Friends, family, and loved ones of the Universe, My name is Briana Morales and I am the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year, a foster mother, doctoral student, high school English teacher in East St. Louis, and most recently a grieving daughter who unexpectedly lost her Dad at the young age of 46 on Sunday, July 23, 2024 after not having spoken in recent years. While this is supposed to be the happiest and proudest year of my professional career having been named Illinois Teacher of the Year, my heart screams and it cries thinking about every moment ahead of me that I will celebrate without my father who was once my best friend. As I was traveling to Chicago, IL, to be with my family on Thursday, July 28, 2024, the day before my dad’s funeral, I was so distraught and overcome by sadness. I should have pulled over to collect myself, but I kept driving through tears, and unfortunately missed a stop sign which caused me to have an accident. Just a week ago, I purchased a brand new vehicle to help me travel across the state during my sabbatical as Teacher of the Year and engage with teachers, students, and school communities. My car is now totaled after spending $7,500 on a down payment and taxes (I bought the car in Illinois but live in Missouri so I paid the taxes outright). I take great pride in being able to love my children the ways my Dad showed me love, especially teaching them how to cook which are memories I look back on fondly with my own father. My two sons never got to meet my dad. My oldest will be starting college in just a few weeks to become an electrician, and what little is left of my savings is going to be spent on the payment plan for his remaining tuition balance. Without any family nearby to help us, I am juggling so much on my own and have never felt more clueless and alone. After a career in education caring for other people’s children, I feel I am in a place now where I am unable to forge a path forward to care for mine without reaching out for help. Many of you have seen me fundraise for my students’ tuition, housing deposits for college, baby items for teen mothers, funeral expenses when they have passed on, and most recently started a nonprofit organization, (Sister)Hood of Hope, Inc., in memory of one of my most beloved former students, Damiya Brown, to connect young girls of Color with mentors and provide positive youth development programming for them. I have dedicated my career to uplifting others and elevating their humanity so that they can be their best selves. I am now vulernably bearing my heart to ask for your kindness, grace, and support so that I can secure another vehicle to take care of my family and continue on my sabbatical as Teacher of the Year. In memory of my father, whose lively spirit and unwavering motivation I inhereted, please consider making a donation if you feel moved, touched, or inspired. Gwendolyn Brooks once wrote, “We are each other’s magnitude and bond,” and as I lean on you for support after spending a lifetime doing the same for others, I know this to be true. Cost Breakdown estimate: -Potential gap: $3k -Downpayment: $5k Taxes: $2.5k Thank you for reading, thank you for sharing, and thank you for holding me, my family, and my boys in your hearts during this devastatingly tragic time.
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