Sample Advocacy Work
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My advocacy work is guided by principles of non-violence, harm reduction, & social justice. I am invested in working with individuals and groups impacted most severely by racism, classism, sexism, and trans & queer hatred. This includes advocating for policies that enable individuals and communities to live free of poverty, violence, disenfranchisement, hyper-criminalization, & coercive "rescue" missions.
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Sex work and human trafficking
- Member of Human Rights for All, a coalition formed in response to a United Nations Human Rights Council recommendation regarding systemic violence in the U.S. against individuals in the sex trade and LGBT-identified individuals. I led the policy brief team of the coalition, producing a policy brief which was presented to Harold Koh of the U.S. State Department. (More details available in my co-authored journal article and my article for RhReality Check).
- Worked with SWOP-Seattle and Gender Justice League to oppose legislation that would increase criminal penalties for alleged customers of sex workers. This involved lobbying state representatives at the State Capitol and meeting with Seattle and King County Prosecutors. (More details available in my article for Ms Magazine Blog).
- Member of Coalition for Rights & Safety for People in the Sex Trade.
- Co-organized a community gathering & conference to strategize how to move beyond criminal punishment and surveillance policies and toward social justice approaches. The conference attracted more than 200 attendees and several community organizations working with incarcerated populations. Beyond the Carceral State continues as an ongoing collaborative project at UW Bothell.
Institutional & Cultural Transformation
University of Washington
- Co-developed and lead innovative anti-sexual harassment trainings for faculty, worked with a team of faculty members to oppose policies which stigmatize students with criminal records, and co-lead a campus working group to develop recommendations for comprehensive and holistic campus safety.
- Mentored UW students to produce an anti-bullying film and curriculum toolkit, served as a spokesperson for Safe Schools Coalition in an ACLU press conference, interviewed about anti-bullying policies on KBCS radio, and wrote about the issue for Sexuality & Society.
Legal Consultation
Legal defense
- Consultant for criminal defense cases, considered on a case by case basis in relation to their alignment with my advocacy principles.