Help Nicole and Liana MOVE ASAP!!!

TL;DR:

 

Two Black, Indigenous, Autistic, Disabled Tech industry LEADERS are losing our housing! :(

 

Because we’re both on disability/without income, we couldn’t qualify for apartments based on 3x rent monthly income requirements. We had to take the only place that would work with us… in exchange for (very) high rent.

We need your help with moving costs, rent, and other expenses related to losing our homes. Amounts and details are broken down below.

 

Need help with:

$3000 for rent PLUS utilities at the new apartment for minimum of 3 months

(while disability appeal is pending) = $9000

$2500 for U-Box moving pods + insurance from MA to FL (primarily Nicole’s belongings + furniture)

 

$1000 for emptying out Liana’s 2br apartment and moving to new apartment (ONLY BECAUSE I [Liana/Maverick] AM DISABLED where others would probably do it themselves for FREE)

 

Alternatively, you can send donations us via:

CashApp: $sofrlowi

Venmo: @sofrlowi

 

CashApp: GeecheeThreat

PayPal: paypal.me/WhatDidLyricSay

 

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We thank those in advance who have taken the time to stop by and read our story! We understand that it is holiday time, and ask that those who are unable to donate to PLEASE continue to share our story so that WE MEET OUR GOAL! :)

 

Exposure is going to be key in helping us meet our goal.

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Nice to meet you!

 

For those who don’t know us, allow us to introduce ourselves! We are Liana and Nicole, but you probably know us better on Twitter as @GeecheeThreat and @lavie_encode.

 

We are BOTH Black, Indigenous, and Disabled Women in Tech.

 

Liana is a citizen of the Gullah Geechee Nation, and Nicole is a member of the Wampanoag tribe.

 

We’re also Powered by Autism—which, for those who don’t know, means that We are on the Autism Spectrum!! :)

 

We both give a lot to our tech communities, and ask very little in return.

 

Nicole works in EdTech, building a budding online course business for web developers, while receiving disability insurance for her own invisible illnesses.

 

Liana does not work due to her disabilities, but wants to help businesses in the Cannabis industry stay afloat by teaching them about Risk Management, mainly Business Continuity so that their businesses don’t get left behind in an ashtray somewhere.

 

(Someone has to do it!)

 

Let’s Be Real: Disability sucks :(

 

Our bodies and brains are basically a mess! Haha (no really tho)

 

Liana was hospitalized most recently in July of this year, when she was having severe tremors and loss of motor control. It was terrifying.

 

She was later diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), but further testing is needed, and often very expensive. The hospital visit in July alone was over $10,000.

 

Stress exacerbates FND’s symptoms, rendering Liana unable to communicate, walk, or perform many of her daily activities when she’s under great stress. Most days, she uses a cane.

She’s only 28.

 

Her plethora of neurological issues have made it impossible to live on her own, so she moved from Florida to stay with Nicole in Massachusetts.Her condition has unfortunately deteriorated (very quickly) to where she can’t always climb stairs, and her current place is ridiculously inaccessible.

 

 

The process of applying for and being approved for disability insurance can take months or even years if you’re approved at all.

 

COVID-19 has resulted in even slower response times by SSA, and there is a massive influx of applications that have amassed as a result due to the individuals who now have Long COVID and are unable to work. It truly is a battle.

 

Liana has been DENIED THREE times to date, and she has been fighting her case since 2019. She’s retained an attorney, but even an attorney can’t guarantee her approval, and the only way to expedite her case is if she were to have “less than twelve months to live” per her legal team.

 

(We hope she’s around for much longer than that, we NEED HER!)

 

Apartment rental is IMPOSSIBLE for disabled/unemployed people

 

In November, we BOTH received notice that we were losing our homes… in the middle of the pandemic, during the holiday season.

 

Rent increases squeezed Nicole out of her lease renewal, and Liana’s lease wasn’t renewed by the landlord.

 

We started looking into living in Florida, ready for warmth and less inflammation.

Plus, Nicole’s dad—also disabled—is down there. We thought it could be easier to find an apartment in Florida.

 

Boy were we wrong.

 

Apartments these days have ridiculous 3x/50x(!!!) monthly income requirements in order to be approved.

That made it impossible to get approved, even if we could afford to pay the monthly rent on an ongoing basis (with some additional help).

 

How do disabled people live on their own???

 

After nearly a hundred calls and numerous in-person showings, we FINALLY found a place.

 

Only problem?

 

The rent is $2900(!!!) for a 1br/1ba, because we couldn’t make a 10x rent security deposit or prove income equaling 3x rent.

 

We accepted, fearing homelessness otherwise.

 

 

So, that brings us to today…

What do we need?

 

We need your help with moving costs, rent, and other expenses related to losing our homes. Amounts and details are broken down below!

 

Our move-in date was pushed this week from Jan 1, 2022 to Jan 5, 2022.

 

We need a place to stay for those days, because Liana can’t even climb the stairs to her current place, or move her own things out before her lease ends—a cost she has to bear ONLY BECAUSE SHE IS DISABLED.

 

Mutual Aid Cost Breakdown

 

Even if you can’t donate… please, share this within your communities so that I can help both myself and my community going forward.

 

Exposure is going to be key in helping us meet our goal.

 

$3000 for rent PLUS utilities at the new apartment for minimum of 3 months (while disability appeal is pending) = $9000

$2500 for U-Box moving pods + insurance from MA to FL (primarily Nicole’s belongings + furniture)

$1000 for emptying out Liana’s 2br apartment and moving to new apartment (ONLY BECAUSE I [Liana/Maverick] AM DISABLED where others would probably do it themselves for FREE)

 

HELP US GET TO OUR GOAL, Y’ALL!

 

Again, we thank every eyeball and hand that touches this Fundraiser as we continue to Break down Barriers and Boundaries in Tech, but most importantly...

 

IN LIFE!

 

With Love and Grace,

 

Nicole (@lavie_encode) and Maverick (@GeecheeThreat)