Support a Trans Jamaican Advocate Building a Safer Life in Brazil

My name is Anika, and I am a transgender woman from Jamaica who has dedicated much of her life to advocating for the rights, dignity, and well-being of LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized communities. Today, I find myself in a position I never imagined I would be in: asking for help simply to survive and find stability while trying to rebuild my life in a new country.

Back home in Jamaica, advocacy was an important part of my life. Through my work in the LGBTQ+ community, I was involved in supporting vulnerable people, creating spaces for connection and support, engaging stakeholders, and helping push conversations around equality, inclusion, and access to services. I believed in the importance of standing up for people who are too often overlooked, because I understood what it meant to live in a society where simply being yourself could expose you to discrimination and harm.

But while I was working to make life better for others, I was also trying to find a way to build a safe and sustainable life for myself.

In December 2025, I lost my job, and the hardship that followed was overwhelming. Losing my source of income meant losing the financial stability I depended on to meet my basic needs and plan for my future. It was a difficult period emotionally and financially, especially while navigating the realities of being a transgender woman in Jamaica. I tried to figure out my next steps, but finding a way forward became increasingly difficult.

Alongside the financial challenges, I also experienced hostility and violence because of who I am. I was assaulted, an experience that left me confronting the reality that my safety and ability to live openly were never guaranteed. It was painful to experience that kind of harm while already dealing with so much uncertainty. I reached a point where I had to seriously consider what kind of future I could realistically build for myself if I stayed.

Leaving Jamaica was not an easy decision. My home is part of who I am, and walking away from the life I knew meant leaving behind familiar places, connections, and the work I had spent years building. But I wanted the opportunity to live without constantly fearing for my safety, to have the freedom to be myself, and to get another chance at making something of my life. That decision brought me to Brazil.

I arrived with hope. I hoped that being in a different country would give me the chance to start again, find stability, continue growing professionally, and eventually return to supporting myself through meaningful work. I knew starting over would not be easy, but I was willing to put in the effort to build a new life.

Unfortunately, starting over has been much harder than I anticipated.

I am currently navigating the process of obtaining my refugee documentation in Brazil. Despite my efforts, I have not yet been able to secure my refugee protocol, which has created significant barriers to moving forward with employment. I have searched for remote opportunities and other ways to earn an income, hoping to find work that would allow me to cover my living expenses while I resolve my documentation situation. So far, I have not been able to secure a job that can sustain me.

Meanwhile, rent, utilities, food, transportation, and other basic necessities do not stop being due simply because I am waiting for a process to move forward. Every month brings the same questions about how I will cover my expenses and how long I can continue managing without a reliable source of income.

It is a difficult position to be in, especially when you want nothing more than to work, support yourself, and regain your independence. I have spent years contributing to my community, coordinating programmes, supporting advocacy efforts, and helping others navigate difficult circumstances. Having to ask for financial assistance for my own basic needs has not been easy. There is a certain vulnerability in putting your circumstances out there for others to see, particularly when you have always tried to stand on your own two feet.

But I have come to understand that asking for help does not mean I have given up. Sometimes, it means acknowledging that you cannot carry everything alone.

I am putting my pride aside and asking for help because I want the opportunity to keep going.

I am raising US$2,800 to help cover my essential living expenses through January 2027 while I continue working toward resolving my documentation situation and finding a sustainable way to support myself. The funds will go toward rent and utilities, groceries, transportation, phone and internet, personal necessities, hormone replacement therapy and related healthcare expenses, as well as unexpected costs associated with navigating this period.

This fundraiser is not about asking anyone to solve every problem in my life. It is about giving me some breathing room during a period when so much remains uncertain. It is about helping me keep a roof over my head, put food on the table, maintain my well-being, and have the chance to continue pursuing the future I left home to build.

As a transgender woman and advocate, I have always believed that people deserve the opportunity to live with dignity, safety, and hope. I still believe that for myself, even when the path toward it feels incredibly difficult.

I want to work. I want to become financially independent again. I want to continue using my experience and skills to contribute meaningfully to society. Most importantly, I want the chance to build a life where I can feel safe, be myself, and look toward the future without constantly worrying about whether I will be able to meet my most basic needs.

If you are able to contribute, any amount would make a genuine difference. If you cannot donate, sharing my fundraiser with others would also mean so much to me.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story, for seeing me beyond the circumstances I am facing, and for helping me hold on to the possibility of a better future.

Sometimes, a little support at the right time can make the difference between simply trying to survive and finally having the space to rebuild. I am asking for that chance.