Help needed as I complete my tattoo apprenticeship

Felice Haley is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

1/26/24 UPDATE

Thanks for all the help so far to everyone who has been able to donate! I’m plugging away at my apprenticeship and just hit 100 human tattoos! 350 to go! I’m still in need of financial help while I charge my current apprentice rates. I’ve recently raised my rates, so I’ve been able to make rent on my own! But I’m still really behind on school loans, health insurance and haven’t paid off all of my medical bills (though I’ve made a notch in them with your help). If you’re able to donate it would help a lot right now! If you’re able to share, that would also be really amazing! Thanks again if you’ve already helped and thanks for reading this update.

Original fundraising ask:

Hey gang! Thanks for clicking! As some of you know, I left my management job in May to pursue a new career in tattooing (YAY!) and began a tattoo apprenticeship. I feel so excited to be moving into a full time art career - my heart couldn’t take doing something so high demand and low reward for much longer so this opportunity came at a perfect time. I’ve been working full-time+ at the tattoo shop to get good at it and it’s going really well. On the other side of the coin, I haven’t had income since mid-May (apprentices start with free tattoos as they’re learning) and won’t be making money in a meaningful way for another couple of months as I start taking clients so I am in dire financial straits (but it feels worth it to be able to do my dream job). I’ve been lucky enough to borrow money and take on a few commissions to cover the essentials for the last couple of months, but bills are piling up, my health insurance is turned off and I have $1400 of medical bills that have unfortunately also piled up the last few months because of a hip issue I am recovering from. I also had to pull out of my first comic expo because it doesn’t make sense to put money towards travel/lodging right now (I’m hoping to be in a good spot next year and finally get to tabling). With my school loans turning back on next month, I’m feeling the panic of capitalism and here I am choosing to look for the comfort of community support instead. My goal is $10k, which will allow me to:

Pay up my health insurance
Pay up bills and stop accruing late fees
Pay off 2 months worth of physical therapy bills
Pay off an x-ray and a pelvic ultrasound bill
Pay my school loans when they return (for 2 months)
Pay my rent (for 2 months)
Pay for Adobe, which I use for work (for 2 months)
Continue to access my therapist and mental health prescriptions (for 2 months)
Eat lol
Purchase everything I need to set up my tattooing station to give me a good start!
Set myself up as an LLC (as I’ll be an independent contractor when I start officially tattooing and I’m trying to make taxes as simple as possible)

If you’ve got some cash to spare, I’d really appreciate the help! If you can share this page, I’d appreciate that just as much! I’m lucky to know that the work I’m putting in right now will eventually pay off and take care of me, but for the next few months I really need the help to get by and maintain my mental health. Thanks for reading and for any help or love you send my way!

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