With the dream of becoming an artist, Turkish-born dancer Su Güzey emigrated to the only US city she had ever visited – Philadelphia.

Güzey, now 33, moved to Philadelphia in 2021 after being accepted for the MFA in dance at UArts. While pursuing her master’s degree, she began teaching as an adjunct assistant professor in the dance program and performed in university-sponsored productions to boost her resume. She volunteered for several local productions and performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Fest.

With the unexpected closure of the college in June, Güzey lost her job and now faces a far greater threat than unemployment – deportation. “I’ve had challenges in my life, but I’ve never felt that freezing and completely despairing feeling like everything was going wrong,” said Güzey, who completed her master’s degree at UArts. “It triggers a kind of reaction in my nervous system that I’ve never felt before. I don’t like that feeling.”

As former UArts students, staff and faculty protested, Güzey rushed to submit applications. She had 60 days to find a new job in academia and thus keep her visa. Given the few positions available in the summer, this is an almost impossible task.

Güzey doesn’t yet know if she will be forced to give up her life in Philadelphia and leave behind her home in Fishtown, her career and her friendships.

“I don’t want to generalize the experiences of people who move away from home, but the feeling home is something you desperately seek,” said Güzey. “It’s not a space you create. People create a home for you, and the people I met made Philly a home for me.”

Although UArts’ dance program is moving to Bennington College in Vermont, the new version of the program will not have full-time faculty, only part-time staff and visiting artists. With no full-time position in sight, Güzey is seeking an O-1 nonimmigrant visa, commonly referred to as an “artist visa,” which could allow her to stay in the country longer.

“It’s just very complicated, and I’m in a situation now that I’m only in because I’ve looked at possible ways to stay and this is the only one,” she said.

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, O-1 visas are issued to individuals “who possess extraordinary ability in the fields of science, art, education, business, or athletics… and who have received national or international recognition for such achievements.”

Güzey is convinced that she meets the requirements. The only problem is financing.

She needs $5,000 to pay her legal fees and file her claim, an astronomical sum for a recently laid-off immigrant artist struggling to find paying gigs.

To raise funds, two of Güzey’s friends encouraged her to start a GoFundMe campaign, which raised over $3,000.

“It’s nice to see (the support) and it’s given me confidence that I’ve found a home,” she said. “The support and care is undeniable.”

Her friend Jim Anderson, a graphic designer who works under the name GRIMGRIMGRIM, said it was “disappointing” that artists like Güzey had to take these measures because UArts closed its doors. He fears other creatives will continue to be left in the lurch, too.

“It totally sucks,” Anderson said. “I don’t think people really realize the magnitude of the situation. The city wants to present itself as some kind of cultural center, but at the same time it’s helping to kick out people who want to do good here.”

Güzey said she and her lawyer would handle the process as best they could, but “everything depends on how well the immigration authorities respond,” she said. “At this point, we don’t know, and we have so much evidence based on my previous experience in this field. But again, it all depends on how they will view it.”

She doesn’t know if it’s hope or stubbornness, but Güzey says she’s past the anxiety-ridden phase and is prepared for a more positive outcome rather than the “bumpy road of pain” she’s been on for the past two months.

“I don’t have anxiety attacks anymore,” she said. “I have the strength to keep working on these things and fighting for my rights. I deserve to stay here and I have the skills and experience to offer something to the arts community.”