Author Archives: sxhxcollective7

SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TRIAL SUPPORT 11/13 & 11/14

From F2L:We need people to join us this week as we do emergency trial support for Yusef Johnson, a young gay Black sex worker, who is facing 5 to 25 years in prison for crimes arising out of sex work contexts. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has charged Yusef with multiple robbery charges. The prosecutionContinue reading “SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TRIAL SUPPORT 11/13 & 11/14”

Remembering Yang Song

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Queens, New York – Sex Workers, Massage Parlor Workers and their supporters will hold a community vigil, “Remembering Yang Song,” taking place at 2:30PM EST outside of her former workplace, 135-32 40th Rd in Flushing, on November 25th, 2018. Last year, November 26th 2017, 38 year old Yang Song died after a raid on her workplace inContinue reading “Remembering Yang Song”

Free School

https://www.facebook.com/events/249477425749853/ We are so honored and thrilled to be a part of this Free School! Join us Saturday 10/27 for conversations and strategy sessions around accountability in sex working and trading communities. We’ll specifically be addressing barriers to community safety/accountability in a post-SESTA/FOSTA world, and how we’ve navigated accountability around having incarcerated members in ourContinue reading “Free School”

Y’all look at this AMAZING new artwork that Alisha created!

It will debut at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s first symposium on October 30th! We couldn’t be more proud of our comrade! Support incarcerated artists! Show their work! Compensate them! There’s still time to register to attend the JUSTICE HAS A VOICE: THE CRIMINALIZATION OF RACE, GENDER & YOUTH Symposium! 

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

Please join us in solidarity for the annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. This will be a solemn event centered around systemic violence towards sex workers. We will gather outside at Daley Plaza at 5:30pm to speak the names of those we’ve lost this year, we will hold a moment of rageContinue reading “International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers”

Oct 16, NYC: No Selves to Defend: Criminalizing Survival

Hey y’all! We’ll be tabling at the Survived and Punished NY curriculum launch, “No Selves to Defend: Criminalizing Survival” on October 16th at the Newschool. The event is sold out, but for those already holding ticket we’ll see you there! For those looking for access to the curriculum: https://survivedandpunished.org/2018/09/23/2018curriculum/

Hacking//Hustling: A Platform for Sex Workers in a Post-SESTA World

A new federal law called SESTA (Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act) has endangered sex workers and resulted in their erasure from online platforms that once provided work, community and safety.  Organized in collaboration with Melissa Gira Grant and Danielle Blunt, Hacking//Hustling: A Platform for Sex Workers in a Post-SESTA World is a two-day program of conversations and tacticalContinue reading “Hacking//Hustling: A Platform for Sex Workers in a Post-SESTA World”

Stigma Unbound’s “Support Your Local Sex Worker”

Below are remarks from one of our organizers at the Stigma Unbound “Support Your Local Sex Worker” event at the Museum of Sex on Monday, September 10th, 2018:  Free LeLe! Free GiGi! Power to ALL Sex Workers Now!  As a performer and artist myself, my politics are intimately tied to my practice and I appreciate allContinue reading “Stigma Unbound’s “Support Your Local Sex Worker””

From our Chicago comrades:

In 2016, T.B., a  Black transgender woman and sex worker, was involved in an interaction with a client and two other sex workers that resulted in an arrest for criminal trespass to vehicle. She accepted a plea deal that placed her on probation and requires her to pay $1,336.00 in restitution to the complaining witnessContinue reading “From our Chicago comrades:”

Hacking//Hustling is just two weeks away!

https://mailchi.mp/eyebeam/internet-freedom-in-a-post-sesta-world-open-studios-more Mark your calendars! This gathering will feature a pop-up community centered art exhibition named in honor of a line from Alisha Walker’s speech that was delivered at multiple International Whores Day protests on June 2nd: “Whores Will Rise: Protest Art & Resistance Ephemera Against FOSTA/SESTA,” is a pop-up community art show, curated by BritContinue reading “Hacking//Hustling is just two weeks away!”

Visit Bluestockings Bookstore, Café, & Activist Center

Are you in or around NYC and looking for a quick and easy way to support Alisha? Visit Bluestockings Bookstore, Café, & Activist Center to grab one of 6 zines /comics (shown here) that will benefit her and our organizing! Special thanks to Nicole for crafting two beautiful works “Men Who Memorize 1 & 2” and donatingContinue reading “Visit Bluestockings Bookstore, Café, & Activist Center”

From our comrades at Certain Days:

We are happy to announce that our calendar is at the printer and will be available soon! We think you will love it as much as we do! This year’s theme is “Health/Care,” and features art and writings by David Gilbert, Bec Young, RISE: Radical Indigenous Survivance and Empowerment, Aviva Stahl, Debbie, Mike and Chuck Africa, Roger Peet, AddameerContinue reading “From our comrades at Certain Days:”

THE HOODOISIE

THE HOODOISIE is a live and live-streamed news show disseminating block-optic and radical perspectives on culture and politics. THE HOODOISIE is Ricardo Gamboa, Steven Beaudion, Jenny Casas, Lillianna Marisela Chavarria, Kristiana Rae Colón, Hils Franco, Gabriela Ibarra, Daniel Kisslinger, Ellen Mayer, Jesse Menendez, Karari Olvera Orozco, Charles Alexander Preston, Xavier Ramey, Lau Ramírez, Ashley Ray, Danielle Roper, LaSaia Honey Wade, Richard Wallace THIS HOODOISIE EXPLORESSEX WORK (IN HONOR OF LABOR DAY) Co-HostedContinue reading “THE HOODOISIE”

