Support Jona's Journey to Stability and Healing

Hey all! Thank you for stopping by this campaign- I know there are many people raising money for many things right now and I appreciate this making it through to you.

Anyway, my name is Jona. I’m a queer, trans, autistic artist and I’ve had a really rough last 18 months or so. My best friend, partner, mother-in law, and two other dear friends all died unexpectedly and within a four-month span of time. In the midst of that, my apartment had a kitchen fire as a direct result of my landlord’s negligence (the same negligence that left us without heat for 53 days in the middle of the winter, but I digress) and ended up having to vacate on very short notice. I was taken in by dear friends and given their basement space to get back on my feet. Shortly after, I had an unprecedented seizure, giving myself a gnarly concussion on the cement countertop when I collapsed. Ten months, four more seizures, and countless tests later, we still don’t have a clear diagnosis, but my concussion symptoms have finally subsided enough that I feel like I have perhaps reached a baseline on my new normal. I have fairly minor permanent damage to my vision and hearing, as well as many new thresholds to navigate as a person with a new chronic illness.

I also want to note that my friends never made me feel like an intrusion in their home. Despite our initial three-month arrangement, they cared and provided for me for ten long, frustrating months of very non-linear recovery. But I could tell that they needed their space back, and I wanted a space of my own to heal, grieve, figure out how to support myself now that my previous career was no longer viable.

Well, the rental market is frickin insane right now. I searched for months, wading through scams, dodging slumlords, trying to make a little bit of money go as long as I could make it go. Eventually, I found a delightful little boarding house (as well as a part-time job) am so far very happy here, but it cost me a lot more than I expected to get in and established. I am not a person of excess and I don’t have much of value, but I sold what little I did have to get my car fixed and move in. I am asking for $1000 to catch up on the remainder of my bills this month, and to pay next month’s rent so that I can start this new chapter without having to play catch-up for next few paychecks.

If you’ve read this far, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Be well, everyone.