Dear Community,
Bay Area Workers Support (BAWS) finds itself at a critical juncture. Since our establishment in 2018, we've remained steadfast in our mission to support Bay Area sex workers.
BAWS is the last remaining peer-based sex worker organization in the Bay Area. Our leadership “Tops” team is a small group of current and former workers who volunteer their time between sex work, caregiving responsibilities, school, and other jobs and activism, with those who qualify receiving a small monthly stipend. The TOPS team has ranged from 2 up to 12 people during 2020. In the past year, we've operated with a team of 3 to 5 individuals, with occasional volunteers; regardless of size, we have accomplished much over the past half-decade.
Our impact is multifaceted; we've strengthened community bonds through online forums, resource fairs, and socials, creating a supportive network of Bay Area sex workers. Simultaneously, we've developed and distributed a wealth of health, wellness, and safety resources, providing reliable information and care for our community. We also aim to be a beacon of celebration for our community, hosting solidarity events like International Whore's Day every June 2nd.
We serve as a hub for those facing hardships or crises, and we are honored to support the diverse experiences of sex workers.
We are most proud of our most tangible impact. Over the past five years, we've distributed hundreds of mutual aid funds, providing vital assistance to an average of 15-25 community members monthly. This achievement is a testament to the collective strength of our community and the work of our BAWS Tops Team members.
As we step into 2024, the need from our community has reached unprecedented levels while our funds are at an all-time low.
Urgently, we appeal to the community for heightened support to ensure the continued sustainability of BAWS.
Given our financial constraints, we've decided to pause our Mutual Aid Grant Program, meaning we cannot provide funds to our community for now. The demands of our grants program currently exceed our financial and time capacities. We do not take this decision lightly, as we have deep and ongoing relationships with our mutual aid recipients.
While our Mutual Aid grant program is on hold, we will primarily focus on fundraising efforts to help sustain BAWS operations and initiatives into the future. We will also work on strengthening internal systems to support our team and clarify our programs' purpose, practice, and outcomes. During this pause, we remain committed to various ongoing programs, including in-person social gatherings, weekly Art Club meetings, resource fairs, clothing swaps, and skill-sharing sessions. Additionally, we're broadening our Resource Guides and online support channels. We will continue to be available through email for those seeking individual support and resource requests.
As we channel efforts into fundraising and expanding our capacity, we will require your attention to effectively address our community's growing needs. The TOPS team at BAWS cannot sustain this work without your support.
COMMUNITY ASKS:
Please email us at bawsorg@gmail.com to contribute in any of the following ways.
Fundraising:
Consider hosting one-time or ongoing fundraising events.
Explore partnerships with Bars, Restaurants, or Businesses willing to donate a portion of their proceeds. Opportunities for both one-time and ongoing partnerships.
Share Our Donation Link:
Please spread the word by sharing our Donation Link within your networks: bayareaworkerssupport.org/support
Grant Research:
Assist us in finding institutional grants that align with BAWS. Funding categories include SW, Housing, Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence, Single Parents, and Harm Reduction.
Merch Manager Opportunity:
We want to bring on a Merch Manager. You would earn a percentage of all merchandise sold, and responsibilities include managing merchandise orders and shipments.
Build out our TOPS team:
Over the next year, we are looking to strengthen relationships with folks who are interested in taking on leadership positions within BAWS
It is important to us that leadership reflects the diversity within our communities, where we are specifically looking to partner with BIPOC, trans + GNC, people with dependants, disabled folks, and current sex workers. *Onboarding new folks is contingent on fundraising enough for more paid stipend positions
Social Media Engagement:
Interact with our social media channels to help raise engagement
We share this with you shortly after December 17th, International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Escalating surveillance and criminalization threaten our livelihoods and safety. Our collective heart carries the weight of the challenges faced by our community. We recommit to our ongoing effort to imagine and create a world free from violence for our community and beyond.
This statement is made as violence increases globally. People worldwide are protesting against oppression and genocides in places like Palestine, Congo, Sudan, and other regions where people are fighting for their lives and freedom. This time is a big wake-up call for many, reminding us to work towards lasting change for the safety and well-being of all people.
Thank you for reading this statement and taking time to understand the challenges that BAWS is facing. At a time when hope feels thin, we will not ask you to feel hopeful. Instead, we invite you to connect and build with people you trust. We trust in and want to build with you. We thank you for your partnership, which is our is crucial in shaping our sex worker-led organization into a supported community working together to make lives better for sex workers.
We look forward to collaborating more with you all, our beloved community, in the new year.
In solidarity,
Bay Area Workers Support (BAWS)