My name is Sophia Cave. I'm a transgender woman, a founder, and I'm asking for help.

Last week, I was arrested during a mental health crisis. I live with bipolar disorder, and I wasn't getting the care I needed. Instead of treatment, I got handcuffs. I spent over 15 hours in jail — as a trans woman. I don't want to describe what that was like. You can imagine.

Now I'm fighting for mental health diversion — a California program that says people with mental illness deserve treatment, not prison. To qualify, I need a psychiatric evaluation and a treatment plan. The evaluation costs money. The treatment costs more. And right now, my wife and I can barely afford to eat.

What happened:

I lost my job in March. A month later, without income or stability, I had a mental health episode and was arrested. I'm now facing charges that could be dismissed through mental health diversion — but only if I can get evaluated and into treatment before my court date on April 29.

What we need:

My wife and I both need mental health care. I need a psychiatric evaluation for court, and I need admission to Bayside Marin — a treatment center where I've been a patient before and where I feel safe as a trans person. Safe medical environments are not easy to find when you're transgender. Bayside is one of the few places I trust with my life.

My wife also needs mental health support. We're both struggling, and we're trying to hold each other up while the ground keeps moving.

Where the money goes:

- Psychiatric evaluation for court: $500

- Bayside Marin treatment (out-of-pocket with insurance): $8,000

- Mental health care for my wife: $2,000

- Rent (we're behind and at risk of losing our home): $4,000

- Food and basics while we stabilize: $1,500

- Legal and administrative costs: $1,000

- Emergency buffer: $3,000

Total goal: $20,000

Who I am:

I'm the founder of Like One, an AI education company that donates a percentage of all revenue to HIV cure research. I graduated from UC Berkeley. I've spent my career trying to build things that help people. Right now, I need people to help me.

I have my health insurance active through COBRA. I'm applying for disability benefits. I have a court date on April 29. I have a plan. What I don't have is money.

Why this matters beyond us:

Trans people are incarcerated at rates far higher than the general population. We're placed in facilities that don't match our gender. We face violence. We face denial of medical care. Mental health diversion exists so that people like me get treatment instead of punishment — but accessing it costs money that most of us don't have.

Every dollar you give doesn't just help me. It proves that the community shows up for its own.

Updates:

I'll post updates as things progress — the evaluation, treatment, court outcome. Full transparency.

Thank you for seeing me. Thank you for seeing us.

— Sophia Cave

Founder, Like One (likeone.ai)

Trans woman. Bipolar. Still here. Still fighting.