Paris Hilton

Jimmy  Darts

Flavor Flav

SB Mowing

Kalina Silverman / @makebigtalk on Instagram

The Dogist

Patriotic Kenny Foundation

Pattie Gonia

Little Miss Flint

Carlos Eduardo Espina

Samuel Weidenhofer

Ben Saunders - Flawless Cleaning

Peter Bond

That Good News Girl

Ask Uncle Jack

Amy Jandrisevits

FowlMouthFarmer

Tess Bohne

Latonja and Taylor Richardson

Officer Richard Craig

<div>My coworker, Amelia, who has no health insurance has recently incurred medical bills for rapidly growing painful nodules in her neck. She is awaiting results from the biopsy at this time but will have bills either way and need time off work to recover. Like most Americans she lives paycheck to paycheck.
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Help Amelia Get Better

<div>Hello friends!
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<div>We have some very exciting news to share with you. We have decided to create a collaborative tattoo space and experience.
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<div>Our collective is completed by Ina, Joy, and Enyo. We are banding together to create a space that is in line with the ethics and morals we hold dear to us. We want to prioritize cleanliness, safety, comfort, accessibility, and prioritizing equity and inclusivity around race, gender, and class.
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<div>Tattooing is an ancient ritual which holds spiritual weight across many cultures. While tattoos can just be silly and fun, all of us as individuals do think the industry should have more reverence and care in its practices. With ancestral connections to tattooing practices, we are actively reclaiming traditions and honoring what is sacred to us by elevating the standards of what we want in the industry and we are asking for your help!
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<div>The following are our intentions for the space.
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<div>We believe in active and informed consent. You should know when your artists is starting, what they’re doing, what they’re using on your skin, and options for healing and bandaging. We want a space where you leave more knowledgeable about our practice and have options in regards to your experience. We do not think this can occur when tattoo artists are treated like machines. We want to take our time and make sure ourselves as artists in addition to our clients don’t feel rushed.
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<div>Something that is deeply important to us is offering tattoo tables and equipment that are inclusive of different abilities and body weights. We can see traditional tables that are used are not accessible so we have decided that we are going to use tattoo tables that are ADA approved, have a weight limit of 450lbs, and have electronic lifting and lowering ability. Most tattoo and massage tables can be difficult to adjust and hard for many people to get on and off of. This is also added wear on our bodies as artists. Tattooing is too expensive for clients not to be offered more comfortable and accessible alternatives.
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<div>We want a space that is free of brands that contribute to apartheid either- directly or socially. The information about boycotting such products is readily available but many shops are not making moves to replace these items. While the lack of boycott is disheartening, we are making the choice to make efforts in our own space.
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<div>We want required masking as tattoos are a blood Bourne pathogen risk in which the health department encourages masking. We also believe there should be spaces where those with disability and those who do not want to risk their health can exist. Our goal is to always have air purifiers running for the reduction of airborne viruses but also with the knowledge that we are existing in times of climate crises and smoke and pollution are very real issues that we want to create a shelter from.
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<div>We believe cleanliness and sanitation should always be at the absolute forefront of shops priorities and we have found that our standards for cleanliness align well with one another. As tattooers we all have similar blood Bourne pathogens trainings which make it clear that tattooing should be treated as a medical procedure. We want to offer an environment that is cleaned daily, where all surfaces are wiped, the space is deep cleaned, and all sanitation procedures will be available for any artist that shares our space to spread knowledge around proper procedures.
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<div>We want to provide snacks and drinks for when they’re needed that work for a variety of dietary needs, whether it is because of choice, faith, or health.
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<div>We want a trans inclusive space where we aim to embody queerness in the foundation of our community beliefs, not just our choice of partners. Queerness as identity has been reclaimed from previously being a slur and has historically been a political marker of LGBTQ+ people with multiple marginalized identities. The intersections of queerness include disability, class, race, and gender.
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<div>We also see mutual aid is also a part of what we see as community care. When tattoo shops take 30%-50% of our income we are unable to use our privilege in the industry to make as much of an impact as we would like. Having more financial freedom would allow us to share this practice in an accessible manner, run flash days as fundraisers, have the ability to support our community directly, and host things like pop ups where our community can sell their wares without some huge cost.
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<div>We also believe that tattooing should be accessible to those with sensory needs. We want our space to accommodate both our clients and our artists needs, offer a calmer environment, and have you feel more relaxed than when you entered. Tattooing can be cathartic and we want to have a practice that allows space for that.
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<div>We also want to acknowledge that there is a long world history of tattooing, and a short and racist history of tattooing in the US. There are also parallels in SW and tattooing that often are ignored. Our space is very pro h* and we think SWers are magic. As a trio, we believe we can honor these intersections and honor one another in a new space.
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<div>The costs of opening a shop are quite high which has lead to gatekeeping in an industry that was been shifting and changing. We do not believe in an ownership model that exploits the labor of workers and want to be in a space that is collectively run for our communal health and growth as artists and community members.
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<div>We are beginning with a lower goal and gradually increasing our goal so it feels less intimidating.
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<div>Our initial goal is 6000! We plan to increase it every time we meet our goal while sharing updates about our progress!
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<div>A cost breakdown
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<div>Shop license 1500
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<div>ADA accessible lifting massage chairs with a weight limit of over 450lbs (1500 each x 3) 4500
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<div>1 month rent operating costs, deposit, and last months rent 9000
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<div>Large scale air purifier with HEPA+Activated carbon filters 700
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<div>Reusable pillows intended for tattooing (sanitary, wipeable) 300
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<div>Furniture and seating 1,500
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<div>Start up materials 500
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<div>These are just some of the things we will need and opening this business is a huge deal. We really believe in the space and hope you can see our vision and invite you to actively participate in a change in the industry. Thank you for your consideration!
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<div>xo
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<div>Ina, Joy, Enyo
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Support Ina, Joy, and Enyo's Inclusive Tattoo Space

