Trans Trial Legal Defense Fund Against FDNY

On May 16, 2016, Aeliana Nicole was riding her bike home from work, when she was struck by an ambulance that fled the scene. This was the day before she graduated from Brooklyn's Pratt Institute with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing.

As a result of this hit-and-run by the FDNY, she spent her graduation day incapacitated due to the severity of the injuries to her brain, spine, shoulder, neck, both knees and right ankle. Injuries that she will never fully recover from. Had she not been wearing a helmet she would

have surely died.

Since then she has been fighting the city for the injuries she has suffered at their hands. This is not the creative or inclusive existence that she moved to New York in hopes of finding. It has been a nightmare.

I’ve included a photo of the bill she was sent for her ambulance ride to the hospital. An ambulance sent by the same government agency that ran her over a few minutes prior. This bill is the first of many tokens that illustrate the complete lack of humanity she has been shown since first responders struck her down and fled the scene some seven and a half years ago.

Given that they billed her for running her over, she has been forced to continue to fight them in court so that they pay for what they did to her and pay her enough money to cover all future medical expenses and costs related to the injury they caused. After being run over and stonewalled in the courts for nearly a decade, it should be clear to everyone who hears her story that she deserves not to have to fight or pay for medical care in relation to this incident ever again in her life.

It has taken 2,649 days, multiple lawyers, witness’s testimonies, and an entire pandemic running its course but she’s finally been given a trial date against New York City and the FDNY for their inflicted injuries and negligence.

Over the course of these 7.5 years, she has been forced to fight with the same politicians who make a living collecting votes by virtue signaling to fight for the LGBT community. In my experience, since Aeliana was run over by paid medical professionals; the politicians elected to fight for transgender New Yorkers have only been fighting AGAINST her, NOT, for or with her!

Aeliana spoke with then Mayor Bill De Blasio on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer show who offered an on air apology but didn’t actually do anything; she has documented correspondences asking NYC’s most progressive politician, then councilman, Brad Lander, asking why the police were not investigating the matter (he later had the cops called on her for leaving an article also made into a zine detailing the horrors she was experiencing at his homes’ public lending library); and she has tirelessly petitioned and sought help from nonprofit organizations that claim to work for Queer and Trans rights.

Since these politicians and community “leaders” refuse to help her, she’s left to turn to you, her community, and ask for your assistance.

Your support can help her win this fight.

Please stand with me in supporting Aeliana as she fights these charlatans who put profit over people and will use any marginalized group to bolster their own egos and careers. With your help, she may be able to end this nearly decade long injustice against her and force these “allies” to actually do their jobs as civic leaders. Funding this campaign will enable her to fight this corrupt system and will simultaneously, hopefully, bring awareness to the people of New York City, who may one day be in her same position.

All funds raised will be used to help her through the next 6 months, as she prepares to go to trial against NYC and the FDNY.