Help provide resources for BIPOC SW in need

The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Collective’s mission is to improve access to vital resources and foster the personal and professional development of sex workers of the global majority in the legal and criminalized sex trades. The organization knows that the needs of Black and brown sex workers are unique and diverse. That’s why, at BIPOC Collective, we take a human-centered approach to serving the community.

The BIPOC Collective provides financial assistance, labor advocacy and expands access to mental health and medical care to community members thanks to the generosity of its for and non-profit partners and donors.

Our Impact. …

BIPOC Collective is the only not-for-profit organization led by and serving people of the global majority working as adult content creators in the United States. Every year, we provide peer support and resource referrals for community members facing eviction, experiencing basic needs insecurity, escaping violence, and navigating problems in the workplace.

In 2022-2023, the organization provided 1:1 therapy, group therapy, emergency housing and transportation for those escaping interpersonal violence at home and in the workplace, referrals for case management, and labor advocacy for sex workers who identify as survivors of sexual assault or trafficking, childhood or adult survivors of sexual violence, individuals who have experienced encounters with law enforcement. BIPOC Collective successfully referred community members to enroll in Medicaid, ensuring access to medical care. The organization also referred individuals to legal resources for conflict mediation, family or personal injury attorneys, and community clinics where appropriate.

Recognizing that many people's pets are also family, we successfully referred community members experiencing basic needs insecurity to resources for free and low-cost pet food, litter, and spay and neuter services. The organization also referred community members to resources to document service animals and rehoming of loved pets in appropriate situations.

Our utmost goal is to make BIPOC Collective and its partners’ resources accessible and available to the entire community of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the sex trades. BIPOC Collective believes its social responsibility doesn’t end with community service through mutual aid and core programming. Through our strategic partnerships, we strive to increase the number of culturally congruent mental health practitioners available to community members.

In 2022-2023, the organization provided scholarships and subsidies to BIPOC therapists and students through the Sexual Health Alliance. During the fiscal year, BIPOC Collective’s Executive Director participated in Equitable Care Certification’s teaching curriculum for therapists and coaches interested in working with the sex-working population. Additionally, the organization provided Letters of Recommendation for community members seeking scholarships to pursue higher education in social work.

BIPOC Collective staffed its weekly psychoeducational support group with 2 Mental Health Therapist Interns to provide emotional support under the direction of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, practice stress reduction techniques, and improve positive social peer connections among often isolated virtual performers. The organization also had two sex-working, Mental Health, and Social Work student volunteers providing necessary input and vital support on its projects and initiatives throughout the year.

After successfully helping BIPOC sex workers through the pandemic, the BIPOC Collective is creating a new strategic plan to guide the organization forward in the coming years.

Strategic Priorities.

• Increasing the number of BIPOC Sex Workers who will receive 8-10 weeks of no-cost 1:1 therapy through partnerships with Zepp Wellness, Pineapple Support, Blue Pearl Therapy, and other mental health partners in our network

• Educating community members on workplace rights and connecting individuals experiencing workplace violence or facing unfair or illegal business practices with appropriate legal resources

• Providing essential, basic needs, crisis diversion, and case management resource referrals for community members.

• Providing education to community members on harm reduction, STI & HIV testing and treatment

• Continue to provide nurturing educational environments for Mental Health Therapists, coaches, and students to learn and grow.

• Clarify roles, responsibilities, terms, compensation, and grievance processes for volunteers by completing a Volunteer Handbook

• Utilizing social media and technology to expand the organization’s reach and bring awareness to the resources available.

• Coalition with community partners to increase access to local and national resources

• Producing 2nd Sex Worker-Centered Health Fair for International Whores Day June 2, 2024

Please consider making a tax-deductible one-time or recurring donation to support this work.