Help Us Move In and Move On

Hello everyone,

I am an Educator, Doula, and Writer in the Pacific Northwest. Over the past year, I have dealt with the suffocating gentrification of the Pacific Northwest, sexual assault, a slumlord, and racism.  This summer, everything all came to a head; on June 29, 2018, I attempt to commit suicide and was hospitalized for my attempt After my attempt, I went to California to work as a Summer Teaching Counselor and to get a brief break.  However, after coming back, my suicidal ideations began to return. 


Earlier this year, I was pushed out of my job as a Sex Educator by a racist woman who was threatened by my passion and quick rise in my previous company. I was happy, making a lot of money, building relationships with my coworkers and clients, and thriving for the first time in my life. Most importantly, as a single mother, I was thriving financially and taking great care of my son. Over the past few years, I had been picking up the pieces of domestic violence and my work pulled me out of a deep depression and helped me live again.


But, it was taken away from me in a matter of an hour. One day, I was at work and had recently thrown my hat into the ring for being Assistant Manager. My coworker, a white woman, who I had always been pleasant to, decided that she didn’t like my advancement. (She was struggling with the work and on the verge of not being kept on after her probation period). She went to our manager and stated that she was scent sensitive, that I was wearing scented products (despite the fact that I wasn’t and that our store sold scented products). The manager then sent another coworker out to get baking soda and vinegar so that I can “wash myself.” I refused, once again stating that I was not wearing scented products and felt ganged up on. and as a result, I was fired from my job. I went from “One of the most dedicated and well-liked educators” to fired in less than a day because a white woman decided that she’d had enough of my presence. The loss devastated me financially and emotionally. And, it angered me. 

Shortly after that, another woman, a neighbor whom I had also been pleasant with, nearly made me lose my apartment because she failed to take accountability for her actions. Her off leash dog attacked my leashed dog during a walk. Despite the fact that she was in the wrong, I made her dog a care package and offered to cover any expenses that came up (Her dog had a few puncture wounds but was fine). She refused to accept my money and assured me that everything was ok. However, things clearly are not. She went to our apartment manager and stated that I did and sold drugs, ran a dog fighting ring, and ran an illegal business out of my home. As a result of this, my apartment was searched constantly and I was threatened with eviction. I have been in my apartment for four years and never had even had a noise complaint against me. Eventually this died down and I’m still in my apartment. But these two events have changed my life tremendously. 

Currently, my quality of life is horrible.  I am too terrified to leave my house most days out of fear of what is going to happen to me or my son (I cannot even walk my dogs without the police being called on me because I "look like I don't belong here").  My son cannot play outside because our apartment complex is riddled with heroin needles. To top it off, our apartment has black mold in it once again.  Previously, the issue was claimed to be "fixed" but my chronic headaches, respiratory infections, coughing up blood, and my son's daily bloody noses say otherwise. My son and I are both very unhappy and I have decided to relocate to Tennessee for a fresh start and to heal from traumas.I accomplished everything that I needed to while in the Pacific Northwest, including finishing my first degree, becoming a Certified Community Health Worker, Breastfeeding Peter Counselor, domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocate, mental health peer counselor, and starting my business, but it is time for me to go.

Our health is on the line. 

Your donations will help with: 

-Move-in costs for my new place 
-A moving truck to get my household furniture from Washington to Tennessee 
- Gas for the moving truck and pit stops (36 hour trips) 
-An initial visit with a mental health specialist in Tennessee


Thank you for your support!