JUNE 19 UPDATE!

Friends, I’m elated to report today, on this Juneteenth, that we were able to raise $1090 through this fundraiser & donate $364 to each of the three charities! Donation receipts are featured below (click to expand). THANK YOU, EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT. Commission slots are now closed, but I’m hard at work on the remaining commissions I owe donators. Each donator will be contacted as their commission is completed – your patience is appreciated.

Though this was a one-time effort, given its success I expect I’ll be doing more of these in the future, as the fight is not over. If you haven’t done so already I encourage you to donate or get involved in whatever way best fits your situation. If you’d like to commission a drawing, but didn’t have a chance at this time, I will be available for work once I finish these drawings. Please contact me at devin@ghostlantern.com for more information.

Thank you, again, from the bottom of my heart. Your support means a lot to me, but it means much more to the people who are helped by these organizations. I’ll always be grateful.

Victims of Injustice Need Our Help.
Donate $40+ to Receive a Custom Drawing!

Since the horrific murder of George Floyd—another in a long line of killings—there has been a tremendous outpouring of grief, frustration, and anguish across the United States. Many who were already giving their all day-in and day-out to make their way in the US are now fighting not just the same old battle for the right to be heard, but to live a life free from the specter of police persecution and death. We all struggle every day with a wide range of challenges, but no one should suffer simply because of who they are. It’s time to change the status quo.

What Am I Asking?

Every victim of racism deserves to be honored. I humbly beseech you to help me amplify the voices of those on the frontlines of change by supporting the Black Lives Movement and affiliated organizations. I’ve already donated what I felt I could, but there’s far more to be done. That’s why I’m asking for your help.

The proceeds of my fundraiser will all go to three charities I personally think are key to reform efforts and touch different, but critical, aspects of the issue:

NAACP Legal Defense Fund – Provides legal advocacy for minorities across the US and pushes for systemic change through legislation and social action.
The Bail Project – Provides financial and legal assistance to individuals who may not have the resources to escape unjust imprisonment.
The Loveland Foundation – Provides free mental healthcare and counseling to minority women, with a focus on Black women and girls.

What Am I Offering?

Any amount you can spare is appreciated, but as special thanks for any donation of $40 or more, I’ll draw a black and white sketch of one single character for you! Several examples are featured below.

Whether it be fanart of a character you love, an original character, a Dungeons & Dragons character, whatever (except NSFW, animals, or insensitive content), I will sketch the character to the best of my ability and email you a high resolution image file for your enjoyment. See below for examples of what I can do. If you have a character you love and always wanted a custom illustration of them, this is your chance to get one!

How to Participate & Details

For this fundraiser I am only accepting donations via PayPal at devin@ghostlantern.com. Please select “Send to a friend” to avoid fees and ensure your entire donation is honored.

I commit to keeping a record of donations and the status of my responses in this Google doc: https://ghostlantern.com/blmdonationrecord. I will immediately set about honoring the first 20 qualifying donations as I receive them, but will close drawing slots if all 20 are filled (as of June 19, 2020, all commission slots have been claimed). At that point the money will be sent to the organizations above and I will add images of the receipts to this page. Depending on how it goes I may open additional slots as I finish the initial batch of 20. Once you have donated there will be no refunds.

IMPORTANT: If you donate $40+ and would like to receive a drawing *you must provide additional information pertaining to your request!* Email devin@ghostlantern.com or DM @aknightadrift on Twitter (https://twitter.com/aknightadrift) with a screen cap of your receipt and any reference materials or details you think would assist me (photos and sketches are especially helpful). Once I’ve verified your donation I will reply to you. Please be patient as I work on the art. I will not edit the image beyond my initial work, but it is yours to enjoy (though I will retain original copyright). If you’d like the original drawing please let me know and I’ll see what I can do about shipping it!

Closing Thoughts

If this isn’t for you, but you feel inspired to participate in your own way, I understand! For additional resources on how to help—including ways that cost nothing but time—please visit https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co. And even if you can’t donate, retweets, reshares, and likes on social media are all appreciated in getting the word out. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me anytime at devin@ghostlantern.com; I’m not an expert and I’m still learning, but I’m doing my best and will help how I can.

As a writer and artist, there are few things that I hold more sacred than freedom of expression. I feel a deep obligation to support anyone who pursues this freedom to paint the portrait of their life and that’s why I’m here now. We collectively owe those who suffer injustice our time, energy, and resources. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support.