<div><strong>Dear fellow Matt &amp; Shelley supporters, </strong>
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<div>We’re reaching out with an update about the extremely challenging next steps on Matt and Shelley’s cancer journey. 
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<div>First, a few nuggets of good news: We’re so happy to share that Matt’s cancer is officially in remission at this moment in time. This milestone is filled with relief and gratitude for everyone who’s played a part in creating the circumstances for Matt &amp; Shelley to upend their lives so Matt can receive the best possible care at Mayo Clinic. We’re also happy to share that Matt has found a bone marrow donor and has begun the planning phase for the second half of treatment.
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<div>With this celebratory news comes the acknowledgment that this is also the toughest part of Matt's journey. Given that there isn’t a known cure for this rare &amp; aggressive form of CTCL, remission is just the first step for Matt, and the remainder of Matt &amp; Shelley’s 2024 and early 2025 will indeed be consumed by the more precarious stages of Matt’s treatment plan. 
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<div>To fund this next stage of travel, medical care at Mayo Clinic, and quarantined lodging in Rochester, we hope to spread this ask far &amp; wide and raise an additional $15,000. 
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<div>Like before, we’ve been given permission to share details on next steps: Matt will undergo 8–10 rounds of radiation therapy August 9–19 followed by the evaluation and education phase of his bone marrow transplant. Matt will then likely be admitted to Mayo for in-patient chemotherapy — 4 high-dose rounds followed by another round of radiation in preparation for his transplant on August 21.
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<div>The logistics of what’s next are pretty daunting. Matt must relocate to Rochester for ~100 days, much of which he’ll need to stay in special housing. To prepare for the transplant, he’ll receive a massive dose of chemo to eradicate his bone marrow followed by a round of radiation, wiping out his immune system completely (as in he’ll need to get all his vaccines again!). This will be as painful as it sounds, and Mayo has clearly communicated the reality of the side effects he’ll experience (put simply, working will not be an option much of this time). 
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<div>Because Matt will be so vulnerable to infection the first 100 days following the procedure, he’ll be fully quarantined — even from his animals — with the exception of his weekday visits to Mayo to monitor his blood counts and other vitals. He'll spend an undetermined amount of time in a safe medical-focused rental — this could be 30-60 days depending on how the transplant takes. The first 30 days post transplant are key: this is usually when the healthy transplanted cells start dividing and creating new bone marrow. Transplant patients like Matt are also vulnerable to graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) where the body rejects the transplanted cells. 
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<div>Because of these and other factors like debilitating fatigue, Matt will need a caretaker. Our hope is that Shelley will have the means to quarantine and relocate with Matt to Rochester as his advocate and caretaker for the first shift of this extra challenging 100 days. She’ll then hand the torch to Matt’s mom, Kathy, who lives in Michigan — followed by some other folks whose circumstances allow them to quarantine and temporarily relocate to Rochester so Matt has the recommended care and support during this high-risk period. 
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<div>After this ~100-day time period, Matt will finally get to come home to his own bed and begin the uphill battle of regaining his physical strength and building back some immunity.
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<div>Matt is long ago out of PTO and will need to go on a medical leave soon, during which he’ll receive just a portion of his earnings as an insurance benefit and be responsible for costly insurance premiums plus the cost of temporary housing in Rochester, which is around $2800 a month. We continue to pursue grants and are working with our social worker to secure any possible financial assistance — thanks for sending any leads our way! 
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<div>We are deeply grateful for every form of support you have all given Matt &amp; Shelley. We hope hearing the word remission did for you what it did for us — and that you recognize you’ve played a role in getting them here. We’re about halfway there. Thank you all sincerely for being part of this.
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<div><strong>Original details</strong>
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<div>Matt and Shelley’s 2024 has arrived with big, unexpected changes. We're setting up a support base to get them immediate financial help as they plunge into an exhausting and expensive journey.
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<div>On Friday, February 2, 2024, Matt was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer called Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) by the Frauenshuh Cancer Center at Methodist Hospital. He and Shelley were quickly referred to the Mayo Clinic to connect with a larger team for what was suspected to be a very rare and aggressive subtype of CTCL. Matt underwent additional diagnostic tests and biopsies, including a painful bone marrow biopsy, to confirm pathology.
