We can’t believe that summer is already drawing to a close. Our outside crew based in Austin, Akron, Chicago, and NYC, our inside crew incarcerated in Cook County, downstate Illinois and Upstate New York currently, has been busy building AND resting. Over this summer, we’ve held political and social gatherings for fellow workers and co-conspirators alike, we launched an emergency relief fund for sex workers impacted by the Hill Country floods in Texas, we’ve tabled at two awesome zine fests in Chicago, debuted new zines and print resources, we’ve got new and ongoing projects to plug and most importantly we’re trying to find our penpal, Nona.
Read on for the latest on what we’re up to, and how you can plug into our corner of the sex worker organizing movement.
URGENT! Chicago! Help Us Find Nona!
Nona Daniels is a penpal and (formerly) inside comrade-contact of ours who had come home to Chicago. We’re so devastated to hear that she’s now missing, as of Sunday, 7/13. She’s 24 years young, full of life and humor, and was last seen near the 2000 block of E. 93rd St. Please help us find our comrade, and get her some community love and support. If she wants to stay gone and/or lay low, we totally understand. But if something has happened, we want to act swiftly to make sure she’s safe. If you hear anything please reach out to us via our contact form. (Yes, a missing person’s report has been officially filed. The official language of the report (see below image) says she “suffers” from Bipolar Disorder, and we firmly reject that framing and characterization of this loved one’s diagnosis.)
Help Cam Settle Rent & Start Over!
From our dear comrade Cam aka Collage, “I’m unfortunately behind on shared bills, rent and expenses for the collective house I was living in for the past five years, and I want to ensure I’m able to make my transition on to a new chapter without leaving my housemates holding the bag. I’m hoping to sustain living in a new space, pay off some of my car debt, and get back on my feet. This fundraiser would directly contribute to my financial needs, but also it would mean my former housemates–which include queer, trans, and formerly incarcerated community members– would be able to pay all our house bills, but more importantly be safe and taken care of.” Donate to and share their fundraiser, here.
Beach Day Recap!
Our annual Combabes Beach Day was such a balm! Co-workers and our co-conspirators gathered to vent, splash around, sunbathe, and connect with each other. We can’t stress enough how important intentional days of rest and community connection can be, especially in these times. Do you want to co-host an event with us, or need help organizing your own community rest-n-connect day? Reach out to us via our contact form, we’re here to offer grassroots organizing experiences for social, political, restful gatherings and beyond!
Welcome To Chicago! Our Chicago fam is growing! Two comrade-dancers are relocating from Austin, Tx to Chicago in late August–so let’s show them a big Midwest welcome while they get settled in, find work, and build community! They’ve marched for justice and worked poles all over this country, and we’re blessed to have them heading our way. Kai is especially wanting to connect with queer and trans community, radical dancer community and the Lebanese community. They recently graduated and obtained their license as an esthetician @angelface.esthetix, and want to provide care for SWer fam. Hire them! Izz wants to connect with queer and trans community, film nerds, radical dancer community, and photography-heads! They have a background in dance and theater, as well as extensive experience as a model. Check out their amazing work here. Hire them!
Project Updates:
- We’re opening up a few spots in our “Parent & Care-giver Support” crew, if you or someone you know is a sex working parent or care-giver who is currently or formerly incarcerated and in need of urgent support funds, please direct applications to our funding circle here.
- We’re trying (real hard) to get a cohort of organizers in the trade across Chicago together to talk shop and strategize. Our goal with this is to launch a Chicago Whores Caucus, that brings different organizations, collectives, and workers together to dream big about our labor and solidarity. It’s lofty af, and has been very slow going. If you are a radical with experience in the trades and part of a formation, please give us a holler (using this encrypted link).
- Our Emergency Flood Relief mutual aid efforts got funds to 3 sex workers displaced after the Central Texas Hill Country Floods. Thank you to everyone who snapped into action around this work with us! If someone you know is still experiencing hardship due to the floods, direct them here (we’ll consider requests on a case by case basis through August).
- Donna | Dante is organizing an upcoming RAGEHER fundraiser Basketball Game, at the Chicago Athletic Association’s Stagg Court on Monday, August 25th from 6:30 – 10 PM. It’s a feel good pick up game, featuring live music during halftime, with $15 donation entry. RSVP here.
- “Lemme tell you a quick story to give you some behind the scenes on my next event. Amongst other news the silent killer in the United States is stress, primarily for femmes carrying the weight of family, workplace and education especially first gen elder sibs. Stress kills. The cortisol, the escapist behaviors, the self sabotage, the isolation from focusing on income to survive, it’s hurtful to the body and the mind. I found this out after years fighting infections and changing my diet, exercise but not experiencing relief. I had a hot body, a great style, a cool job but I was not managing my stress, not removing harmful lovers, friends, and working way too much. It took my first black female doc to really school me and bless me and say the lifestyle you have and the man you are seeing is killing you by stressing you (surveillance, judgements, accusations, false productivity beliefs, no rest). I thought wow food, water, exercise isn’t enough, my peace is the path back to my health. Often times stress manifests as irritability, snappiness, impulsive behavior, rushing, and more. Taking the time to express just anger at the harm in your life, the horrors going on worldwide from that helpless feeling to the guilty feelings, taking the time to rage whether that be through a pillow, breaking or throwing items like ice or water balloons, twisting, ripping or shredding paper, these are the things that can bring you back to life. Don’t let the anger eat at you, your anger is valid, let it out before it escalates, escapes or sabotages someone or something you love. This is how the RAGEher event was born. Donations support paying healers to support regrounding, compensating our lovely DJ, and of course providing as many materials and goodies for femmes who come through. It’s time to release without a fear we are mean or rude. You are not too much, you just need to practice releasing your rage as much as you practice filling the cup of your loved ones.” -DDMGM