Zay, 19 years old, CA | 37 DAYS WAITING

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Zay is a film major at Sac State. After spending five years in the foster care system, he is now navigating the transition while preparing for one of life’s biggest transitions: becoming a father. Zay is a natural creator—a director and music producer who finds discipline through boxing and basketball. He now lives at AcademySTAY, taking advantage of this community so he can knuckle down, maintain his high GPA, and build a secure future for his growing family. Zay possesses a remarkable work ethic, with a background in retail and automotive service. His creative hobbies—directing, drawing, and music—are not just pastimes; they are the foundation of his future career. He is deeply motivated by his support system, including his brother and mentors, and is driven to break systemic cycles through professional success.

Zay is a film student at Sac State and a former foster youth who is working tirelessly to build a professional career. With a child on the way, Zay’s motivation to lock in and succeed has never been higher. However, film students require specialized, high-power hardware to run professional editing software—tools that are currently out of reach for him. Providing Zay with a high-performance laptop is an investment in his talent and his family's future. It allows him to edit his projects, build his professional portfolio, and graduate ready to enter the film industry. Because film editing is hardware-intensive, we are requesting a Refurbished MacBook Air M1. While a new "Pro" model is the ultimate goal, a refurbished M1 is the industry-standard entry point that can actually handle 4K video rendering within a reasonable budget. The M1 chip features a dedicated media engine that allows for smooth video playback and faster rendering than standard PCs. Known for longevity, this laptop will support Zay through the remainder of his degree and his first professional projects. Its lightweight design allows Zay to edit on-set, in the lab, or at home.