Hello. My name is Jade Brandt. I am an Albuquerque-based textile artist, seamstress and tailor. In addition to working with underground artists, galleries and in theater, I am also an Emmy award-winning seamstress and tailor with nearly 20 years of experience in the film industry. It is a job and passion that has taken me all over the world.

In January 2020, I bought a house and moved in a disabled family member who has since become my dependent. In June 2022, while working on a film project out of state, I contracted Covid. This developed into Long Covid and that forced me to end not only the project I was working on but my beloved film career practically overnight. Because of Long Covid, I developed a series of complications such as ME/CFS (a debilitating disease characterized by profound physical fatigue, weakness, and chronic pain), POTS (autonomic nervous system dysfunction that impacts my ability to regulate heart rate, digestion, body temp, blood pressure, and oxygen), MCAS (an immunological condition that causes inflammation that can mimic allergic reactions), PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a much more severe form of PMS), GERD (chronic acid reflux) and essentially a trash immune system. I am often house bound or bed bound for days, weeks or even months at a time.

Because of these chronic health conditions, working outside of my home is no longer an option. In 2023, I was forced to pivot on my career path and I started All Bodies Tailoring out of my home, which offers clothing alterations, tailoring, repair and bespoke services with a focus on underrepresented bodies in fashion, such as plus-sized, differently-abled, trans and aging bodies. I am so grateful to have my home studio. It enables me to continue to engage with the things that bring me joy as well as provides me a way to generate income that is compatible with the dynamic nature of my chronic illness and disability.

In late 2024, my homeowner’s insurance noticed staining on my roof. Upon investigating this, I discovered that my flat roof was not installed properly and this wasn’t noticed in my original inspection! A section of the roof was not graded and therefore collects multiple inches of water after heavy rains, which happens often in this desert climate. As 2025 has progressed, my roof has continued to be a seasonal pond and my health has worsened, leaving me with increased fatigue and severity of symptoms and unable to work. This is a disaster waiting to happen and it is a $7-10K fix, which I cannot afford at this time.

For the last five years, my home has been a safe place for 2 disabled adults and 1 small, super cute cat. I would like it to stay that way. It’s where I work and spend most of my time as I learn to navigate the hardest years of my life and adapt to this new body. It’s crucial to get this project funded to ensure that my sister and I remain safely housed in these times of so much crisis and uncertainty. If I can’t fix the roof before it fails, I run the risk of losing my homeowner’s insurance, which would lead to the loss of my mortgage agreement and potential foreclosure. Due to my chronic illness and disability, I am unable to make enough money to cover these repairs on my own.

Funds raised here would go towards:

- Removal of solar panels

- Removal of existing TPO roof

- Roof grading to ensure proper drainage and bring it up to code

- Installation of new TPO roof

- Reinstallation of solar panels

- Costs of higher utility bills in the interim

I’ve resorted to a few stopgap measures so far, such as getting the roof professionally cleaned so that my insurance won’t drop me and installing a pump system to get excess water off of it, but these are only temporary fixes. I appreciate any financial support that you can offer and thank you in advance!