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<div>As of Wednesday, March 13, we've learned that Matt does indeed have the aggressive form, Primary Cutaneous CD8 Positive Aggressive Epidermotropic Cytotoxic T-cell Lymphoma (CD8+ PCAETL), as confirmed by Mayo Clinic hematologists and pathologists. Matt's biopsies also show Mycosis Fungoides (MF) cells, so an additional diagnosis is still up in the air right now.
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<div>This is not the news we hoped for, but Mayo was ready with a treatment plan. Matt's diagnosis is very rare and the treatments are difficult, so it required many doctors, dermatologists, pathologists, and hematologists to confirm. This is scary of course, but we're happy to share that Matt's cancer was caught very early.
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<div>Both Matt and Shelley, along with other family &amp; loved ones, will be spending a lot of time in Rochester, MN at Mayo Clinic. They're headed there this week for Matt to begin a chemotherapy regimen called CHOEP. The goal is to tackle his more aggressive cancer with stem cell therapy and chemo onsite at Mayo to prevent or slow metastasis.
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<div>We’ve been given permission to be frank about the reality of Matt &amp; Shelley’s circumstances: this is a very big and a very uncertain ordeal.
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<div>And it arrives on the tail of a long series of very big and uncertain ordeals. The financial strain of the covid pandemic was devastating to self-employed small business owners like Shelley who were unable to work for months on end. Matt’s employment was also impacted, and his job search lasted more than a year before landing his current position in 2023. Both have been working tirelessly to get back on track.
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<div>Shelley, who is herself a cancer survivor, is no stranger to the role of caretaker — having spent more than a decade caring for her mother through her rare heart and lung illness and palliative stages. Matt is in very good hands — but here’s the deal: Shelley also has complex, painful, degenerative conditions that make her current pace of work untenable. Realistically, it’s been untenable since 2019, and the consequences to her health have become unsustainable. She’s exploring options to take a leave from her career as she travels to Rochester to serve as Matt’s advocate during a precarious and medically vulnerable time. Unfortunately, there are extremely limited options for paid leave as she’s self-employed.
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<div>We’re worried this additional nugget will call into question our credibility, but you simply can’t even make this stuff up: Immediately on the heels of Matt’s initial cancer diagnosis came the news that Max, Matt’s beloved dog of 10 years, also has cancer. Otherwise healthy, he needs surgery in the near future.
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<div>Matt has medical coverage through work, but his out-of-pocket expenses are high (he may also be responsible for the cost of his premium while on medical leave). He'll be taking an intermittent leave of absence from work for his treatments and recovery. There's some support in place through short term disability, but this will only cover 50% of Matt’s salary. Matt and Shelley are exploring every possible benefit to get help covering medical expenses, travel and lodging.
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<div>Those who are boots on the ground when it comes to mutual aid are <em>renowned</em> for their stubbornness when it comes to accepting help in return. These two are no exception, but I have explained the rules to both Shelley and Matt: you accept help when you’re the one who needs it.
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<div>So we hope to raise $25,000 as a start — to ensure their housing is secure, to cover deductibles/copays that began piling up in October 2023, and to help with travel costs that began in February.
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<div>And the simple truth is we may need to raise more funds in the future. We just don’t know what happens next.
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<div>Matt’s spirit has been unbreakable. This is a painful condition and his discomfort has only worsened since he began seeking treatment last October. But even in his most miserable moments (Do. Not. Look up bone marrow biopsy needles), he has been the superstar darling boy of the cancer center. Other than the extremely rare and aggressive cancer thing, Matt is in perfect health, and time is on our side.
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<div>Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who’s already offered support to this very special family. Our sincere hope is that only those who can do so comfortably will donate funds — but that this will be shared far and wide. Thank you for sending it along.
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<div><a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mattbardins" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Follow Matt's medical journey on CaringBridge</a>
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Help Matt, Shelley & Max Navigate Cancer

<div>*please read the latest update for most up-to-date information*
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<div>This fund will be distributed among the victims who were shot and injured during Friday’s horrific tragedy at Nudieland in Minneapolis; the residents of Nudieland who lost their beloved roommate and friend Nick, also known as August; August’s family and loved ones; and others affected. 
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<div>Money will go toward medical bills, lost wages, rent, food and other basic needs. We will keep this page updated. 
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<div>Thank you community. We love you Southside. 
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Support for victims of Nudieland shooting in Mpls

<div>Hi, my name is Cheech and I am fundraising for Leo Rodgers. The week before Christmas 2022 our friend, Leo Rodgers, was hit by an SUV while riding his bicycle in Miami. He is currently in hospital with a broken neck. As I am writing this he is just gaining some feeling in one of his hands and one arm. It is still uncertain whether Leo will regain feeling and movement in his lower body.
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<div>For those of you who don't know Leo, he was in a terrible motorcycle accident about a decade ago that left him with one leg. He was very lucky to survive. Leo being Leo, made the most of his new life with one leg. He dubbed himself "The Black Flamingo". Leo found an outlet in bicycles and has been the laughter and light in cycling communities across the country, from Tampa to Costa Mesa, and countless places in between. He used his platform to fundraise and provide bicycles for children living in underprivileged communities. He wanted to share the life-changing magic of bikes with others, including his 6-yr old son, Junior. It is hard to put into words the impact Leo has made in the cycling community. He is a precence that brings a smile to your face.
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<div>We are hoping this money will help support him and his family on this long road to recovery. Let's show Leo he is not alone during this hard time!
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Leo Rodgers Needs Your Help

<div>My name is Kimberly Hearne, and I am fundraising for my best friend, Ayesha Rouser. She and I have been friends since the day I turned 16, and I have never known anyone with more capacity for joy or ability to love and forgive than she. When we were kids, I was completely blown away by her willingness to do the hard things, the things that others just would not do, either because they lacked the mental fortitude to persevere or they simply did not have the ability to love others more than themselves. Over the 36 years that we have been friends, I have watched her raise an incredible child on her own, complete nursing school with a BSN, and endlessly sacrifice her own needs and wishes to assist others. Her life has not been easy, but she consistently overcomes adversity with her joy and her resolve intact. I have told her on multiple occasions that she makes me want to be a better human. I often ask myself, “what would Ayesha do?” She has been an example to me of what it means to have integrity, to give of yourself unselfishly, to love others unconditionally, and to offer grace to everyone, including myself.
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<div>To say she outshines the rest is not enough. To say she is resilient doesn’t truly capture her spirit. There is no doubt that she is a survivor, not just of less-than-ideal experiences through her formative years but also of cancer. She had a double mastectomy, and though she is in remission from breast cancer, she now faces an entirely new battle. This past weekend she was diagnosed with leukemia (AML). As you can imagine, we are devastated by this news.
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<div>This situation obviously presents an emotional crisis, but even more so a financial crisis, as the cost of such treatment is astronomical and nearly unfathomable, especially in light of the fact that she has not been able to work consistently since being diagnosed with breast cancer. She is in great need of help in meeting the crushing costs she is about to face as she begins treatment.
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<div>She has given so much to others in this world, personally and professionally as a nurse. Any financial assistance you could offer would be greatly appreciated by me and all who love Ayesha, the most beautiful soul I’ve ever known.
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<div>I will continue to offer updates on her progress as more information is available. Thank you.
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Hear Our Plea, Help Ayesha Rouser In Need

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<div><strong>The Fundraising Goal:</strong> A group of aunties and queer folx are working to fundraise a total of $20,000. These funds will be used to secure a lawyer for the trial and other legal costs for this black, queer family in Minneapolis working to get custody of their 8-year-old daughter.
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<div>As soon as $10,000 is raised (half of the fundraising goal), that money will be used for a legal retainer to pay for the legal fees earned by the attorney and expenses related to getting an emergency order to return their child to them, legal representation and other protective measures. This retainer is very important as it is the family’s way of guaranteeing to the lawyer that they are financially able to employ the lawyer’s services and is committed to funding the matter. The remaining $10,000 raised will pay for additional legal fees for the upcoming trial.
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<div><strong>The Impact of this Fundraiser: </strong>A black, queer family will have the legal resources to fully defend themselves in a family court system that is not accustomed to serving queer families in crisis.
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<div><strong>Background Information:</strong> Since January 2020, Nuemeh and her wife Juanita (middle names are being used) have been harassed and have had false accusations claimed against them. On February 25th, 2022 Nuemeh was kept away from her daughter illegally, but with the help of a lawyer through an emergency judge order she was retrieved on March 23rd 2022. Over the last two years, the family has spent $35,000 in legal fees dealing with the sperm donor and the biological mother attempting to remove and undermine Nuemeh, who is a masculine-of-center woman, as her daughter’s legal mother.
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Black Queer Family Emergency

<strong>Update: As of 4/1/2019 we have reached our original goal! We are still raising funds as more costs have come in than we anticipated. 11% of our proceeds from the GoFundMe will be donated to the following beneficiaries:</strong><br /><br /><strong><a href="https://www.divinenaturalancestry.com">Divine Natural Ancestry</a> and <a href="https://www.indianhealthboard.com/health-and-wellness-programs/mashkiikii-gitigan/">Mashkiikii Gitigan</a> <br /><br /></strong>Thank you for believing and investing in Healing Justice!!!<br /><br /><strong>*******</strong><br /><br /><strong>Help Fund QTBIPOC Scholarships for </strong><a href="http://www.sassafrashealingarts.com/herbal-remembering-apprenticeship.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>The Remedies We Carry: Herbal Remembering Apprenticeship</strong></a><strong> </strong><br /><br />cheré (rere) suzette bergeron + Rowan Emmanuel are 2 disabled, queer, non-binary, herbalists, witches, bodyworkers, doulas, community organizers, and healers who co-founded <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Herbalists-for-Racial-Justice-223507721405199/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Herbalists for Racial Justice</a> in July 2016. We will be spending 6 months holding space for a group of folks to learn + grow in intentional community + right relationship to the plants + to one another in service of collective liberation. Mmhmm yes!  We will be supporting our apprentices in crafting their home apothecaries as well as collectively making medicine together for Herbalists for Racial Justice.<br /><br /><strong>We were originally planning to offer only 3 QTBIPOC scholarships, but after reading all of the wonderful applications we have decided to offer 3 full scholarships as well as 5 partial scholarships in order to put together a cohort that is majority QTBIPOC (11/13). We are accepting 13 apprentices &amp; majority of them (7) will be receiving a scholarship.</strong><br /><br /><strong>This is our attempt to radically subvert the dominant (white, cis, heteronormative, culturally-appropriative) paradigms of herbalism teaching + training. </strong><br /><br /><strong>In order for us to make this happen, we need our communities to support us in this endeavor!</strong><br /><br />This is a great opportunity for any white, cis, hetero, able-bodied accomplices to show us their support with your financial contribution! Or for anyone who wants to support community-based healing justice in action.<br /><br /><u><strong>Our Intentions</strong></u><br />In service of collective liberation, healing justice, + the people’s revolution, we seek to:<br /><br />✨Center gratitude, reverence &amp; reciprocity to the First Peoples of this land: Dakhóta, Anishinaabe, and other displaced relatives to which we are guests on this stolen land. <br /><br />✨Honor and hold sacred our lineages as queer, nonbinary, neurodivergent, crip, herbalists, witches, healers, magick-makers, and future ancestors. <br /><br />✨Share our gifts and our knowledge as we have been asked to by our communities from a place of humbleness and gratitude, locating ourselves as people who know some things about herbal medicine, and also as people who don’t know everything about herbal medicine.<br /><br />✨Offer opportunities for shifting and deepening relationships between plants and people in service of reclaiming and breathing in right relationship with the ecosystems around us, below us, above us, and beyond us.<br /><br />✨Uplift the sacred knowledge flowing around us, within us and through us as we are brought together to learn from each other, respectfully, with open hearts &amp; minds rooted in disability justice.<br /><br />✨Center the needs, desires, experiences, and histories of marginalized communities, paying respect to those who have kept traditional herbal healing alive + continue to do so in the face of genocide and forced assimilation. <br /><br />✨Create access to herbal medicine learning / remembering circles with our hearts orientated towards collective liberation and while deconstructing the white supremacy, ablism, and cisheteropatriarchy within us and around us in hopes of transforming future of herbalism. We recognize that these types of spaces are actively repressed, policed and hard to come by amid the ways in which power + resources are held and enacted within western herbalism.<br /><br />✨Craft a fluid, abundant container of wonder, humble curiosity and learning in hopes of fostering more care, more justice, more love, more reciprocity, and more magick for all of the people all of the time.<br /><br /><u><strong>More about The Remedies</strong></u><br />Evolving List of Topics:<br />-Creating Our Container + Drawing on Our Collective Wisdom<br />-Herbal Medicine As The People’s Medicine<br />- Decolonizing &amp; Unsettling With Herbalist Praxis<br />-Cultivating Relationships to Plants: Depth over Reach, Local Plant Identification, Ancestral Herbal Practices,  Plant Drawing, Journaling, + Rituals<br />-Ethics of Growing + Harvesting Medicine on Stolen Land<br />-Herbal Medicine Making Basics: Teas, Tinctures, Oxymel, Oils, Salves, Creams, Steams, Flower + Gem Essences<br />-Herbal Actions + Body Systems<br />-Queer &amp; Trans Plant Medicine: Herbalism for Gender + Sexuality Liberation<br />-From Root to Star: Introduction to Astrological Herbalism<br /><br /><u><strong>Examples of Expenses</strong></u><br />Our time + spoons spent on:<br />-Creating the container + structure for this offering<br />-Promoting it<br />-Curating the curriculum<br />-Preparing material<br />-Tending to logistics<br />-Holding space + facilitating in class<br />-Setting + maintaining boundaries as non-binary femmes taking on a new form of care work<br />-Ink + paper for printing handouts<br />-Supplies for making medicine<br />-Rental of space at the People's Movement Center<br />-Other things we probably aren’t thinking of<br /><br /><u><strong>More about The Facilitators</strong></u><br />Rowan Emmanuel (they / then) is an indigenous mixed, Xicanx/SWANA, queer, non-binary community herbalist, facilitator, healer and organizer. Their healing work focuses on trauma, healing, resistance, remembering and resilience. Plants have been tender friends throughout their life &amp; has been a fiercely tender focus, learning and practice for the last 7 years. Rowan has been learning with  and sharing skillshares with community for the last 3 years. When not working, they are off listening to and smiling with the elements and ancestors around us, growing food/medicine or chilling with their animals and friends. <br /><br />cheré (rere) suzette bergeron (they / them) is descended from cajun, norwegian, german, bohemian, &amp; roma farmers, caretakers, healers, blacksmiths, merchants, &amp; nurses. They are a trans, non-binary, queer, femme, crip, herbalist, bodyworker, traiteux (traditional cajun healer), &amp; southern transplant. They spent their childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana (Chickasaw Territory) &amp; their adolescence in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin (Menominee &amp; Anishinaabe Territories). Learn more about them + their practice, Sasssafras Healing Arts, <a href="http://www.sassafrashealingarts.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