Thank You SlutWalk Chicago

Thank you SlutWalk Chicago for having us out to speak about our comrade Alisha Walker’s case as well as how to show up for incarcerated sex workers and all criminalized survivors! Thank you for amplifying sex workers’ voices and our organizing efforts! Thank you for letting us take space to discuss the harmful new anti-loiteringContinue reading “Thank You SlutWalk Chicago”

“Prostitution-loitering law likely to target women of color for arrest”

“Any loitering law is a death warrant to minorities,” said Red S., an organizer with Support Ho(s)e, an activist collective that advocates on behalf of sex workers. (Red asked that their last name not be used because of recent laws targeting sex workers.) “Transgender and black and brown people will be targeted, and there willContinue reading ““Prostitution-loitering law likely to target women of color for arrest””

“‘Prostitution-Related’ Loitering Ordinance Promotes Racial Profiling in Chicago”

In an ill-advised move last month, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance that makes “prostitution-related loitering” a prosecutable offense defined as “remaining in any one place under circumstances that would warrant a reasonable person to believe that the purpose or effect of that behavior is to facilitate prostitution.” The language of the new statuteContinue reading ““‘Prostitution-Related’ Loitering Ordinance Promotes Racial Profiling in Chicago””

#NotLoiteringJustLiving Twitter Power Hour & Town Hall!

Tuesday, July 24th @ 12 pm – 1 pm Central Hashtags: #NotLoiteringJustLiving #RahmVeto #LetUsSurvive Background: On June 27th, 2018 Chicago alderpeople voted in an amendment to the Municipal Code 8-4-016 which will create the offense of  “prostitution-related loitering,” defined as “remaining in any one place under circumstances that would warrant a reasonable person to believeContinue reading “#NotLoiteringJustLiving Twitter Power Hour & Town Hall!”

We’ve got some important updates to reemphasize!

Two of our comrades had a great (albeit always frustrating because of COs and new prison visitation policies) visit with Alisha yesterday! We’ve got some important updates to reemphasize! Alisha is so overjoyed by all the letters y’all send! If you’d like a response from LeLe in a timely fashion and in a manner that’sContinue reading “We’ve got some important updates to reemphasize!”

EMERGENCY FUNDS NEEDED!

A comrade of Alisha’s, Tanya Haemer #R87472 is in need of financial support immediately. She is seeking furlough through the Clinical Services of Decatur Correctional to spend time with her dying mother, Vickie. Vickie has been struggling with COPD, only has 17% lung capacity and stage 4 cancer in her bones, liver and bladder. She has beenContinue reading “EMERGENCY FUNDS NEEDED!”

Chicago Community Bond Fund

A huge thank you to the Chicago Community Bond Fund for inviting the Support Ho(s)e collective and our comrades to lead a teach-in (shout out to our co-presenter LL!) on the intersections of sex worker advocacy and money bail/prison abolition. We covered the basics of Sex Work 101, expanded on current dangerous criminalizing legislation andContinue reading “Chicago Community Bond Fund”

Updates from Red’s recent visit on June 28th

Last week Red drove out to visit Alisha again, and LeLe had some new asks to share! -She is so overjoyed by all the letters y’all send! If you’d like a response from LeLe in a timely fashion and in a manner that’s more comfy for her to write a lot using AND is theContinue reading “Updates from Red’s recent visit on June 28th”

A Tribe Called Cunt

Much love and support to our accomplices in the struggle for collective liberation!  From A Tribe Called Cxnt:  “We are really excited to announce that a portion of the proceeds from the marketplace is going to Justice for Alisha Walker. We know how crucial it is to support sex workers under this current administration and everyContinue reading “A Tribe Called Cunt”

Visitation Reflection June 21st, 2018

Alisha was nervous about us driving in the rain. She called twice to check on us while we were on the road. It’s about three hours without traffic or under normal weather conditions. It took us a long while to reach the prison because the torrential downpour forced us to take it slow almost theContinue reading “Visitation Reflection June 21st, 2018”

Women’s March 2017

Last year we sat down with Women’s March to talk about the case of our comrade Alisha Walker and why all feminists should fight for sex workers’ rights and decriminalization!  Women’s March 2017 Transcript Sophie:Hi everyone. I’m Sophie from Women’s March, and I’m here with Red, whose an organizer with a Chicago-based group called, SupportContinue reading “Women’s March 2017”

Alisha Walker should be FREE!

