Urgent Relief for a Trans Man Fleeing DeSantis

Hello, my name's Michael and I was forced to flee my home in Florida—without sufficient funds—due to the unjust and dangerous situation governor Ron DeSantis has put transgender people like myself in. After face-to-face threats that left me fearful I'd become a victim of a hate crime, I knew I needed to leave as soon as possible.

As a long time Costco employee, I was able to find a transfer opportunity in Kirkland, a suburb of Seattle, Washinton. Upon arrival to Seattle, a city where I was hopeful for safety and acceptance, I was scammed out of $1,500 by someone who had promised me and my cat an affordable place to live.

To put it simply, I need to aquire $3,000 before May 22nd—the day I start my new job in Kirkland—in order to pay for an extended stay hotel. This will hold me over (in terms of a place to live) until around July or August, when I'd hopefully be able to move in with a friend I've made.

I was depending on the original housing opportunity so I could have a roof over my head while I worked to be able to continue living there. The police were unable to help me get my money back, and now my cat and I are facing homelessness. I have a rapidly depleting amount of money set aside that I now need to use to feed myself and my cat Dylan. I won't be able to live with myself if I'm no longer able to provide for Dylan, the only thing that's keeping me going.

This morning (5/18/23) I had to leave the motel I'd been staying in. I'm not sure where I'll be sleeping tonight. This whole situation has been weighing heavily on my mental health, which has been something I've struggled with for the majority of my life.

Moving to Seattle was supposed to be a dream come true for me. This was supposed to be a safe place for me to embrace my identity and feel at home among similar people. Everything was supposed to go smoothly. I was supposed to be happy.

Though I'm grateful to be anywhere but Florida, there's no way I'll be able to thrive if I don't even know whether or not I'll have a roof over my head. I'm scared—not only for myself, but for Dylan as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I understand and respect if you're unable to donate—I just ask that you help spread the word so that Dylan and I can have somewhere safe to stay.