#parentsofcolor

https://www.gofundme.com/help-autistic-parent-become-lmt

I’m an autistic, disabled, queer, trans person of color, a parent to a 6 year old daughter (who is also trans & on the spectrum), & a partner to my best friend of 10 years (who is also queer & on the autism spectrum). I’ve been going through a severe autistic burnout this month while attempting to keep the finances together. I am asking for assistance. The physical exhaustion combined with all of my mental & emotional stress has culminated in me having not 1, but 2 stress-related seizures this month alone. I need to stop trying to do this alone.

I was suddenly given zero hours at my tanning salon job, so I lost the majority of the income I was bringing in without even knowing I needed to find a way to replace it (after the second week was posted without me getting any hours, I got the hint). I tried to amp up my driving for Uber & Lyft to replace the income, but all that ended up happening was a sharp increase in my chronic physical pain, a slashed tire that needed replacing, & an accelerated autistic burnout that left me almost completely debilitated for a couple of weeks. At the same time, we lost our health insurance. I’m fighting to get it back, but my daughter & I cant access our usual doctors until we do, which is of course stressing me out even more. Now my hormones are another expense on the list, & we can’t see our usual therapists.

I hate asking for help, but, we really need it. Rent alone is $1300, & we generally need to make around $3000 monthly for rent & bills. There is no possible way we are going to make all of the money by the end of this month. Bills are going to be late, & with rent, I’m scared we could end up with an eviction notice. Rent, food & getting my state massage license so I can attain solid employment are the top priorities right now.

If you are capable of contributing, please use my Venmo, @Tarek-Apelian5 or my gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/help-autistic-parent-become-lmt. Even small amounts would be greatly appreciated, it all helps. 💖

Once we get through this month, all that is standing in my way from actually starting my career in massage is paying for my massage license & purchasing my liability insurance. That’s it. I’m so ridiculously close, but it feels as if the solution to our problems is constantly slipping just out of my reach because we can’t keep up with the bills, mini-emergencies, AND save for the licensure all at the same time. It’s been absolutely maddening.

I know working in massage will bring huge relief in regards to my burnout for countless reasons, which will make working much more sustainable for me for the long haul. Some of the main reasons are sensory related. The massage environment is generally soothing & dimly lit, with gentle music playing, not much (if any) eye contact being made during treatment, & one-on-one social interactions (instead of dealing with large groups or lines of people all needing attention). Another factor is the pay. If I’m not being paid minimum wage, I’ll be able to work shorter hours & make the same (or a larger) amount than I have been previously working in lower paying jobs.

If you help us get through this month, you will literally be helping us turn a major corner in our overall well-being & stability. My health & our families well-being as a whole needs this career change. But it is extremely difficult to get over this hump on my own. I have really limited resources. I’ve already been in the process of applying for cash assistance, but the sad truth is they have repeatedly turned me away in the past because of my age (27 is ancient, apparently) & my neurodivergency. The woman I spoke to last time told me straight to my face that she didn’t see me as worthy of help, because I was “too old not to have my life together”. That’s what resources are supposed to be for. But this is something autistic (& disabled people in general) unfortunately experience quite frequently; being told our existence is actually a burden on society, so we aren’t worth “the investment”. But, I’m not letting harmful societal ideas convince me I’ve got nothing to give. I have so, so much to offer. I just need a real chance to truly thrive. & If I wasn’t constantly fighting for our survival, I already would be. I already have leads on jobs for massage all over the city. I just need to be able to pay for the damn license (it’s about $150).

Please help me, & us, break this cycle of poverty I’ve known for so long. Please help this autistic, disabled, queer, trans person of color get a leg up on the game which is rigged against me & countless others like myself. It would truly take such a small amount of money in the big scheme of things to help us change our lives completely.

Again, my Venmo is @Tarek-Apelian5, & please feel free to share my post by copying & pasting or just passing on my Venmo info. Thank you! I love you all 💖💖💖

EDIT: I was able to get a small amount of cash assistance for this previous month to pay rent, but I am still in the same bind this month & really need financial help! I still cannot afford both the massage license & pay for rent, bills & food.