this #fundingFriday 4 #sexworkerrights support 2 activists who lost their house to a fire

January 7th, 2015 · · Campaigns, News Archive No comments - Tags: ,

This coming #fundingFriday 4 #sexworkerrights BPPP will raise awareness about a community fundraiser in support of Kini Seawright and Peggy Plews who are both advocates for the rights of sex workers, prisoners and parents.

Kini of Seawright Prison Justice Project

Kini of Seawright Prison Justice Project

Peggy and Kini lost their house and belongings in a house fire in Michigan. They had very recently moved there from Phoenix, Arizona. Their role in progressive politics in Phoenix is beyond dispute. They have opened their home, shared their food, fought in the streets and given everything they had to help people victimized by the police and prison industrial complex. Kini and Peggy were there at the very first meeting of SWOP Phoenix in 2013, the posters for the first rally was made at their house, on their porch. They encouraged so many people–including the ACLU AZ–to #standwithMonica during the recent years of campaign  lead by Monica Jones to challenge the Phoenix “manifestation” statute. Both Peggy and Kini are artists and writers. Peggy is the creator of magnificent public chalking art challenging injustice. Kini is a contributor to the anthology Red Umbrella Babies and recently joined the editorial collective to take a larger role in the book process.

They are trying to raise $600 to help them pay a deposit on a new place and rebuild their lives, but we at BPPP think as a community of sex workers and allies we can do so much more than that. Let’s make a nice surprise for them and take this to $1000 or more.

What is #fundingFriday 4 #sexworkerrights? Last July in preparation for the International AIDS Conference, sex workers from around the world created a consensus statement and began occupying #fundingFriday every week to raise awareness of the lack of resources for projects by and for sex workers. We follow this sex worker lead campaign supported by Scarlet Alliance and sex workers globally. Throughout 2015 the Best Practices Policy Project will highlight community fundraisers to support the things that sex workers find important.

Peggy Plews of Arizona Prison Watch at a chalking action in 2011

Peggy Plews of Arizona Prison Watch at a chalking action in 2011

Today is the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers

December 17th, 2014 · · News Archive No comments - Tags:

STATEMENT BY PENELOPE SAUNDERS (BPPP) FOR DECEMBER 17 VIGIL HOSTED BY THE NEW JERSEY RED UMBRELLA ALLIANCE IN BRUNSWICK NJ

We have gathered here to honor and remember sex workers and people in the sex trade affected by violence.

Today is the International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers.

This day was initiated in 2003 by a group of people I know very well. Artist and sex worker Annie Sprinkle had the idea of a memorial event for the women killed by the so-called “Green River Killer” in Washington State. My friend Robyn Few, the founder of SWOP USA, and her colleagues such as Stacey, Carol Leigh, Michael and many others on the west coast, organized an event and kept the spirit of Annie’s idea alive year after year. Now December 17 is acknowledged in so many places and by so many different voices.

This is a day of peace and remembrance but we also use this day to express the conviction that burns in our hearts that no one should be the victim of violence because they are a sex worker or because they are profiled as such.

This is a day that we listen to sex workers and the organizations and networks of sex workers. We do not make assumptions about the violence experienced by sex workers. We are reminded by sex workers that violence against them is committed primarily by the police. We are reminded that other abusers think they can get away with murder because “nobody cares about sex workers”. We are reminded that violence against sex workers is not just violence against sex workers—it is also violence against trans people, against people of color, against drug users, against immigrants, against youth, against the homeless.

To remember those we have lost in the last year and in every year before this year, I invite you to light a candle. We will now begin to read the names of those we wish to remember…

#standwithMonica at the Border: Action today at 10 pm ET (2pm, Dec 1 Sydney)

November 30th, 2014 · · Campaigns, Press Release No comments - Tags:

When traveling back to Australia to complete her social work internship Monica Jones was stopped by Australian immigration and is now detained in a detention center that has been controversial because of mistreatment and deaths that have occurred in the facility. Human Rights advocates have released the following statement about Monica’s situation, and are planning a nationwide action in Australia on World AIDS Day (December 1). Because of the time zone differences this action will take place at 10 pm Eastern Nov 30 in the US. The Best Practices Policy Project is urging people to #standwithMonica at 10 pm this evening November 30 on social media and organizing local actions in solidarity if possible. We also ask that you record (video, audio, photos) your actions so we can build a strong media presence and archive of actions in support of Monica.

PRESS RELEASE FROM AUSTRALIA

Stop the Stigma and Discrimination that fuels the HIV epidemic
Stigma and Discrimination at Australian border prevents African American student from completing her student placement.

Transgender African American sex worker activist and student Monica Jones is being held in immigration detention in Villawood since Friday with no access to visitation rights. Monica has been vocal advocate for the rights of people of colour, trans people and sex workers. Monica is being restricted entry to Australia in order to complete the 3 weeks remaining on her student placement after which she has a return ticket home to the US. Monica is in her 4th and final year of her social work degree. Without completion of her final 3 weeks of her student placement, Monica will fail this semester.

Her advocacy work will be significantly facilitated by the completion of her student placement, where she plans to work as a social worker for her community after graduation.

In the US, people of colour and tans women are disproportionately affected by HIV. Monica had hoped to learn from the successes of Australia’s response to HIV, in particular by peer led sex worker
organisations and community led responses to HIV, that is internationally recognised as a success. She had hoped to learn from the success of Australian peer led programs to achieve similar successful outcomes for African American, transwomen and sex workers in the US. This has been compromised by the Australian Governments refusal of Monica’s entry to Australia.

Monica wishes to highlight the stigma and discrimination experienced by sex workers, transwomen and people of colour that led to her profiling at the border and her subsequent detention. On World AIDS
Day we recognise that it is this stigma and discrimination that fuels the HIV epidemic.

Sex workers, trans people and allies are protesting at the Federal Law courts at 2pm (SYDNEY AUSTRALIA TIME) where Monica’s case will be heard on Monday. Community members, activists and allies will stand in solidarity with Monica to show the Australian Government that together with Monica we won’t stand for racism, transphobia and whorephobia.

Screenshot 2014-11-30 17.02.12

BREAKING NEWS From Arizona

November 27th, 2014 · · Campaigns, Press Release No comments - Tags: , ,

Project ROSE stings end in Phoenix, AZ, Monica Jones responds

As you may you know I was arrested under an anti-prostitution sting, by the name of Project ROSE. This program used police and prosecutors to round up sex workers, and people profiled as sex workers, forcing them into diversion programs using coercion. The head of this program is Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, a social work professor at Arizona State University School of Social Work in Phoenix, Arizona.

Using coercive tactics such as those central to Project ROSE contradicts everything social work stands for. Social workers are supposed to defend social justice and free will. Using police to round up sex workers robs them of their self-determination and dignity and thus goes against the code of ethics of social work.

As of today, I have been advised that no more Project ROSE events are planned, and Project ROSE will not be conducting any more police stings, hopefully permanently.  This is a milestone in the community’s struggle to end the injustice of Project ROSE and rights violating policing of this kind. We still have further to go. The next milestones to reach are getting the “manifestation statute” off the books and getting my conviction overturned.

Thanks to the ACLU, SWOP-Phoenix and Best Practices Policy Project for their work for social justice and all my other supporters in Arizona and beyond.

Monica Jones, November 26, 2014