I’m Chinyce (he/she/they), and my Black Butch Gay Grandma, Debi, is being kicked out in less than 48 hours from her room she’s been living in, on and off, for seven years in Sacramento, by a family member due to an abusive family dispute. Debi has nowhere to go, and I am a broke college student in Berkeley who can not afford to find her a temporary home.

Debi is a 70+ year old feisty and independent Black butch gay grandma on Social Security Income (SSI) who loves talking about her ancestry, Civil Rights, and Black history. She is outspoken against the current administration and has a long history in activism, fighting for marriage equality back in the early 2000s and weed legalization in California. She’s also a lifelong National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) member. Back in the day, Debi went to Laney College, Oakland, as a full-time student studying Drama. To this day, she still has a love for art and theater, with one of her favorite plays being Hamilton. Debi also underwent heart surgery earlier this year, and her mobility has been impacted. Moreover, the current government shutdown is impacting her ability to get food stamps and receive benefits.

I, Chinyce, am a financially independent low-income college student studying Film and Interdisciplinary Studies. I’m passionate about disability justice and using art, specifically film, to create a radically accessible and interdependent community. I’m currently working on my film, Beyond Words, a decolonization, disability justice-centered space adventure. In my free time, find myself catching up on a good book or going on a leisurely bike ride, if I’m not running to class.

The funds that we collect will cover: