The first quarter of 2021 is almost over. My article from two years ago was featured again on the front page of Huffington Post this month, and more people joined Patreon to show their support – thank you all so much. I’ve received many encouraging notes and comments since I opened this month on a […]
Safety to Heal
Since we moved into this place in November, I’ve felt somewhat free for the first time. I have space and many gifted supplies to work on writing and painting. I’m resuming therapy and pursuing treatment for my chronic and mental illnesses. I’ve had to restart this process too many times. It takes years to make […]
Gratitude and Rage
My emotions fluctuate between gratitude and rage. I’m grateful to have a home at last. I’m angry that I had to fight so hard for it, and that so many people I know aren’t so lucky. I am so thankful to the people who continuously show support with gifts, because it’s what helps me get […]
Trauma and Justice
Writing about traumatic events is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. It leaves me shaky and dissociative for days afterward, as if I don’t have flashbacks and nightmares anyway. I want to tell my story and finish my memoir and share it with everyone. It’s just that it’s very difficult to do […]
Lessons
I have been showered with gifts and support, and I am so grateful to all of you. Your kindness has been incredible, and I’ve received so many kind notes of encouragement. I would not be housed and fed if not for the help of so many people who care. Thank you so much. I want […]
Broadcasted Needs
Over the past seven years, I’ve had tremendous support increase with each year. Despite how messy 2020 was, we even managed to raise enough funds to move and never miss rent. I am so grateful to all of you for seeing our needs while so many needs are not being met. While I am extremely […]
A Year Spent Surviving
I’m going to keep this short because 2020 has been so chaotic and exhausting, it’s taken me several hours to come up with those two words to describe it. First, of course, I want to thank everyone for everything you did to help us get through last year. I left my retail job in March […]
Future Focus
From what I have read about trauma recovery, the process can take a lifetime. The damage done over decades cannot be overwritten in a few years. I’m looking to the future with cautious hope. While a new year may not be a magical reset, I am reflecting on my priorities. I want to improve my […]
What I Do and Don’t Know
The older I get, the more I realize how inadequate my education was. My writing, my strongest skill, is littered with grammatical errors. I am passionate about the injustices I’ve discovered in the years since I’ve started educating myself, instead of relying on my parents to inform me about the world. When two people are […]
Creating a Home
Wow. You all have given us so much in helping us move into a new place, and showering us with housewarming gifts. We now have a beautiful collection of kitchen and living room items, and we’re down to a few final needs, detailed below. I’ve painted a few times since we moved, and this is […]