Meet Aeli

Aeli (she/her) is a 33-year-old trans woman from North Carolina. Living with mental disabilities means she is unable to work and relies on SSI for income, but with the rising cost of living, it’s been difficult to make ends meet. She dreams of building a more stable future for herself and her partner so they can live a happy and healthy life together.

Despite these challenges, Aeli approaches life with an upbeat, can-do mindset. She enjoys learning new recipes and is always looking for ways to improve her cooking.

She shared, “Receiving this award will give me the ability to catch up on bills and save for the future with my partner, Noodle. I won’t have to worry about if I can afford my HRT from month to month.”