Look at our beautiful comrade! This photo was taken for Mother’s Day and the prison finally released it to us! Learn about her case here: https://vimeo.com/255412331 Support her here: https://www.youcaring.com/alishawalker-1147127 Sign our petition for her clemency here: https://www.change.org/p/bruce-rauner-clemency-for-criminalized-survivor-alisha-walker

Sex Work 101

On Sunday June 10th we led a “Sex Work 101″ talk for Survived & Punished NYC! We discussed intentional, accurate, nuanced language and how to support criminalized survivors who have also traded or sold sex. Survived & Punished comrades asked thoughtful and excellent questions, made us feel supported, and we collectively brainstormed ways to become active inContinue reading “Sex Work 101”

“Let Us Survive: Demanding the Decriminalization of Sex Work”

Sex work is an umbrella term used by many to encompass all sorts of erotic labor, practice, and trade. This includes, but is not limited to, full service providers, escorting, cam work, adult film performers, dommes, stripping, sugar baby work, fetish provision, etc. It’s work. A lot of it is unfortunately criminalized because of patriarchalContinue reading ““Let Us Survive: Demanding the Decriminalization of Sex Work””

“New York’s Sex Workers Rally to Take Back International Whores Day: ‘Let Us Survive’”

The whorestory of the day traces back to 1975, when a group of over 100 sex workers occupied a church in Lyon, France for eight days. Their protests against police brutality and harassment, and demands for an end to the humiliation and violence, still resonate with a criminalized and marginalized population. Red Schulte, an organizer with SupportContinue reading ““New York’s Sex Workers Rally to Take Back International Whores Day: ‘Let Us Survive’””

“Sex workers protest a post-Backpage world”

Around 2 p.m. last Saturday, a tiny park in the West Village across the street from the Stonewall Inn filled with red umbrellas. Standing beneath them, shielded from blazing sun, were over 200 sex workers and their allies. Usually wary of appearing publicly in association with their jobs, today they were unafraid. After all, itContinue reading ““Sex workers protest a post-Backpage world””

“Sex Workers Fight Back Against a Dangerous Law by Stepping Into the Spotlight”

The sex workers are gathered here in Manhattan to fight back against SESTA/FOSTA, a federal law passed under the guise of combating human sex-trafficking but that effectively destroyed crucial online spaces for sex workers. While sex workers say the law is putting their lives at risk, it has invigorated the community and pushed the issuesContinue reading ““Sex Workers Fight Back Against a Dangerous Law by Stepping Into the Spotlight””

Love & Solidarity

We want to give a special shout out to Mariame Kaba of Survived and Punished, Project NIA, Chicago Taskforce on Violence Against Girls & Young Women. Her latest walking tour, “Slavery & Resistance in NYC,” explored historically relevent sites across lower Manhattan. It was graciously offered in solidarity with #InternationalWhoresDay direct actions. From the walking tour’s description: “This walking tour will discussContinue reading “Love & Solidarity”

Stop the War on the Whores

Yesterday, International Whores Day, was truly incredible. An action some of us had only dreamed of for years, brought about in a time of rage of necessary resilience in opposition to SESTA/FOSTA, criminalization and police. The organizing, and planning was daunting, even for those of us who were experienced at street protests. We had almostContinue reading “Stop the War on the Whores”

We Can All Be Safe

New art for #InternationalWhoresDay this Saturday 6/2! Created by Micah Bazant with Jessica Raven & Nona Connor. ..From Micah: In April, the federal govt passed SESTA— a law that *claims* to protect survivors of sex trafficking. But SESTA doesn’t protect anyone. Its endangering youth AND adult sex workers, forcing folks back out onto the streets where people are beingContinue reading “We Can All Be Safe”

Visitation Reflection, April 28th

I really anticipated not being able to write a reflection that would be of much value after this visit.  I was excited to see my little sister light up a stage, as I expected she would, and she did.  It occurred to me that A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the first Shakespeare play I couldContinue reading “Visitation Reflection, April 28th”

Fundraiser for Lysistrata

May 22nd: Join us for an evening of conversation, community, and figure drawing at House or Darker at Lot 45 in BK. We are raising $ for Lysistrata, a SW mutual care fund and making images to signal boost and sell for International Whore’s Day. Red from Support Ho(s)e will be leading a conversation “The Whore Gazes Back,”Continue reading “Fundraiser for Lysistrata”

Alisha’s Poem Reading

Our comrade Erica, reading a poem that Alisha wrote for her mama Sherri on Saturday, May 12th, at the Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration  5th annual Vigil for Incarcerated Mothers. Many formerly incarcerated mothers and their loved ones shared their stories, and participants uplifted and honored mothers who have been separated from their children byContinue reading “Alisha’s Poem Reading”

The Truth About SESTA

On April 11, SESTA – the so-called Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act – was signed into law by Donald Trump. But who’s really affected by SESTA? Consensual sex workers, victims of abuse – your favorite dating site? What will SESTA mean for our communities, for freedom of speech, and for the future of the prison-industrialContinue reading “The Truth About SESTA”

L&SS General Meeting: Organizing Sex Workers

https://www.facebook.com/events/1880122642032641/ Join L&SS at our May General Meeting! We’ll be discussing May Day, the NYC-DSA convention, and sex worker organizing. Speakers will include Melissa Gira Grant, senior reporter at Fair Punishment and author of Playing the Whore, and Red, a community organizer with the Support Ho(s)e collective, Survived & Punished NYC and Survivors Against SESTA.Continue reading “L&SS General Meeting: Organizing Sex Workers”

5th Annual Mother’s Day Vigil

Join Moms United and co-sponsoring orgs for our 5th annual Mother’s Day vigil and toiletry drive outside Cook County Jail, on the green, directly across from the main visitor’s gate. The median on which we hold the vigil is accessible insofar as there is no incline or stairs, but the ground can be difficult toContinue reading “5th Annual Mother’s Day Vigil”

