Hey y’all. A lot of you have been asking, “Ace, I want to help you. YOU, specifically. What can I do?”

My answer in our current US climate is that I need funding. There are a few things that I’m waiting to purchase for my anonymity, health, and safety because, well: I’m broke.

Some of you know that last year during March and April, I made next to no money because of the insurance hack of the company that process the claims of UNHC and BCBS, the only two insurances that my job takes and that I am paid through. Nearly all of my clients dropped, as they couldn’t pay out of pocket and wait until insurance business resumed as usual to be reimbursed. (Just so you understand—imagine being 21 years old, in college with grants, no parental support—and then you’re asked to pay two hundred dollars up front, every week, in order to continue the care you’ve received for the past year. And maybe, MAYBE you’d get that money back after you file the paperwork, and in three or four months. In short: a fucking nightmare for all involved).

Despite the help of my parents (yes, plural—and let me be clear that my father’s support was very limited and with extreme judgement, and that my mom’s generosity, as usual and consistent with her character, as unlimited as possible within reason), this created a ripple effect of falling behind on my bills. And, as an unfortunate bonus, I’m now in need of a few things I’d consider “nice to have since <gestures at the US and points at self>”

The money I receive will go towards bolstering my anonymity and safety, as well as my physical and mental health. I think many of you will understand and appreciate my being vague, here.

For specifics that I’m comfortable to list: I need help to cover a dental device to help my recently diagnosed mild sleep apnea; my pup Rookie needs his flea and tick meds as well as a vet visit for his Lyme disease and more testing for a heart murmur we’re keeping an eye on; and to help pay for repairs in the unit below mine for the water damage from my shower pipes. (Full disclosure, my mom is also trying to help cover this, but I have been leaning on her so much and she’s so worried about my safety, so I’m trying very hard to remove this from her plate.)

Any money I receive that I don’t directly use myself or is beyond my total goal, I’ll make sure to distribute to others in need I personally know through my own local network, or I will donate directly to the Trevor Project.

If you’ve read this far, if you chose to help, if you share this anywhere—I appreciate you more than you know.

Resist, resist, resist,

Ace