Show Pride With Housing! Help 4 Black Queer households.

Update 06/24/2024: Hi all. Unfortunately the crowdfund will be closed due to lack of support. I genuinely appreciate the support we did receive but it wasn’t nearly enough to help each person pay for rent. I ask that any potential donors send funds to individual crowdfunds listed below as everyone now has to crowdfund individually. Please assist if you can.

A vulnerable teens urgent rent crowdfund

Mario’s Gofundme For Rent

Taran’s crowdfund for rent.

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Hi my name is Drew! For Pride Month 2024 I am doing a campaign called “Show Pride With Housing”. Me and 3 other Black Queer people who are struggling with housing have come together to request help. All of our stories are important and like gay liberation icons Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera we are facing housing instability. So let me tell you a little about us.

I have worked in human services for the last 12 years. I have experience working in housing and helping people get on their feet by developing housing plans. After a traumatic 8 months I have fallen behind and faced financial hardship. This crowdfund would help me pay backrent and stay in my apartment of 10 years.

Ien is another person who deserves your help. Ien is a 19 year old who has been in his apartment for two months. Last year Ien was put out of his home by his Mother for being gay. He was then unhoused for 5 months and sleeping in his car on the street. Ien was working as hard as he could and even worked doubles to pay rent. He is not working at this time but is determined and looking for work. He needs help paying his rent and the need is urgent as the landlord is not flexible and constantly inquiring about payment. And unfortunately rent assistance is not available in his county. Working in housing I know how important rent assistance is to help someone get on their feet. It would be more than appropriate for a program to cover a vulnerable persons full rent for as many as 6-9 months. And for that reason I am hoping to meet this goal so that Ien can have rent assistance for the rest of the year. Ien is still a adolescent and I want him to stay safe and housed.

Taran is a disney worker and they just moved into their new place. Medical, dental and automobile bills have put them behind recently. They even had ER visits that greatly effected their ability to save. I am hoping to use these funds to help Taran with rent assistance as well. Being disabled should not cost us. But being a disabled person as well I can tell you, all too often it does. I am hoping to get Taran help.

The next person is a Black queer person who has done important work to better the environment around the world. He found a job to continue this work and relocated. He however will not be paid during his training period at his new job. It is my hope to use these funds to give him one month of rent assistance so that he can be safe, well adjusted and continue the great work that he does in his new home.

As Black people our crowdfund goals are less likely to be met (Article on Racial Bias and Crowdfunding) And as Black queer people we are more likely to face financial hardship(article on BLACK LGBTQ+ Poverty). All of us are struggling to get assistance. But with your help we can be just a bit safer. Donate, share with people online & off and show PRIDE with HOUSING. Thank you!

(Please keep in mind that a update will be provided to donors on Gofundme and Instagram & X pages @HeyImVeryDrew)