For those who don't know me:

I am Eric Scutaro ( IG: @ericscutaro ), a Venezuelan choreographer, dance performer and a LGBT+ & HIV activist, refugee in United Kingdom. For 13 years, I has been a pioneer in my country in Waacking and Voguing, dance styles belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community since the 70s. My choreographies, workshops and performances explore hip-hop, Waacking and the Voguing style as a way to advocate for LGBTIQ+ community. My work has also stood out for doing Queer activism within the hip-hop culture in my country and now in the UK. I am the founder of Queer-Side ( www.queerside.org ) a Community Interest Company for LGBT+ arts in Birmingham, UK, with a long list of important activities created for the community and the people of Birmingham.

I has worked in conjunction with the British Council Venezuela for 5 years. Creating activities, workshops and activism for Venezuelan youth regarding dance and the LGBTIQ+ community. Being part of the first Hip-Hop Theatre work in the history of Venezuela. Also representing the British Council Venezuela in London, for a special dance training, and in Belfast for The Outburst, one of the most important Queer arts festivals in the United Kingdom. Additionally, I was part of the founders of the first and only street dance company in Venezuela and all of Latin America, thus creating a stable and legally recognized job for young street dancers of the present and the future. I am one of the bridges between Venezuela and the United Kingdom for cultural and artistic exchanges in the field of street dance to continue developing opportunities for youth, and continue developing LGBTIQ+ activism.

The reason for my crowdfunding:

I am currently going through a very difficult situation both in terms of housing and economically and that could lead me to be on the street. This whole situation has put my mental health in a difficult position of anxiety and depression.

I have until November 21st to find a place where I can live. The emergency accommodation list is long and takes up to months to be referred. As you well know, moving to a new place requires a deposit and one month's rent in advance, and it is a lot of money, which I do not have because I must pay the last month of the contract I have with the apartment that I was rented with my ex- partner and because I am really in a very difficult economic situation due to these months of personal problems and that at the last moment it has been this decision not to continue the contract, and that paying for the current apartment is impossible for me to do. I got a Part-Time job not long ago and with this it can be a secure income at least for pay the rent in the new place (Still looking). Unfortunately, as a refugee there really isn't much help (both from the Home Office, Job Centre and even from rental agencies) since the list of people with a similar situation is long. And the only way for the rental agencies to "trust me" as a refugee is if I have the full money on hand, which I don't have, just for my food.

In addition to all this, next year I will start a Master in Dance (MA: Participation, Communities and Activism) at The Place London, which I have been trying to apply for 2 years. This MA is extremely important for me since this will elevate my professional career for better job positions and create a more professional foundation of my history and my 15 years of important career. I will apply for student finance to pay for the year of study, but unfortunately before I can apply for student finance I must pay £1000 to the university to be able to reserve my spot and thus be able to have all the requirements to apply all of this. I really need to study and do this MA since I have been denied many art-related job positions since I do not have "a student base and degree" to strengthen my position.

I hope with all my heart that you can help me since I sincerely need this push to help me be in a better position in life (Which right now I am so scared and almost hopeless), since I have been very affected during these years as an asylum seeker, and now recently as a refugee, which has helped create beautiful things for communities and people, but the system is very cruel to refugees who have recently been granted status. and hopefully in 2026 I will apply for my the citizenship that would help me to be "equal" in the UK system and society.

I just want to live a better life to continue providing magic to people and continue creating not only for myself but for everyone.

With all the love,

Eric Scutaro