QTBIPOC Herbal Apprenticeship Scholarship Fund

Last week our dear friend Channy Leaneagh of POLIÇA fell and broke her back while trying to fight off this brutal winter and the ice dams it created on her roof. Thankfully she is expected to make a full recovery and is already walking a bit with the help of a very fashionable back brace, but the mounting medical bills, need for ongoing childcare, and inability to work or perform for the next four to five months has created quite a financial burden. We’ve set up this GoFundMe page so that Channy can put 100% of her focus into getting back to full strength without the added stress and worry that these costs carry with them. We’ll make sure to keep you updated on her recovery throughout the coming months. Thank you so much for your help and support!

Help Support Channy's Recovery

While heading home from work shortly after midnight on Sunday, November 26th, Jose Hernandez was struck by an SUV at the intersection of West Seventh Street and Grand Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota. An avid cycling enthusiast who was vigilant about safety, Jose always wore his helmet, used bicycle lights, and strictly obeyed traffic rules. He was moving with the right of way when the vehicle, running a red light, struck him.<br /><br /><br />Jose arrived at Regions Hospital unconscious. Over the past twenty-four hours, he’s undergone two surgeries to address the swelling in his brain. His injuries are massive: a crushed and severed spine, major brain damage, and many broken bones. He remains in seriously critical condition, and his prognosis has the odds stacked against him. <br /><br /><br />Jose has brought joy and humor to his friends and co-workers at Brasa Rotisserie. We, the Brasa team, are reaching out to the greater community for donations to help offset Jose's medical expenses, and, if necessary, to assist with funeral costs and the transportation of his body to Mexico. <br /><br /><br />Thank you for doing what you can to support Jose’s fund.<br /><br /><br /><strong>About the management of the fund:</strong><br />I'm Ash Reynolds, Brasa's manager of Communications &amp; Community Engagement, and the manager of this GoFundMe campaign to benefit the Hernandez family. I've been with Brasa for the past eight years and the company for many years longer. As you know, Jose worked with us at Brasa St. Paul for over a year and we exchanged many pleasantries throughout the year. <br /><br />Thank you again to those who so generously donated. We currently do not have access to the funds, I am paying for the expenses out of pocket.  Once we do have access, I will begin withdrawing funds to cover the expenses involved with transporting Jose's brothers and eldest son to St. Paul, their room, board, and their return transportation.  I have also paid for Jose's burial in Mexico. The family has requested for Jose's fat bike to be returned to Mexico and it leaves on Monday.  The remainder of the fund will be sent to his family via wire transfer.

Support for Jose Hernandez

Salvador was severely injured in a motor vehicle accident on 11/18/16.  At the time of the accident, Salvador was driving his four years old daughter to school when he was rearended.  Upon exiting his vehicle, the woman negligently operated her vehicle and ran over Salvador dragging him 8-12 blocks.  The woman that hit Salvador earlier was accused of attempting to hang a child in a daycare facility.  Salvador sustained severe burns to his entire body and his entire left leg was broken with the woman negligently drove over it with her vehicle.  Salvador has four children and works two jobs, and because of his injuries is unable to work.  Any and all donations will be 100% contributed to his family and medical bills.  His family greatly appreciates your thoughts and prayers and whatever assistance you can provide.  Thank you so much<br /><br />*Marlene Sacta is Salvador's niece and is added as the beneficiary to the campaign.  She is assisting Salvador with the Go Fund Me account and making sure Salvador receives the donated funds.

