Help us recover from a life-threatening incident
Donation protected
Who we are:
Maya, Sentura, and Mounia and three Black queer friends who tried to build a home together in Oakland, California. Maya is from Sacramento and is a teaching artist, cooperative worker-owner, and home cook. Sentura is from Oakland and is a student and youth educator. Mounia is from the South Bay and is a writer and baker.
What happened:
Earlier this August, only two-months into a year-long lease, our lives were threatened and endangered by our fourth housemate. We were physically attacked, our home and belongings were destroyed, and we were forced to make incredibly quick decisions to ensure that we survived the night. This was a life or death situation that we were not at all prepared to navigate, and we are nothing but lucky to have moved through that night and the weeks that have followed with no major injuries or deaths. Thankfully, we are all alive but we are not well. As black queer people who have previously had their lives endangered in domestic spaces, we are extremely triggered and hella traumatized.
Our former housemate’s violence and refusal to take responsibility made it clear that we had to find new living situations immediately, leaving us struggling and houseless. Two of us have been forced to immediately relocate to the East Coast (Sentura and Maya), and one of us (Mounia) has remained in Oakland. We are now scrambling to secure stable housing, therapy, employment, health care, and interim living funds. We have not had time to be still and process everything we experienced in the past two months, let alone begin to recover because we simply do not have the means to do so.
What we need:
Asking for community support feels difficult, because we know we ain’t the only ones going THROUGH IT. However we are at our wits end and need communal support now more than ever.
This experience has shown us that in order to get well, we must move beyond survival into recovery and healing. We need monetary donations for housing security and health care. Sentura and Maya are currently houseless and have been staying in an Airbnb for the past month, so this fund gathering is particularly time-sensitive. Therapy for us all is an immediate priority. We ask that ya’ll do what you are able to do or have access to. If you can donate, please do! Regardless we ask that you share with ya people and those you can reach.
You can donate via GoFundMe, as well as cashapp and Venmo
Cashapp: $canonniere
Venmo: Mounia-oneal
What these funds will be used for:
-- Securing short-term and long-term housing (Sentura and Maya have housing options within reach, but lack the funds to secure a home with a deposit)
-- Essentials (groceries and living expenses)
-- Paying for medical expenses (e.g. medical prescriptions, treatment for chronic pain) trauma informed therapy for the each of us
-- Winter-ready clothing for Maya and Sentura
As we commit to this journey of healing and recovery, we will be updating this page with the steps we are able to take with this funding!
Maya, Sentura, and Mounia and three Black queer friends who tried to build a home together in Oakland, California. Maya is from Sacramento and is a teaching artist, cooperative worker-owner, and home cook. Sentura is from Oakland and is a student and youth educator. Mounia is from the South Bay and is a writer and baker.
What happened:
Earlier this August, only two-months into a year-long lease, our lives were threatened and endangered by our fourth housemate. We were physically attacked, our home and belongings were destroyed, and we were forced to make incredibly quick decisions to ensure that we survived the night. This was a life or death situation that we were not at all prepared to navigate, and we are nothing but lucky to have moved through that night and the weeks that have followed with no major injuries or deaths. Thankfully, we are all alive but we are not well. As black queer people who have previously had their lives endangered in domestic spaces, we are extremely triggered and hella traumatized.
Our former housemate’s violence and refusal to take responsibility made it clear that we had to find new living situations immediately, leaving us struggling and houseless. Two of us have been forced to immediately relocate to the East Coast (Sentura and Maya), and one of us (Mounia) has remained in Oakland. We are now scrambling to secure stable housing, therapy, employment, health care, and interim living funds. We have not had time to be still and process everything we experienced in the past two months, let alone begin to recover because we simply do not have the means to do so.
What we need:
Asking for community support feels difficult, because we know we ain’t the only ones going THROUGH IT. However we are at our wits end and need communal support now more than ever.
This experience has shown us that in order to get well, we must move beyond survival into recovery and healing. We need monetary donations for housing security and health care. Sentura and Maya are currently houseless and have been staying in an Airbnb for the past month, so this fund gathering is particularly time-sensitive. Therapy for us all is an immediate priority. We ask that ya’ll do what you are able to do or have access to. If you can donate, please do! Regardless we ask that you share with ya people and those you can reach.
You can donate via GoFundMe, as well as cashapp and Venmo
Cashapp: $canonniere
Venmo: Mounia-oneal
What these funds will be used for:
-- Securing short-term and long-term housing (Sentura and Maya have housing options within reach, but lack the funds to secure a home with a deposit)
-- Essentials (groceries and living expenses)
-- Paying for medical expenses (e.g. medical prescriptions, treatment for chronic pain) trauma informed therapy for the each of us
-- Winter-ready clothing for Maya and Sentura
As we commit to this journey of healing and recovery, we will be updating this page with the steps we are able to take with this funding!
Organizer
Sentura Cruz
Organizer
Oakland, CA
