford it.

Ever since I can remember I have always dreamed of going to college, I used to ask my mom all sorts of questions about when she attended for a short time. She never graduated but she did manage to find herself a cozy I.T. job for a nice company for a solid 10 years. During the 11th year this company replaced her team with an AI program and fired them all. My family (my mother, 2 younger brothers, and me) very quickly fell into poverty around the time I graduated high school so I let my dream fall away to instead pick up working overnight shifts in order to help my mom pay the rent.

It's been two years since then and during that time I continued to study and make art. I have held down a full time job as well as a second part time one in order to put money in a college fund. But with the state my family was in I haven’t been able to save much and I very quickly realized I would not have enough to cover the costs without support.

I made this fundraiser in hopes of covering the tuition fees. This cost does not include the funds I need in order to be considered for immigration and the cost of living when I arrive, which I am currently working 2 jobs to raise the money for.

If you are able to contribute anything at all, great or small, I would be eternally grateful.

The raised funds will go toward:

Tuition Fees (17 184 CAD$)

Student Fees (930 CAD$)

Administration Fee (1 450 CAD$)

Medical and Dental (1 000 CAD$)

Books and Supplies (1 280 CAD$)

Living Expenses (4 000 CAD$)

Shipping & Travel (2 000 CAD$)

Total 27 844 CAD$

20 389 USD$