Support the Sex Workers Outreach Project - Los Angeles

[adannyboy]

Hi everyone! My organization, the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) is raising money to have a table at PrideFest LA where we believe we can reach a huge population of gay and transgender sex workers to provide them with resources and education.

 

As the lead organizer, I'm working hard to bridge the gap between gay, straight and trans* sex workers of any gender/gender identity. SWOP-LA is an all-inclusive space that runs monthly meetings and support groups for anyone who exchanges sex for money, shelter, food, drugs and other resources.

 

Helping our organization expand will also help me build a bigger base for HOOK online in Los Angeles to provide education and wellness services for rentboys (and rentmen) in the LA area through our Rent-U program.

 

Any dollar helps. Five helps more! Here's the link to our indiegogo fund: http://Http://igg.me/at/swoplosangeles

 

If any escorts (current or former) are interested in helping with either SWOP-LA or HOOK online, please fee free to reach out!

 

Be well!

[+ stevenkesslar]

I just donated $100. If 10 other whores do the same, we'll have met Danny's goal of $1000. It ain't much in whore money. :-)

 

Kudos to you Danny. Keep us posted on how it's going.

 

Es evidente que sabes vivir, y tienes un gran corazón.

[adannyboy]

Steven!

That is so wonderful! I am very, very appreciative of your contribution. I cannot express enough how much it means to me.

 

❤️❤️

 

I will definitely keep everyone posted on our efforts, our outreach and all the great things I plan on doing with SWOP-Los Angeles!

 

Kisses and more kisses!

[marylander1940]

This is a great cause!

 

I hope it works!

[rvwnsd]

Hi everyone! My organization, the Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOP) is raising money to have a table at PrideFest LA where we believe we can reach a huge population of gay and transgendered sex workers to provide them with resources and education.

 

As the lead organizer, I'm working hard to bridge the gap between gay, straight and trans* sex workers of any gender/gender identity. SWOP-LA is an all-inclusive space that runs monthly meetings and support groups for anyone who exchanges sex for money, shelter, food, drugs and other resources.

 

Helping our organization expand will also help me build a bigger base for HOOK online in Los Angeles to provide education and wellness services for rentboys (and rentmen) in the LA area through our Rent-U program.

 

Any dollar helps. Five helps more! Here's the link to our indiegogo fund: http://Http://igg.me/at/swoplosangeles

 

If any escorts (current or former) are interested in helping with either SWOP-LA or HOOK online, please fee free to reach out!

 

Be well!

 

I just donated $50.00, Danny.

[adannyboy]

Thank you so much! I appreciate any contributions! You guys are great! ❤️❤️

[RyanDean]

Thanks for posting this, Danny.

[YooperMike]

I just donated $100. If 10 other whores do the same, we'll have met Danny's goal of $1000. It ain't much in whore money.

 

Kudos to you Danny. Keep us posted on how it's going.

 

Es evidente que sabes vivir, y tienes un gran corazón.

 

Steven,

I'm not sure where to begin. I have great respect for your support and I will also pony up.

We have met and I really wish to let you know that I appreciate what you have been willing to do, and have done to help this community

. You are a great example and I do not wish to diminish you in any way.

I am sure that when you use the term "whore" it is not meant with disrespect and I really do not wish to create a fight, or any type of negative issue with you.

However, the term "whore" just made my heart sink.

The men I have met who you are referring to, have found a way to look into my eyes and find something that they could appreciate. In so doing, they have been able to help lift my self esteem and help me out of a what could have been a very dark place.

These men are escorts.

They have taken my hand and walked with me to a better place.

They escorted me to a better place in my life, and I believe that they deserve the utmost respect.

[JDXXX]

I just donated $100. If 10 other whores do the same, we'll have met Danny's goal of $1000. It ain't much in whore money.

 

Kudos to you Danny. Keep us posted on how it's going.

 

Es evidente que sabes vivir, y tienes un gran corazón.

 

Hi Danny,

 

I just came across this thread, and am very proud of you for telling us about this cause, and along with Steven want to support you as well as I think what your doing too is wonderful, so will donate later this evening $100 as well to also support you, and what Steven has indicated if 8 more of us can do $100 a piece(which more members from the forum might help reach that goal) you'll be right at $1,000.

