A Dream Deferred No More: Help Me Be Great!

  • US$110.00
    raised of $5,000.00 goal goal
2% Funded
3 Donors
Raised offline: $20.00
Total: $130.00

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities

Show more
Show less

"At the end of the day . . . as someone who cares deeply about the world. Who’s critical of the world. Helping a tiny portion of the population -- through education or community work – has never felt like enough. I want to impact hundreds of thousands of people. And I’m confident I’d be able to do so through my artistry."

Hello, Family!

For those who don't know me, my name is Mychal Batson; also know as the Bedazzler, or simply @MycDazzle. I’m a multidisciplinary artist currently calling Saint Paul, MN home.

Over the course of the past six years, much like many of my peers, I’ve been on quite the rollercoaster.

We’re a largely displaced generation.

We graduated from college with toothy smiles, our degrees in hand, and insurmountable debt on our shoulders, ready whatever the world had to offer. But unfortunately, all the world had left for us, after a globally felt economic downturn, were scraps—menial jobs, stagnated wages, inflation, more debt, and the Kardashians.

I, personally, felt the full brunt of this blow.

My mother was one of hundreds of thousands of people laid off back in 2008, and it took her until 2015—seven long, taxing years, to get back on her feet. I graduated from college in 2010, with honors. I majored in English: Creative Writing, with an emphasis on poetry and screenwriting. I minored in Film and Graphic Design, though I wasn’t able to complete either program due to financial hardship.

But I thought I’d be cool, ya know? I was a McNair Scholar, which is a program that helps prep underprivileged academics for the long road to their Ph.D. I was waitlisted at Columbia NY immediately following graduation, which is no small feat considering it’s an Ivy League institution that generally only accepts 10 to 15 students per year, 25 years of age and older.

I wasn’t admitted, which part of me expected. However, what I didn’t expect was for Augsburg College, my undergraduate institution, to yank my financial aid my last semester, meaning I owed them 55 hundred dollars, upfront, before they’d give me my diploma or release my transcripts—which doesn’t sound like much, but when you come from where I come from, that might as well had been 55 thousand dollars.

At 22 years old, I was 50,000+ dollars in debt with an English degree I didn’t know how to use, and absolutely no guidance to speak of.

But I figured it out. Slowly but surely, I figured it out. We had to, right?

I dived deep within myself to figure out what moved me . . . what drove me . . . what made me want to get up in the morning. I worked with youth. I wrote songs. I drew pictures. I taught. I danced. I learned.

And all of this learning—all if this self exploration has lead me to where I am today.

And I’m proud of where I am today.

2016 has been an amazing year for jervoy. I’ve never been more confident. Never had as much support or felt as much Love as I do now. And being someone who struggled with depression heavily for ten long years . . . I couldn’t be . . more grateful . .

lol my eyes watering and shit . . . let me chill.

* clears throat *

I couldn’t be more grateful for the people in my life. For the people who have touched my heart and allowed me to touch theirs. They’re the only reason I’m still here.

And that’s why I know it’s time that I fully embrace my path – my calling – my life’s work, leaning into it unflinchingly, because I owe it to not only myself, but to everyone who’s believed in me . . . who’s stopped me on the street or hopped into my DM’s to tell me how much I’ve helped them, or how much they support me, or how something I’ve written, said, or created changed their entire outlook on life.

It’s time.

And I need your help.

I’ve NEVER.

NEVER had time to fully focus on my craft without interruption. I’ve spent a large portion of my adult life pimping out my skills to make ends meet, and if you’re an artist, you understand that creative energy isn’t exactly a well that keeps on giving – exhaustion and overexertion are very real things, especially when you’re multidisciplinary.

I told a friend the other day, I have two jobs that pay and seven that don’t. I’m quite literally always working.

But if I continue to do what I’ve been doing—dedicating a large portion of my time and energy to sculpting other people’s dreams, just to stay afloat, time will continue to get away from me.

With your help, I’d be able to finally sit down and bang out the many projects collected dust in the back of my mind—manga’s, children’s books, web series/ short films etc—as well as put a lot more intention towards the projects I’ve been working on consistently, such as my music.

Funds would also go towards tasks I’ve been putting off taking caring such as, but not limited to:

Getting my baby, my lifeline—my computer looked at because it’s been wheezing as of late and it’s making me nervous.

Getting my contact prescription refilled—I’ve been wearing the same contacts for far too many months now lol.

Buying art supplies—I literally don’t own a pencil at this point, let alone markers, pens, or paintbrushes, and I’m down to the last couple pages of my sketchbook.

And on top of all this, I’m saving to relocate to Los Angeles, for the second time, to continue to chase my dreams.

So yeah – if you believe in jervoy. If you’d like to see me thrive. Let me hold a dollar. Let me hold two dollars. 300 people giving me a dollar is 300 dollars, go figure. That’d get my computer fixed. Lol

Anywho, I’m damn near at a thousand words. Hopefully you lasted this long. There are perks for substantial donations i.e. I’ll lend my artistic talents to those who hol’ it all the way down.

At the end of the day . . . as someone who cares deeply about the world. Who’s critical of the world. Helping a tiny portion of the population -- through education or community work – has never felt like enough. I want to impact hundreds of thousands of people. And I’m confident I’d be able to do so through my artistry.

With a bit of help.

I love you all. I live for you all.

Thank you!

@MycDazzle


Rewards

A generic caricature

0 Backers

A detailed caricature

0 Backers

Whatever you want! - framed and mailed to you.

0 Backers

Organizer

  • Mychal Batson
  •  
  • Campaign Owner

Donors

  • Guest
  • Donated on Sep 08, 2016
$10.00
  • Timothy Wongers
  • Donated on Sep 07, 2016
  • You're already great in my book. Tee hee.

$50.00
  • Mychal Batson
  • Posted On Sep 01, 2016
  • I’m cheeessinggg. Thank youuuu!

Sep 07

Van Life?

Update posted by Mychal Batson at 08:33 pm

Humoring putting funds raised towards a van to start tricking out to tour/ travel the country/ live in? Feeling like the SUPER move at the moment lol. I'm such a hippie.

See update
0

Donors & Comments

3 donors
  • Guest
  • Donated on Sep 08, 2016
$10.00
  • Timothy Wongers
  • Donated on Sep 07, 2016
  • You're already great in my book. Tee hee.

$50.00
  • Mychal Batson
  • Posted On Sep 01, 2016
  • I’m cheeessinggg. Thank youuuu!

  • Guest
  • Donated on Sep 01, 2016
Amount Hidden

Followers

0 followers
No Followers Just Yet...
US$110.00
raised of $5,000.00 goal
2% Funded
3 Donors
Raised offline: $20.00
Total: $130.00

No more donations are being accepted at this time. Please contact the campaign owner if you would like to discuss further funding opportunities