I’m writing this appeal on behalf of my dear friend Em and their young adult child Tegan, two amazing people who really deserve your support. Em is a deeply kind and caring person, a single parent who has been working themself to the bone to keep Tegan enrolled in college despite numerous personal, financial, physical and mental hardships over the past few years. Em was one of the first people to reach out to me to offer friendship and care during a period when I was severely isolated due to struggles with serious mental illness. Their kindness made such an impact on me—their friendship was a core reason I was able to move out of social isolation. That’s the kind of person Em is, a person who makes you feel safe even when you’re really struggling.

Tegan is a 19 year-old trans, autistic young adult with a bright and promising future in 2D animation, a passion and skill he’s been developing since he began making his first storyboards as a young child. I first met Tegan a few years ago when we bonded over a shared obsession with a particular TV show, and I was immediately impressed by how funny, insightful, and passionate he is. He just finished his first year at the Columbus College of Art and Design in a specialized program that involves four full years of technical training and intensive networking opportunities with animation studios. He already has strong design and animation skills and is receiving scholarships from CCAD to attend, but unfortunately, Tegan’s future at CCAD is in jeopardy. Tegan is receiving very generous grants that make his college dream possible, and still, there is currently a $17,000 gap between what his scholarships, grants and federal loans will cover and the tuition/housing costs for the 2026–2027 school year. The deadline to resolve the situation is urgent.

The bulk of Tegan's out-of-pocket college costs are being covered by their parent, Em. Em is, as I mentioned, a single parent who is queer, neurodivergent, and living with chronic illness. They come from a background of generational poverty. As a teen-parent they've dedicated their young adulthood and now early middle-life to providing a stable and supportive life for Tegan, while also managing to put themself through college, twice. Em does receive support from Tegan's other parent, but they are also in a moment of transition, moving across states to live with their grandparents who helped raise them, to care for them in old age, eventually aiding them in transitioning to a nursing home. A disruption in Tegan's college enrollment could severely affect his access to his current institutional grants, making returning an impossibility.

Em has been working extensive hours, often for 40-62 hours stretches, even as they struggle with chronic health issues and a mismatch between their job as a healthcare worker and their needs as a neurodivergent person. The stress has been deeply impacting Em’s physical and mental health and exacerbating their chronic health issues, leading to multiple emergency room visits and compounding medical debt. Two years ago Em and Tegan were forced to leave their home abruptly, resulting in Em taking on unexpected large debts at a time when Em was preparing to send Tegan to college. While sending a child to college is hard for almost anyone, that particular instance of instability is the catalyst to their current financial struggle.

And despite all of these struggles, Em has been doing everything they can to support Tegan and set him up for the best possible future. While Em can be approved for more debt, it is not something they can afford. And while the option of a payment plan exists with the college, payments would be nearly $1,700 a month. While the annual tuition gap is ~$17k, Em is only asking for $8,700; the cost of Tegan's fall semester.

That’s where you can help! Even the smallest donation can make a huge impact. In Em’s own words: “We're at a fragile place where a little support now will make huge impacts on our futures. My ability to grow in my career and potentially obtain my master’s. My kid's ability to study a skill he is quite literally obsessed with, and graduate without a crippling amount of debt.”

We are living through a difficult political and social moment, especially our trans friends and family. You can make a difference in the lives of two of our trans neighbors by supporting Tegan in chasing his dreams and helping both Tegan and Em to go from surviving to thriving!