Chemareéa Biggs

Living in New York has been quite an adjustment. I currently share an apartment with three other people – all straight white guys. As a Black queer femme, it’s been a bizarre experience compared to the commune I lived in back in Austin. I ended up in this living situation, which is less than ideal, because most landlords in New York City require a guarantor to rent an apartment, which I don’t have. My credit score also took a hit when my identity was stolen last year, making it even harder to find housing.

Before the Creatives Rebuild New York program started, I was really struggling financially. For about five months, I had almost no income beyond a bit of tutoring and tattoo work. I was dealing with debt from my move to NYC and had some serious health issues, including kidney infections. The financial stress was taking a major toll on my mental health too. My roommates at the place I had been living at all moved out and didn’t tell me the lease was about to expire. So I was just really stuck and without resources. At one point, I had a breakdown and spent about a week in the psychiatric ward at Elmhurst Hospital.

When I first heard about the CRNY guaranteed income program, I honestly thought it might be fake. A lot of artist grants can be shady. But I applied anyway, since I was applying for everything I could find. When I found out I was selected, it felt surreal. I immediately started planning how I could use the money to find a new living situation.

The impact of this guaranteed income has been profound. I was able to get an art studio, which gave me a dedicated space to create. I bought supplies, including a new guitar, and even started a band. It took about two months for me to really believe the payments would keep coming.

Beyond the material benefits, the program allowed me to build better relationships and connect with other artists. I was even able to support friends going through financial challenges, having just experienced that myself. It’s been empowering to have resources and feel more secure.

Contrary to what some politicians might think, this guaranteed income didn’t make me want to stop working. If anything, it motivated me more. I actually got a job after the CRNY program started, so I had two sources of income for the first time in a long time. I was working steadily in restaurants for a while, but I’ve currently been out of full-time work since March. I’m surviving on my freelance work like tattoo art, venue booking, and private tutoring. I’m currently applying to about 50 jobs a day, mostly in hospitality. The job search itself often feels like a full-time job, but I’m feeling optimistic. I’ve had some calls back for final interviews, so I’m pretty sure I’ll land something in the next few weeks.

I think if we had a program like this for everyone who needed it, people’s quality of life would improve dramatically. It would give people hope and encouragement to keep going, even when things get tough. 

Essay by: Chemareéa Biggs