Salvador Lema Donations

<br /><img class="not-resizeable" src="https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/12477953_1467047829.5122_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />￼<br />Hi there! My name is Chelsea Derr and I am here to tell you Isaac's story and vigorous fight against MD (Muscular Dystrophy).<br />Isaac Davis is a 26 year old husband, father, brother, son, uncle, and friend. Isaac is an extremely active man who lives for any activity and adventure that includes the outdoors. He and his wife Hallie have two beautiful daughters, Luna (6), and Tala (4). Isaac graduated in September of 2015 with his Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Management and works as a Business Systems Analyst, Isaac is also a firefighter for the St. Anthony Fire Department.<br />Before October 2015 Isaac had been eating clean and was exercising every day, he felt he was in the best shape of his life.<br />On October 23, 2015, Isaac woke up unable to fully extend his elbows. Their physician was having a difficult time interpreting his symptoms, and as Isaac left his appointment his pain had enveloped his entire body by the time he arrived home so they rushed to the emergency room. After they performed lab work they diagnosed him with a UTI, Traumatic Rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of muscle tissue that releases a damaging protein into the blood), and Hypophosphatemia (extremely low phosphate level). They later found out once the lab culture was performed that Isaac did not in fact have a UTI, but he was severely septic (life-threatening complication of an infection reaching the bloodstream). Over the next month after receiving medication, Isaac tried to return back to his day to day living. He was still having symptoms of pain, lack of appetite and sleep, nausea, and joint and muscle soreness.<br />Between November 2015, and January 2016, his symptoms became much worse. His pain was now focused primarily in his legs. There was an extreme decrease in strength and increase in pain. He was unable to grip tools or work longer than a few hours at a time. He was unable to focus and was constantly feeling fatigued. January was full of appointments with a variety of specialists trying to determine Isaac's condition.<br />On January 18, 2016, Hallie was woken up by their dog acting frantic and jumping on the bed. Hallie walked into the bathroom finding Isaac on the floor, conscious but unable to speak or move. She called 911 right away. Once in the ER, his heart was beating over 200 BPM and was about to stop. Isaac was having a heart attack caused by dangerously low levels of phosphorus. These events brought a traumatizing level of pain, along with the feeling of being awake through it all, what he felt in January has stuck with him.<br />All of February and March were spent taking tests on top of tests. Unsure of a specific treatment, a change in his medications put him in the hospital for a short stay again in April. They have performed genetic testing and are still waiting on more results, specialists are still unsure exactly what this disease is but the symptoms parallel to another disease, <strong>Muscular Dystrophy</strong>.<br />Without a specific diagnosis Isaac is being treated for a <strong>Metabolic Myopathy of Type I muscles</strong>. This means that the disease is attacking his core/proximal muscles, making it difficult to walk and stand, decreasing flexibility and range of motion, and causing extreme fatigue. Isaac is currently using a cane, and eventually will lose function of his legs. As the disease progresses, the disease will continue to attack muscles in the core including the heart and lungs resulting in organ failure.<br /><br />If you know the Davis', you know that they have been nothing but optimistic. They are taking every step to continue living a normal life, knowing now that there are limitations. <strong>They are the family that gives the shirts off their backs to help you succeed in life. Now it's our turn to return the shirts. </strong><br />We want to do everything in our power to help them during this difficult time. All the money raised will be given to help with the overwhelming amount of medical bills. Thank you for taking your time to read his story and considering to help.<br /><strong>PLEASE go on Facebook to share and like this link!!</strong><br /><br /><img class="not-resizeable" src="https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/12477953_1467047986.1553_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><strong>￼</strong><br /><img class="not-resizeable" src="https://2dbdd5116ffa30a49aa8-c03f075f8191fb4e60e74b907071aee8.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/12477953_1467048230.3308_funddescription.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><strong>￼</strong>

Tavia L Parker

Tavia L Parker

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