8 Years, Invaluable Impact

We’ve been active this year. Active in the streets, active hosting events online and in person, and active fundraising for a massive campaign to build sustainable SWer advocacy in the Bay Area. So you’ve probably heard from us a lot!

Part of navigating the cutthroat world of organizational fundraising, a world often as hostile to sex work as everywhere else, is the feeling that you always have to prove your worth. That you deserve support. We know that feeling too well, as a community and as an organization.

Endless spreadsheets, graphics, and grant proposals fill your days. Rejections pile up, with just enough wins to keep you in the game. It’s dispiriting, it’s barely humane, and it’s also what has to be done to keep a huge body of work and a wealth of programs afloat in leaner times than ever.

So we decided to turn that slog on itself and make a report for us.

Read the BAWS Impact Report here:

It shines a light on what SWers in the Bay have done, what we do now, and what we’ll keep doing. The report marks a new era of organizational transparency: it shows where our money goes and helps us decide what to focus on next. It’s a reminder that banding together to lead the conversation about our lives and safety is critical. It’s a celebration and a memorial, and all the things we hold at once.

We hope you’ll take a look, and send it to other workers, friends, allies, and anyone who might want to support our mission. Feedback and questions are welcome. You’ll find the best ways to reach us in the report.

We wouldn’t be here without every worker who has shown up, shared their wisdom and experience, and amplified us over the last 8 years. That’s where the biggest impact comes from.

Here’s to many more.

In solidarity,
BAWS