Support Ro's Survival and Healing

Dear friends and community:

I’m reaching out for support, as I find myself in an unforeseen difficult economic and emotional situation. After being at my job for over a year and a half, and being stably employed, I was suddenly fired from my job. The way my termination occurred was incredibly destabilizing especially because I was under the impression that I was actually up for a promotion at work. Additionally, my employer is denying me unemployment or severance due to my deciding to leave my job earlier than anticipated because of health reasons. With that said, I’ve decided not to pursue any legal battle for unemployment mostly due to the amount of emotional and physical energy it would require. I simply don’t have that energy to spare. Even though I know that my employer is denying me something I should be entitled to, even though I know what I am experiencing is directly connected to systemic violence that queer and trans people of color experience in the workplace on a daily basis.

Becoming suddenly unemployed has also put significant more strain on my health and mental health. For the past couple months, I’ve been feeling a particular strain and weight on my spirit but was coping because I had to. But I’ve hit a wall and I feel that if I keep going the way I am, just trying to survive day to day with no breathe in sight, that my spirit will become even more fractured and the pain even more unbearable. Basically, I feel like I need some time to rebuild myself and my resources so I can venture into this hard world slightly more stable and grounded. There is a part of me that feels that I don’t deserve this break, especially when so many other people don’t get them. We live in a world where there are so many oppressive systems in place designed to break our spirits and crush our humanity, and often we are left feeling that this is all we deserve. I’m trying really hard to remind myself that we deserve so much more. That caring for oneself is not self-indulgence but is deeply connected to our collective survival and liberation.

So I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and turn to my loved ones/friends/community for support. Being a working class, chronically ill, trans person of color with a single mom who is barely getting by means that I don’t really have any/much financial support to fall back on right now. I don’t have access to wealth, extended family support, or even significant savings. Basically this is it, which is why I’m trying to have the courage to ask for the support that I need right now because I know that I can’t get through this on my own. The support that I’m asking for is what I’ve estimated to be sufficient to help me with 2 months of rent + bills + food +go fund me fee that is deducted. My plan as of right now is to give myself about a month to rest and recover so that I can dive into looking for new, stable employment the following month. My hope is to be able to meet my fundraising goal by July 31st.

I know that looking for new employment will be another challenge in itself but I truly feel hopeful that I will be able to find something  great, especially if I allow myself some time to rest and heal. I’d be so deeply grateful for any support that you’re able to offer me. Even if you’re unable to offer me support, I’m so grateful that you’ve taken the time to read this and witness my struggle in this moment.

<3
Ro