Why I Will Now Require Payment in Advance of Bookings for Individual Services
Some know all the devastating details of how I was forced into entrepreneurship by constructive dismissal from Canada's largest university, while surviving $183, 364+ in financial abuse at the hands of my ex, Makai Livingstone of Embodied Support Services, which threatens my ability to afford to exist to the point that I have been considering a medically assisted death.
Given that I have no desire to live if unable to live my values, I remain committed to Disability Justice work. To do that, I try to meet folx where they are at when they share challenges, but especially since my very ability to exist has grown more precarious, I am learning that I need to prioritize myself more.
As you can see from the Bluesky screenshot above, a user reached out about my services, which prompted me to share a link to purchase a session with me. Since they initially replied that they could not afford my rate, I offered to accept however much they could afford to pay when in less pain. Given that they then expressed interest in paying for my services, I believed them. On March 20, 2026, I logged into their initial client meeting, and upon discussion of their challenges with organization, I offer to share my Trello board with them as an example of what helps me to keep up with tasks, to which, they agreed.
Upon seeing their name preceded by "Invoice" on my Trello card, they proclaimed that they cannot pay as they thought the session was free.
Given how out of commission I have been due to pain, I assumed I must have misunderstood. In fact, they claimed to be so distracted by that text on the screen that I went into "helping professional" mode (as a past registered social worker for 15 long years), removing it and devoting 2 hours of my life that I will never get back to supporting them.
This newsletter post is my attempt at preventing such exploitation in future, as I cannot afford to waste any of my few spoons on folx who cannot be trusted."
In 2024, I developed the hermit crab essay below based on the financial challenges I continue to face, in a desperate attempt to balance my own need for income with the needs of Black, Indigenous, and racialized folx who may not have been able to afford to attend my virtual arts programming:
Despite my attempts at working in good faith with folx, as grounded in the Disability Justice principle of an anti-capitalist politic, I have been repeatedly violated by many who claim to share values, community, etc. with me, to the point that it endangers my ability to continue to exist."
Especially after numerous discussions with loved ones about how much more demoralizing it is when exploited by multiply marginalized folx who claim to share equity values with me, I came to realize just how prevalent it has been.
After one friend assumed these violations had been limited to Bluesky, I explained that it had happened on LinkedIn, Facebook Messenger, and IG, as well as by email, so such exploitation was not about any single platform.
As you can see from the Hour-Long Support Session item for purchase on my website, which I shared with that Bluesky user when my services were solicited, the issue here is not ambiguity, but exploitation of my labour.
If you have reviewed my Accounting for Access Intimacy Abuse webpage, you are well aware that this is not the first time I have been taken advantage of, but with each subsequent violation, I become less likely to afford to survive.
With the little time I have left, I am keen on devoting it to not being complicit in my own dehumanization, which is why I am highlighting Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha's fair trade emotional labour economy concept:
The thing about being a working class or poor and/or disabled and/or parenting and/or Black, Indigenous or brown femme is that people are going to ask you to do stuff for them. Oh, are they ever.
They’re going to ask you to listen, do a favor, do an errand, drop everything to go buy them some cat food or crisis counsel them. Manage logistics, answer feelings emails, show up, empathize, build and maintain relationships. Organize the childcare, the access support, the food. Be screamed at, de-escalate, conflict resolute. They’re going to say, “Can I just pick your brain about something?” and then send you a five paragraph email full of pretty goddamn complex questions. It’d be real nice if you could get back to them ASAP. They’re going to ask if you can email them your powerpoint and all your resources. Some of them will be people who are close to you; some of them will be total strangers.
Do you have a minute?
For free.
Forever.
If you want to engage with me as part of a fair trade labour economy, I could certainly use more paid work, but if you are like the many folx who only claim community, values, etc., to take advantage of me, I am reclaiming my time by insisting that I will now require payment in advance of individual services, in an attempt to survive late-stage capitalism as a disabled mad trauma survivor.
If able to contribute to my survival following my ex's financial abuse of at least $183,364, which further disabled me, alongside white supremacist workplace trauma, e-transfers within "Canada" may be sent to krystaljagoo@gmail.com and funds may be sent via PayPal below, so please consider supporting me! 🙏🏾
BTW, on the off chance that you are looking for a gifted equity practitioner and educator for virtual services like writing, facilitation, and consulting, you are welcome to peruse my CV below, and explore paid services here.
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