Empower Change: Help Me Transform Hardship into Hope

Dear community,

Hi, I’m Dana. Thanks for taking the time to read my story and considering supporting my campaign. I’m reaching out during a really tough time. I was laid off from my tech job almost 8 months ago and have been struggling to find new work ever since. Despite my extensive experience and applying for over a hundred jobs, I haven’t had any luck.

My unemployment benefits ran out three weeks ago, and I urgently need financial help to stay afloat.

My Situation:

The job market is flooded with applicants. A recruiter recently told me they received over 700 applications for a single position when I asked for feedback on my screening. Many of the jobs I apply for seem to disappear or get reposted without any response—a phenomenon known as 'job ghosting.' These fake postings make all the effort I put into customizing resumes and writing cover letters feel useless.

Imagine spending hours perfecting your resume and crafting a cover letter for a job that doesn't even exist. I fear I've done that dozens of times. This practice is not only corruptive and manipulative to the economy and society but also profoundly damaging to a person's mental health. When you're already vulnerable and struggling with unemployment, this only adds to the stress and despair. It's one of several issues I aim to address and solve.

My layoff has made the financial difficulties I was already experiencing from a past relationship even worse, adding more strain to my situation and undoing all the progress I had made towards health and wellness recovery.

Additional Challenges:

On top of that, I'm dealing with damage to my reputation from false information generated by AI and biases in the algorithms. This content has influenced potential job screenings and has also been recirculated in major AI models.

Once bad data is incorporated into AI training, it can't just be removed from the model. Correcting it requires complex retraining, which can accidentally introduce more problems. And it's not just one model or algorithm—different accounts and platforms respond differently. While efforts to fix the problem are ongoing, much of it is beyond my control and may even require legal or media support.

The entire situation—including the lengthy processes of remediation and seeking accountability—has further damaged my mental health and well-being. It's extremely complicated and draining because there are no straightforward solutions, the laws are complicated, and there's a lot of manipulation, collusion, incompetence, and a lack of regulations, best practices, or established models for solving these problems.

These are issues I seek to address and solve for others through support, education, partnerships, and accountability by spearheading innovative solutions through a nonprofit.

A Glimmer of Hope:

I just had a Round 1 interview with a nonprofit whose mission deeply resonates with me. It's my first interview request in over 7 months! But I still need to make sure I can support myself while I keep looking for jobs and prepare for any worst-case scenarios.

My Vision for a Nonprofit:

At first, I thought about starting a for-profit business, but I just couldn’t find the right product that fit my vision. Dealing with unemployment and the negative impact of being unfairly targeted has made me realize my true calling: to start a nonprofit that tackles important issues and makes a bigger positive impact. Plus, it would allow me to continue doing the innovative work I’ve always been passionate about.

Balancing Job Search and Nonprofit Goals:

I'm committed to finding full-time work, but I also see the value in slowly building my nonprofit on the side. This project is something I'm passionate about, and it won’t interfere with the mission of any future employer.

Starting the nonprofit now, while I’m also looking for a job, gives me a much-needed sense of purpose for my mental health. It lets me put my energy into something meaningful that aims to create a positive and impactful future, all while helping me build new skills.

How You Can Help:

I’m seeking financial support to help cover a few more months of essential needs and wellness support while I continue looking for a job and start launching my nonprofit:

Any funds left over if I secure employment will be put towards paying off accrued debt.

Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and belief in my vision.

Please consider donating and sharing this campaign with your network. I promise to provide regular updates on my status.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart,

Dana Rivkind (aka Dana Integrity)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danabase/

To view my CV:

https://www.danaintegrity.com/

https://www.danarivkind.com (converting from images to code - not entirely mobile ready yet)

Integrity Alliance (inALL):

https://www.inall.org/

(In progress - Business plan is finished, and the mission, goals, and other relevant information should be posted soon)

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