Support Our Family's Brave Journey

As I sit here looking around our almost bare apartment, I wonder, where do I start to explain why we need this money. Do I start with two and a half years ago when we had to flee for safety the first time? Or, talk about all the hate there is in the world that is threatening my children's safety? Better yet, why don't I start with the fact that one of my children is trans and one is nonbinary.

I have 3 children; one came out as transgender 3 years ago. After which, we fled from our very conservative state to one that is considered to be safe for people who are trans. Since fleeing here, my youngest has come out as nonbinary. I love my kids for who they are and will always support them in all they do. But the country we live in does not and is now seeking to erase them and their community from existence. So, once again we are fleeing. This time to another country.

I had hoped that it would not come to this. But, as I sat and watched the election results come in, fear set in. My children were no longer safe here. I cried. I gave myself time to grieve that night for all we would be losing once again. We would once again have to leave our home, our friends, and our new chosen family. The next morning when my kids woke up, I informed them of the results, and they cried.

Since that day, we have been pushing forward to leave for safety once more. We have been purging the house of all our belongings. Everything is either being sold, given away, thrown away, or packed. We have 8 boxes of belongings that a friend will ship to us later, and the clothes in our suitcases that we are taking with us. That is all. Everything else has been gotten rid of.

In addition to this, I have been working 10+ hours a day trying to ensure we have all the funds we need to leave, as well as trying to locate a new apartment for us and employment for me after we move. I am mentally and physically exhausted. I have tried to do this all on my own, but we are getting down to the wire and time is running out.

We need help, I am so beyond stressed. All of this has not been easy or cheap. While keeping up with our monthly bills, I have also: bought passports and tickets, the supplies needed to pack up what we are keeping to have it shipped to us. Expenses still left to cover before we leave are: hiring someone to come get the big furniture and dump it, a rental car to drive to the airport, a hotel near the airport the night before we fly out, a rental car when we get there, security deposit and first month's rent on a new place to live. Then, I will have to pay to have our things shipped to us.

We greatly appreciate each donation we receive, no matter how big or small it is. Every little bit helps, and we are beyond grateful.