Hi friends!
I wanted to reach out promote SWOPLA’s Annual Fund!
SWOP LA has been able to accomplish a lot over the past couple years, and we want to continue fulfilling our vision and growing our capacity to influence change!
Recently we’ve published SWer-vetted Mpox info, conducted a completely SWer-run study of parents who work in the sex trade, and passed SB 357 to decriminalize loitering with intent to commit prostitution in California as a member of DecrimSWCA (and a co-sponsor!)
We really think we’re changing the world by centering care, respect, and mutual aid; by fighting against patriarchy and white supremacy and for mutual liberation; and by putting sex workers in charge of the research and policy decisions that affect their lives.
And we are so proud to be fighting alongside such a wide group of supporters for decriminalization as part of DecrimSWCA! SWOPLA and DecrimSWCA are both led by sex workers, all of whom are people of color and/or trans, and we are proud and excited to be part of an era in the sex worker’s rights movement where BIPOC and trans sex workers are taking leadership and finding support from a broad range of allies. We absolutely cannot do this alone, and it has been humbling to find so much support.
We are currently applying for our own 501(c)(3) status, and are ramping up our grant-writing and fundraising efforts, but we need help from donors to get us through to the big money!
Until our first unrestricted grant of $15,000 from Sex Worker’s Giving Circle last year, SWOPLA had been almost entirely SWer funded. Even through our Emergency Relief Fund, which raised around $20,000, most of our donations came from sex workers who had come to at least one SWOPLA event in-person.
With fewer in-person events and some problems with fundraising infrastructure, we haven’t been able to crowdfund consistently this year, and we need your help getting back on track so we can show our community support off to the big money donors.
We are asking now for your support, in any way that you can show it!!!
Please consider becoming a SWOPLA supporter by promoting or donating to our Annual Fund!
Every donation really does count, and we can stretch a dollar like you wouldn’t believe! You can check out some more details on what we’ve been up to–and how we plan to spend the money if we’re able to reach our goal!–on Instagram or Twitter. And come check us out for a general meeting! We hold one virtually on the third Thursday of every month at 6pm! You can find the meeting link in our social media bios or click here.
Thank you for all your support you’ve shown in the past! We wouldn’t have been able to get here without all the support the community has shown. Let’s keep making sex workers feel loved, together!
<3 Ashley,
SWOPLA Fundraiser