Profesh

So this week is my first week working full time for Red Umbrella Project, the org I founded that is an evolution of the almost ten years of sex worker rights activism I’ve been doing. I have some feels about this. I am equal parts excited and terrified, but sometimes the terror takes over. I want to be a good leader and fair boss and I don’t have a lot of good role models for that, but I am getting some support around these things. Still, the voice of my boss at my Feminism, Inc job two years ago telling me “I don’t think you have leadership potential” rattles around in my brain, even though I know she’s wrong and Feminism, Inc is oppressive bullshit.

At RedUP we have some bigdeal things happening this week and I am proud to be doing this work and motivated to grow it bigger and better and hope to have the strength and humbleness to always listen and shift the strategy when things aren’t working right. And I know, too, that I will fail at those things sometimes and that’s ok too. Though I will also beat myself up over my failures.

On deck for this week!!

Talking to folks at Brooklyn Law School about the issue of condoms as evidence on Monday afternoon
First class of the Spring Memoir Writing workshop! Taught by me, Monday evenings. I am excited and have writing prompts and readings all picked out for the first session. Can’t wait to meet all the folks in the class.
Also on Monday night, we are offering our first ever Spanish language workshop - its an advocacy workshop about condoms as evidence, in collaboration with Make the Road New York
Spending time researching grants on Tuesday, particularly to support our improv workshops with trans women
RedUP team members are going to a Wednesday press conference/rally in support of the Floyd stop and frisk court case happening in NYC right now
Release a new episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast on Wednesday
Thursday night is the monthly Red Umbrella Diaries live event in NYC, hosted by Josh Ryley
Saturday is a full-day advocacy training with Streetwise and Safe, prepping folks to do advocacy in Albany on the no condoms as evidence bill
Also two meetings/conference calls with the No Condoms as Evidence Coalition as we prep for our lobby day in Albany on April 23… and a million other phone calls, emails, and hours in front of the computer

I’m doing this. I mean, I have been doing this for years, but I think I’m really learning how to get shit done now. And also feeling a scary amount of pressure around it all. Hopefully over the last two years (since that horrible “leadership” comment) I have developed the tools I need to  do self-care, set limits, have a life outside of activism, and be awesome at my work. It’s a tall order.