Support Zara's College Dream

It has been a journey, hasn't it? Zara began her public/social transition at eight years old. We were working poor, living in a two-bedroom apartment with three kids, on food stamps, and barely making it from paycheck to paycheck. Once we shared what we were trying to navigate, we experienced family, friends, and total strangers stepping up to wrap us in care and love. The power of social media and community support helped us find a gender-affirming provider in Missouri (as there were none in Northwest Arkansas at the time), funded out-of-pocket expenses, and ensured Zara had what she needed.

The journey has not been easy--with attacks on the national political level, family members and friends abandoning us due to ideological disagreement around the dignity of LGBTQIA folks, and myriad challenges. Despite it all, we know that Zara could not be here healthy and well had it not been for so many of you who cared for her through the digital divide.

We are so pleased to share that Zara is about to turn 18 and she has been accepted into her first school of choice: a small culinary school in Philadelphia.

We know we made it to the "finish line" of getting her to young adulthood because of generosity, love, and justice. In celebration and in support, please consider contributing to Zara's college fund to ensure she has what she needs to start this next chapter of her journey secure.

Our conditions have improved, but with the attack on gender markers, etc., securing federal student aid for her is complicated at this time. We cannot afford to pay anything out of pocket for education and still live paycheck to paycheck, though we are no longer working poor. As so many of you have reached out to ask how you can support her/us in the face of her gender-affirming care being paused, we are sharing this GoFundMe.