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This weekend we got to celebrate with Alisha as she nailed her performance in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream! This year she acted instead of playing cello in the band! (She tried to do both, because of course she did.) We’ll have visitation reflections as soon as we can…though it was an amazing performance, theContinue reading “Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Incarcerated Mother’s Day

One of our collective members will be presenting a poem Alisha wrote for her mama Sherri at this year’s Incarcerated Mother’s Day! This will be our third year talking about our work to free our comrade, and the complexities of care-giving and sex working! You’ll recognize the piece being read as a part of LeLe’sContinue reading “Incarcerated Mother’s Day”

International Whores’ Day 2018

June 2nd, International Whores Day (also known as Día Internacional de las Putxs, PutaDei, International Sex Workers Day, Día Internacional de la Trabajadorx Sexual) is a day to gather sex working people, their co-conspirators, accomplices, loved ones and communities together in protest to demand an immediate cessation of police and state violence, the end ofContinue reading “International Whores’ Day 2018”

Survived & Punished’s Mass Commutations Convening “Free Them All” in NY

We were so excited to table at Survived & Punished’s Mass Commutations Convening “Free Them All” in NY this past weekend at Barnard! Got to connect with comrades who are doing crucial grassroots defense campaign work and building toward mass commutation efforts in California and New York. We spoke with folx about dangerous new criminalizing anti-sexContinue reading “Survived & Punished’s Mass Commutations Convening “Free Them All” in NY”

THANK YOU! Anniversary Post

It’s been just over 2 years since sex workers and their trusted accomplices banded together to create “Support Ho(s)e,” we’re a small but mighty crew and we couldn’t have been nearly as impactful without the incredible community around us for support. Endless love to Alisha, her momma Sherri Chatman, and their whole family, for rolling withContinue reading “THANK YOU! Anniversary Post”

“The Federal Attack on Sex Workers’ Rights Is a Threat to Everyone’s Free Speech”

Moving offline also makes members of marginalized communities more visible to police and potentially problematic clients. It’s not uncommon for workers who are transgender, disabled, and people of color to rely on web buffers to stay safe. “Being arrested for ‘walking while black,’ or ‘walking while trans’ is outrageously common,” Red Schulte, a queer, non-binary sex workerContinue reading ““The Federal Attack on Sex Workers’ Rights Is a Threat to Everyone’s Free Speech””

Please donate, share, circulate this new page.

https://www.youcaring.com/alishawalker-1147127 The fundraising platform Generosity is being absorbed by You Caring, so we’ve created a new fundraiser page for Alisha. We need to continue raising funds for commissary, phone, email, video visits and to help her family/friends financially afford to visit in-person. Please donate, share, circulate this new page. Right now family plans to visit inContinue reading “Please donate, share, circulate this new page.”

NYC Feminist Zinefest

FEMINIST ZINE FEST NYC ROUND UP! Sunday a jammed packed day! There were hundreds of amazing feminist babes who came out in droves to swap and share and snag zines from dozens of amazing zinesters at this year’s NYC Feminist Zine Fest! Eternal love and thanks to @jonastygram1 for always letting Support Ho(s)e table crash, @grl_trbl for the great companyContinue reading “NYC Feminist Zinefest”

Shots from the action at DePaul!

Sex workers, survivors, accomplices and academic community supporters rallied and distributed ACCURATE information about sex work and decriminalization to debunk “Rescue Industry” myths last week!  Here’s some of our community flyering outside of DePaul’s College of Law which was hosting an anti-sex worker event entitled “Why Legalizing Prostitution Promotes Sex Trafficking” on March 22nd.  Security repeatedlyContinue reading “Shots from the action at DePaul!”

Sex Work Is Work

A flyer for tomorrow’s CHICAGO action!  Sex Workers & Survivors United!  Join sex workers, survivors, accomplices and community supporters as we rally and distribute ACCURATE information about sex work and decriminalization and debunk “Rescue Industry” myths! We are rallying outside of DePaul’s College of Law because they are hosting an anti-sex worker event entitled “WhyContinue reading “Sex Work Is Work”

Sex Work & Social Work Disrupting Institutional Violence

Thanks Hunter College for such a great event! Joint presentation from Red, an organizer with Support Ho(s)e and Liz from The Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center for “Common Time” at Hunter College’s School of Social Work. We got to share a sex worker centered toolkit Support Ho(s)e published last year for HealthContinue reading “Sex Work & Social Work Disrupting Institutional Violence”

Sex Workers & Survivors United Against “Rescue Industry” Narratives

Join sex workers, survivors, accomplices and community supporters as we rally and distribute ACCURATE information about sex work and decriminalization and debunk “Rescue Industry” myths! We are rallying outside of DePaul’s College of Law because they are hosting an anti-sex worker event entitled “Why Legalizing Prostitution Promotes Sex Trafficking.” More details about this terrible eventContinue reading “Sex Workers & Survivors United Against “Rescue Industry” Narratives”

What’s Next for #StopSESTA?

Firstly, a huge, deeply felt thank you to all of y’all who have been fighting against SESTA/FOSTA. Tweeting, calling, writing letters, meeting with staffers, spreading the word–you’ve pushed the issue of rights and safety for everyone in the sex trade into the minds of so many. We’re still trying to wrap our heads around yourContinue reading “What’s Next for #StopSESTA?”

ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST SESTA!

TOMORROW & WEDNESDAY (3/6-7) 11AM- 2PM EST  We’re asking for a full social media push against SESTA! The SESTA debate/vote will likely take place on Monday 3/12.  USE THESE #TAGS: #LetUsSurvive #SurvivorsAgainstSESTA #SESTA (so people know the bill, S. 1693) #StopSESTA (used mostly by the tech community)  We NEED YOU to take action! Tweet storms, phone/fax/emailContinue reading “ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST SESTA!”

NYC Shut It Down: The Grand Central Crew

TONIGHT! NYC/Queens!  Join us as we take to the streets with NYC Shut It Down: The Grand Central Crew #blacklivesmatter in memory of our fallen fellow worker Yang Song!  We demand and end to police raids, we demand full decriminalization of all sex work now! Cops out of massage parlors! Join us at tonight’s People’s Monday at 7 PMContinue reading “NYC Shut It Down: The Grand Central Crew”

Stop #FOSTA Sample Tweets

Join Sex Workers, Community Advocates & Co-Strugglers for a Twitter Storm/ Power Hour TODAY @ 3PM EST to demand HB 1865 “FOSTA” gets SHUT DOW! Sample tweets below! This bill will hurt already criminalized working people and survivors!  POWER HOUR against #FOSTA starts NOW! Support sex workers, survivors and free speech online by demanding your repsContinue reading “Stop #FOSTA Sample Tweets”

#SurvivorsAgainstFOSTA

From our close contact Kate with Reframe Health & Justice:  TOMORROW, at 5pm on the Rules Committee in the House is marking up a bill (H. 1865) which would: – Create a federal crime for facilitating sexual exchange online punishable by up to ten years. This would criminalize hosting safety information online, harm reduction techniques like askingContinue reading “#SurvivorsAgainstFOSTA”

“NYC TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST SAYS SHE WAS CRIMINALIZED FOR DEFENDING HERSELF AGAINST ABUSER”

When Ceyenne Doroshow, an activist for transgender and sex worker rights, arrived at Queens Criminal Court for a hearing on February 15, more than a dozen supporters greeted her, some holding signs with slogans like “Black Trans Women Matter.” But that’s not, she says, how the criminal justice system has made her feel. Feb 26,Continue reading ““NYC TRANSGENDER ACTIVIST SAYS SHE WAS CRIMINALIZED FOR DEFENDING HERSELF AGAINST ABUSER””

Book updates from Alisha!!

LeLe wants to extend an enthusiastic thank you to everyone who sent books to her for her birthday! She received over 70 titles! WOW! Thank you for supporting her passion for reading, writing and drawing! She recently finished “N.B.” by Charlotte Shane and has now begun reading “Bad Feminist” by Roxane Gay and “Invisible No More” byContinue reading “Book updates from Alisha!!”

International Sex Workers’ Rights Day

For our rights, for our community, for radical care. Join NYC sex workers, service providers and trusted accomplices to celebrate this International Sex Workers’ Rights Day for an afternoon of organizing, knowledge sharing and resource provision. Lunch, metro cards and childcare provided. Location: Urban Justice Center, 40 Rector St. 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM RSVPContinue reading “International Sex Workers’ Rights Day”

Updates!

Tomorrow we’re meeting with International Women’s Strike US/ Paro Internacional de Mujeres EUANYC organizers to hopefully have more sex working people represented in their strike efforts! Thursday in NYC we’ll be at the Community Gathering & Court Support for Ceyenne! Thursday in Chicago we’ll be at Building Towards Freedom: Invisible No More w/ Andrea Ritchie, LaSaia Wade, &Continue reading “Updates!”

Alisha Walker – Survived and Punished

Alisha Walker is a 25 year old sex worker from Akron, Ohio. In January 2014 when she was 19 years old, Alisha was attacked by a client, Alan Filan, in his Chicago home. Filan had become angry when Alisha refused unsafe services, punching her in the face before grabbing a knife from the kitchen. AlishaContinue reading “Alisha Walker – Survived and Punished”

Happy 25th Birthday to our friend, our comrade, our fellow collective member Alisha Walker!

She is such a positive force in our lives and she should be free to heal and grow with her friends and family! #SurvivedAndPunished #FreeLeLe Today we will celebrate Alisha’s resistance, her strength to survive and fight her criminalization. Please consider supporting her with one or more of the ways below: GIVE directly to Alisha’s commissary: https://www.jpay.com/PMoneyTransfer.aspxAlisha’sContinue reading “Happy 25th Birthday to our friend, our comrade, our fellow collective member Alisha Walker!”

Join Love & Protect for a conversation with Andrea Ritchie, LaSaia Wade, and Eisha Love!

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1183516328417662/ Andrea Ritchie will lead a teach-in based on her latest book, Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color, a timely examination of how women of color experience racial profiling, police brutality, and immigration enforcement. Placing individual stories in the broader context of the twin epidemics of police violenceContinue reading “Join Love & Protect for a conversation with Andrea Ritchie, LaSaia Wade, and Eisha Love!”

