Many new Queer people of color (QPOC) graduates and creatives exiting academia hoping to start new projects and give their talents back to the world, face many added disadvantages on their journey due to systemic racism and discrimination and ultimately leave with greater debt. The average cost for a 4-year degree in-state is $87,800. For many students entering college, especially black and brown students, and in particular QPOC, the cost is unfeasible without loans. While the benefits that come from completing a degree cannot be overlooked, the consequences of having to deal with large student loans can't be either. QPOC pull back from starting businesses, completing amazing projects, buying homes, or following our passions because of debt. In return, our society as a whole becomes less rich and less safe. Q26 wants to help alleviate this inequality by raising funds for scholarships. 

Q26’s Fall fundraiser will raise funds to help six queer academics and artists of color pay off the sum of at least 3 loan payments. By creating this fundraiser, we’re hoping that it gives these students and graduates a little space to work on their goals and well-being without having to worry about their payments. This is for the creatives, the teachers, the tech enthusiasts, the activists, and the storytellers out there that have so much more to give to our society than a loan payment. And, this is for the people out there who will inevitably be affected by them.

Meet one of our six QPOC recipients: Joy Emmanuela Arit Etukudo who was born in Laurel, Maryland and currently resides in York, Pennsylvania.

Q26: Can you tell me a little bit about what you studied in college?

Joy Emmanuela Arit Etukudo: For undergrad I studied Cinematic Arts with a minor in Creative writing at University of Maryland Baltimore County. For Graduate school, I studied Visual Arts at Nottingham Trent University, focusing on Moving image installation. I am currently working as a teaching artist and am currently looking for a PhD program.

Q26: How would the money raised during this fundraiser help you?

Joy: The money from the fundraiser would help me with paying some of my student loans off as I have over $100k. I have been making payments on my loans throughout school with whatever money I earned but because of interest the amount I owe is only going up. The fundraiser would also help me subset some of my monthly debt which will in turn give me a means to save more money for my future plans.

Q26: What do you want the people who are contributing to this fundraiser to know about you?

Joy: After moving around for so much of my life, I want to settle down and find a place of my own. After saving up some money and calculating how much I could get from a home loan I learned that because of my student loans, my monthly debt has considerably dropped my home buying power. I have had to use my savings to make loan payments as well as pay rent and living expenses. This fundraiser won't only help me reduce my student loans but will also put me closer to finally being able to settle down and have a place to call home.

Please visit the following link if you would like to donate to Q26’s Fall Fundraiser: https://gf.me/u/ytwjin.