Help Me Stay Safe While I Rebuild
Seven years after leaving an abusive marriage, I am still navigating the realities of post-separation abuse. Like many survivors, escaping the relationship was only the beginning. The ongoing legal battles, financial strain, and instability have continued long after I found the courage to leave.
Years ago, organizations like Emerge helped my children and me find safety. I will always be grateful for that support. Their mission—to help survivors create, sustain, and celebrate lives free from abuse—resonated deeply with me because I know firsthand that safety is about more than leaving. It also requires economic stability.
Recently, I lost my job unexpectedly. I take responsibility for the mistakes I made. I missed an important deadline and wasn't always communicative when medical appointments affected my schedule. At the same time, I believed there would be an opportunity for coaching, correction, or a performance improvement plan before my employment ended. Instead, my position was terminated without that process.
For many people, losing a job is a setback. For survivors of domestic violence, it can become a safety crisis.
Today, I am once again facing housing instability and the very real possibility of losing the stability that my children and I have worked so hard to build. As a Black, queer, non-binary solo parent, I also face systemic barriers to employment that make recovering from this loss even more difficult.
I am actively applying for jobs, pursuing freelance work, and doing everything I can to regain financial stability. I am not looking for a handout—I am asking for a bridge.
Your support will help me:
Keep a roof over our heads while I secure new employment.
Pay essential utilities and basic living expenses.
Continue advocating for my children's safety throughout ongoing family court proceedings.
Focus on rebuilding instead of surviving crisis after crisis.
One of the hardest truths about surviving domestic violence is that the abuse often doesn't end when the relationship does. Financial instability, legal battles, and isolation can continue for years. That is the reality I am living.
Every contribution, no matter the amount, helps create the stability that survivors need not just to leave abuse, but to remain free from it.
If you're unable to donate, sharing this campaign is also an act of care that makes a meaningful difference.
Thank you for believing that survivors deserve not only to escape abuse, but to build lives that are safe, stable, and full of possibility.
<3 sam