New Campaign for Clemency

On Monday, February 12th we will be beginning a new online campaign for Alisha with the help of Survived and Punished and folks from Barnard Center for Research on Women – BCRW. We will celebrate Alisha’s birthday this coming Sunday and the next day launch into a petition and letter writing drive demanding clemency for LeLe. This couldn’tContinue reading “New Campaign for Clemency”

Community Gathering & Court Support for Ceyenne!

https://www.facebook.com/events/2064160603609036/ We are helping to coordinate and build this community action to support our sister and community leader Ceyenne Doroshow! Please come through if you are NY based!  On the night of December 18th, one of our community leaders, elders and advocates, Ceyenne was attacked by a long time abuser and had to defend herself.Continue reading “Community Gathering & Court Support for Ceyenne!”

Alisha’s birthday is less than a week away!

On February 11th LeLe will be celebrating her 25th year around the sun. Unfortunately, she will be spending in behind bars. We are organizing so that this is the last birthday she will ever have to spend incarcerated. Support Alisha. Support Survivors. Support Sex Workers. Help us celebrate our comrade a few different ways: GIVEContinue reading “Alisha’s birthday is less than a week away!”

Alisha’s latest art piece, created for Domestic Violence Awareness month.

This was her first attempt at drawing people she said. It received 2nd place in a prison wide completion at Decatur Correctional. No, the irony and heartbreak of a prison hosting a DV Awareness poster contest was not lost on Alisha or us. She was told she received 2nd place because the drawing of herContinue reading “Alisha’s latest art piece, created for Domestic Violence Awareness month.”

Sex Worker, Capacious Heart, Revolutionary Gestation

What it gets you: Knowing the enemy and which is the weaker sex.  “I have been around men for too long” to be taken advantage of ever again.  She can be afraid and she can be wrong, she can be beaten and, apparently, caged, but only for so long.  There is no further margin ofContinue reading “Sex Worker, Capacious Heart, Revolutionary Gestation”

Visiting; a new year.

We drove through snowy desolate bullshit to see our friend on January 3rd. Thankfully our visit lasted for over 4 hours and the heat was working in the visitation room at Decatur. Our conversation was stream of consciousness, chaotic, excited, it later morphed into reflection and pause while we imagined things to come. She hadContinue reading “Visiting; a new year.”

Decatur Correctional is withholding medical care

We heard from Alisha earlier today. Decatur’s medical unit is refusing to give her a blood test to screen for the cause of severe joint pain and swelling she’s having for no damn reason. Offering her advil only, not approving doctor visits even tho she’s paid to see one. She described unbearable pain when speakingContinue reading “Decatur Correctional is withholding medical care”

We were able to visit Alisha yesterday to celebrate the New Year!

Pictured here are our xmas presents to her based on her requests (she loved them!). All in all Alisha was in good spirits and looked great! We were able to spend just over 4 hours catching up and she was able to do a property release for a poster she created for domestic violence awareness.Continue reading “We were able to visit Alisha yesterday to celebrate the New Year!”

Reflecting on our 5th visit to see Alisha.

Perhaps this is the difficult center now.  The span when the drive down doesn’t seem so long, and we know the highway exit names, when we inadvertently make the same stops on the way down, and deliberately on the way back.  We do not need to bring any particular agendas to see Alisha, and thereContinue reading “Reflecting on our 5th visit to see Alisha.”

Joint Statement on December 17th from SWP & Support Ho(s)e

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was first recognized on December 17, 2003 as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer who murdered over 70 sex workers in Seattle, Washington. Since then, the meaning of December 17 has empowered people from cities around the world to come togetherContinue reading “Joint Statement on December 17th from SWP & Support Ho(s)e”

Chicago: Solidarity with Queens Sex Workers! No More Raids!

Media Contact: brit@nodeathpenalty.org ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chicago, IL – Sex Workers and their supporters will hold their “Solidarity with Queens Sex Workers! No More Raids!” taking place at 12PM in front of Sheriff Tom Dart’s office, in Daley Plaza, on Sunday, December 17th, 2017. December 17th is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, join usContinue reading “Chicago: Solidarity with Queens Sex Workers! No More Raids!”

Queens: Emergency Rally for our fallen comrade Yang Song

Media Contact: brit@nodeathpenalty.org ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Queens, New York – Sex Workers and their supporters will hold their “Emergency Rally for our fallen comrade Yang Song,” taking place at 12PM in front of the NYPD 109th Precinct on Sunday, December 17th, 2017. December 17th is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, join us to demandContinue reading “Queens: Emergency Rally for our fallen comrade Yang Song”

“NOT A CARDBOARD CUTOUT: CYNTOIA BROWN AND THE FRAMING OF A VICTIM”

The evening of August 6th, 2004, 16-year old Cyntoia Brown shot and killed Johnny Allen, a 43-year-old Nashville resident who picked her up for sex. It was an act of self defense, she explained to police later; after Allen took her to his house, he showed Cyntoia multiple guns, including shotguns and rifles. Later inContinue reading ““NOT A CARDBOARD CUTOUT: CYNTOIA BROWN AND THE FRAMING OF A VICTIM””

Upcoming Events

We’ve got a lot of events we’re involved with in both Chicago & NYC/Brooklyn coming up and wanted to centralize our calendar here: Launch meeting of Survived & Punished NY chapter: December 10th 1-4pm  Survived & Punished Webinar: Year End Updates & Discussion: Online, December 14th 7pm Emergency Rally for our Fallen Comrade Yang Song: Queens,Continue reading “Upcoming Events”

Holiday Card Writing Party

Amazing turn out at our holiday card writing party for incarcerated sex workers! In total about 20 people joined us to send cards to over 50 of over incarcerated fam. Many thanks to @bluestockings for space and @swopbehindbars for contact names/addresses!  This holiday season, send cards to incarcerated sex workers! Show folx inside some love, and let them knowContinue reading “Holiday Card Writing Party”

Holiday Cards

***THIS EVENT IS IN NYC*** Join the NYC contigent of Support Ho(s)e and accomplices for an afternoon of holiday card writing/making for our incarcerated sex worker family. December 1st, meet at Bluestockings Books at 2PM-4PM and please feel free to bring card making supplies if you’re feeling creative! We’ll be sending letters and cards of love toContinue reading “Holiday Cards”

Rainbow Action Korea

Y’all! Solidarity all the way from Seoul, South Korea! Organizers from Survived and Punished traveled to work with Rainbow Action Korea, an amazing group of queer and trans activists, to do workshops on supporting criminalized survivors and they featured Alisha’s case!! We are so thankful for this support and love! Printing out these to send to LeLeContinue reading “Rainbow Action Korea”

Harms of Pornography

Join sex workers and allies outside of the ‘Harms of Pornography’ conference, to voice resistance to the idea that sex work is inherently damaging, and that it promotes/motivates misogyny, and to provide more nuanced perspectives to those who wish to engage with us. The conference headliners are notoriously sex-shaming (particularly of BDSM/kink) and sex work-negative,Continue reading “Harms of Pornography”

HO POWER HOUR

Hey y’all! We’re gonna host a Twitter Power Hour on Sunday, October 1st from 1-2pm EST for Alisha! Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/supporthosechi to participate by retweeting, liking or tweeting your own content! Here are some sample Tweets for you to use, edit or inspire your own responses! ****** #AlishaWalker is being punished for surviving anContinue reading “HO POWER HOUR”

The Girl Talk: Gender Is A Drag Edition at The Hideout

Hey y’all! One of our organizers, Sophie, will be speaking at this event! Sophie Bee is a writer, speaker, activist, and queer trans woman. She is an organizer with Support Ho(s)e, a radical collective of sex workers, clients, and trusted accomplices building community in Chicago. Support Ho(s)e also runs the Justice For Alisha Walker campaign (https://www.facebook.com/StandWithAlisha/)Continue reading “The Girl Talk: Gender Is A Drag Edition at The Hideout”

Just got off the phone with Alisha & Sherri!

We got some good news, LeLe is doing alright and expects to be off of “D Grade” in just four days! That means she’ll be able to spend normal commissary amounts, receive and send electronic correspondence, and make regular phone calls again! LeLe let us know that they received word that programs are coming backContinue reading “Just got off the phone with Alisha & Sherri!”

Sherri finally received a call from Alisha last night!

We have some updates now about her “d graded” status. Even though Decatur COs have heavily restricted LeLe’s calls, commissary, access to gym/rec, and taken away her electronic correspondence she is doing okay with the support of others inside. Sherri let her know how much money we’ve been raising and that folx on the outsideContinue reading “Sherri finally received a call from Alisha last night!”

SlutWalk Chicago

One of our organizers spoke at #SlutWalkChi about Alisha’s case and the need to center sex working people in anti-victim blaming, anti-slut shaming movements. During this event, one of our comrades was assaulted and arrested by the CPD, here’s a fundraiser supporting them: https://fundrazr.com/51GvGe You can also preorder a sticker in support of Lee here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/538648986/preorder-free-lee-stickerContinue reading “SlutWalk Chicago”

Visiting my friend again.

Erica, Aaron and I were visiting fresh on the heels of Alisha being released from Segregation; punished for articulating she would defend herself if attacked, and naming the COs who had been targeting her for continued harassment. We wanted to be sure to bring her some things to brighten the visit and made a stopContinue reading “Visiting my friend again.”

Visiting LeLe (Part 3)

Alisha was in much better spirits during this visitation (aside from her cello performance) and that may have been due to the fact that she had been released from segregation after 5 days. A conversation with her mother, Sherri, resulted in her placement into isolation- not an incident, an altercation or any type of “misbehavior”Continue reading “Visiting LeLe (Part 3)”

COMFORT SOCIETY: THE POLITICS OF SEX WORK

We are excited to announce this roundtable discussion on July 16, 2017 with Red Schulte and the Support Ho(s)e organization to learn about their efforts to build a radical community for sex workers in Chicago, calling for the decriminalization of prostitution and demanding that sex workers, along with ALL workers, are guaranteed a full rangeContinue reading “COMFORT SOCIETY: THE POLITICS OF SEX WORK”

Photos of Alisha’s family from their recent trip to see her!

Getting updates from Sherri, LeLe’s momma! The fam had a wonderful 6 hour visit with Alisha! Apparently LeLe held Voni (her new nephew) the whole time! She really appreciated her momma making the sacrifice to come down with the family even though the warden still won’t allow Sherri to visit Alisha (something we’ve been organizingContinue reading “Photos of Alisha’s family from their recent trip to see her!”

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WHORES’ DAY!

This day, back in 1975, over 100 sex workers occupied the St. Nizier church in Lyon, France to demand respect, better working conditions and an end to police harassment/brutality. They held their occupation for 8 days. Since then sex workers all over the world, primarily in India, have kept this day alive and fighting! TodayContinue reading “HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WHORES’ DAY!”

Alisha and her family still need your support.

This is a link to her fund, moderated by her mother Sherri: https://www.generosity.com/fundraising/alisha-walker-survived-and-punished–2/x/16154967 Please consider making a donation so that her family and friends can afford to visit her, and so that Alisha may be able to have necessary commissary funds. Alternatively, you can find LeLe through the JPay system with her “offender number” Y12381 this way youContinue reading “Alisha and her family still need your support.”

Statement on the “Free Bambi campaign”

After finding out the “#Free Bambi” campaign was not legit, in that there was no actual Bambi but rather someone (or someones) else posing as this person to raise money, there is anger, hurt, confusion and distrust. These feelings are very understandable. We want to say however that our collective does not support any targeted harassment orContinue reading “Statement on the “Free Bambi campaign””

Hos At Hideout

Our Support Ho(s)e organized event Hos At Hideout was such a success! We could not have done it without y’all’s support! All told we raised over $800 for LeLe, her family and our organizing efforts!!! We danced, sang and lifted up those who couldn’t be with us because of state violence. Special thanks to GRÜN WASSER, The Stranger & Fake Limbs forContinue reading “Hos At Hideout”

Visiting Lele: The Cello Performance!

     I was not able to make it to our last planned visit- the first visit to Decatur, following Lele’s transfer from Logan- so I was beyond excited to hear we would be watching her in a theater performance of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.      None of us knew Lele had played theContinue reading “Visiting Lele: The Cello Performance!”

Sanctuary Dinner & Dialogue

The following are prepared remarks from one of our organizers, Red, who participated in last night’s “Sanctuary Dinner & Dialogue.” Red is also one of the artists being featured in the exhibition “Sanctuary: Art Exploring Refuge, Community, and Resistance” curated by the UIC’s Gender & Sexuality Center. In my piece, “The things that people sayContinue reading “Sanctuary Dinner & Dialogue”

“Labor And The State” with panelists: Bill Pelz, Djamil Arbia, and Brit Schulte

How does the State function today? How is it the product of a history of Leftist struggles? Is there a way in which workers in the “Era of Trump” are able make sense of and redeem Labor’s history with the State, to develop, as Marxists contend, a dialectical, rather than affirmative or negative relation toContinue reading ““Labor And The State” with panelists: Bill Pelz, Djamil Arbia, and Brit Schulte”

Our Third Visit

        Home again, whatever that means exactly.  Moving for most people is terrible because it involves putting a bunch of small things into larger boxes, carefully wrapping delicate items—heirlooms, art, instruments, televisions, anything which is not really designed to be packed into a van or truck or other vehicle and moved any distance.  It alsoContinue reading “Our Third Visit”

Sex Worker Centered Guide for Health/Wellness Professionals

In honor of International Sex Worker Rights Day we are sharing our latest toolkit: a Sex Worker Centered Guide for Health/Wellness Professionals. Click here to access the guide, and download in PDF format. This is our first edition and we see this as an organic document that we will be contributing to and updating as necessary.Continue reading “Sex Worker Centered Guide for Health/Wellness Professionals”

Parsing a Miserable But All-Too-Typical Article Concerning Sex Work Which Ostensibly is Not Attempting To Be Whorephobic But In Fact Is

What follows, in un-bolded text, is an article from a major city news source in New Orleans, written without any particularly vested perspective on the matters discussed.  What we’ll quickly discover is an under-researched, uncritical rehearsal of law enforcement diatribe and baseless putting words in the mouths of those whom they purport to serve andContinue reading “Parsing a Miserable But All-Too-Typical Article Concerning Sex Work Which Ostensibly is Not Attempting To Be Whorephobic But In Fact Is”

Solidarity with #NoDAPLchi

The following are remarks from one of our organizers, Red, at today’s demonstration in solidarity with Native & Indigenous resistance. Red improved a bit in person, but their core message is the same: Hey y’all my name is Red and I’m an organizer here in Chicago. I’m here today to stand with The Water Protectors,Continue reading “Solidarity with #NoDAPLchi”

Press Release for 1/18 Action

Chicago: PROTEST THE CENSORING OF BACKPAGE.COM### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ### Chicago, Illinois – Chicago Sex Workers and their supporters will present “Protest the censoring of Backpage,” taking place at 12 pm in front of Sheriff Tom Dart’s office, in Daley Plaza (50 W Washington) on Wednesday, January 18th, 2017. Backpage.com, THE NUMBER ONE AND MOST EFFECTIVE ADVERTISINGContinue reading “Press Release for 1/18 Action”

Visiting LeLe (Part 1)

         Speaking to another of our collective members upon returning, I found myself having difficulty expressing just what this most recent visit to Alisha had impressed upon me.  The arbitrariness of prison regulations was hardly a surprise, and the length of the drive and waiting around were, at least for me, vastly condensed by knowingContinue reading “Visiting LeLe (Part 1)”