 

I tip my hat off to, Steven for being the 1st to contribute and supporting you toward this great cause. You're a great man, Steven. . Rvwnsd as well....BRAVO. . You guys are great, and hopefully others will follow to help. The more, the merrier, right. .

 

I will touch base with you later this evening, sweetie to confirm my contribution, and again - Great job, baby as I'm quite proud, and wanna too support you however way I can as what your doing is highly commendable indeed. .

 

HUGS.

[adannyboy]

You guys!!! ❤️❤️❤️

 

Thank you JD! Xo

 

I wholeheartedly appreciate all the generosity.

Due in large part to this forum and all of you that I have spoken to privately, we're half way to our goal in under 12 hours of it being on the site!

 

If we exceed our goal, I want to give a run down of what we can do:

 

$100 pays for a meeting space for Rent U AND SWOP.

$50 can pay for a weeks worth of toiletries for a homeless street worker.

$10 pays for other costs like supplies for making posters or printing a set of pamphlets.

 

I have big hopes for my little SWOP chapter. And if I've ever told you about them, you know how big those dreams are.

 

A million thanks and all the love and kisses in the world to you all for donating.

 

Danny

[YooperMike]

Yup, you exceeded your goal, and I am happy to be able to be one of those who helped put you over the top.

Please do not misunderstand me.

Call yourselves whatever is okay with you.

I just strongly feel that sex worker, or whore does not describe the work you guys have done with me.

The men I have met have met here have changed my life in such a positive way, that I would like you to know that you not only influence me, but others as well.

Although this is an inside joke, I met Millie (or at least her sister) yesterday, or the day before at Walmart. (no she was not a flight attendant)

Just because we can reproduce does not mean that we should.

She was mean, and probably required extra footers under her chair at the checkout stand just to support the floor. I was not in a great mood to begin with, and her ability to waste time was exceptional. And not just with me.

I really tried to find something attractive about her and when I saw, and commented on a bracelet she was wearing, she seemed actually appreciative.

She told me that her grand daughter made it for her.

In my poor place of attitude at that particular time, I thought OMG, someone actually had sex with this woman! and she reproduced!

And then I saw the bottle of Fabreze next to the counter. And yes, Mr Baldwin, you came to mind. Your kind attention to me came to mind and I found it an easy pleasure to be kind to this woman who probably is treated poorly most of her day. You treated her with kindness, because of the kindness you gave to me, which that bottle of Fabreze reminded me of.

And then I had an amazing appreciation for what an escort must go through.

You guys are hired by people like Millie, and somehow, find something attractive enough about them to have an intimate encounter and leave them feeling special. I had a difficult time just dealing with Millie as a checkout person. What you do is exceptional.

Thank you.

[+ stevenkesslar]

Steven,

I'm not sure where to begin. I have great respect for your support and I will also pony up.

We have met and I really wish to let you know that I appreciate what you have been willing to do, and have done to help this community

. You are a great example and I do not wish to diminish you in any way.

I am sure that when you use the term "whore" it is not meant with disrespect and I really do not wish to create a fight, or any type of negative issue with you.

However, the term "whore" just made my heart sink.

The men I have met who you are referring to, have found a way to look into my eyes and find something that they could appreciate. In so doing, they have been able to help lift my self esteem and help me out of a what could have been a very dark place.

These men are escorts.

They have taken my hand and walked with me to a better place.

They escorted me to a better place in my life, and I believe that they deserve the utmost respect.

 

Hey Mike,

 

Thanks for being honest about your feelings. What an eloquent statement about what escorts do, and how escorts helped you to lift your self esteem and be yourself. More than the words, the feel of what you wrote speaks to what I love about being an escort for 15 years. It is all about what is in the heart, and the connection with other human beings.

 

Thanks also for being willing to pony up. It's exciting to learn that we are half way to Danny's goal in only 12 hours!

 

You are exactly right. The word "whore" is not meant to be disrespectful to myself or anyone else. To me it is actually the highest compliment I can give some one, and the dimensions of meanings I associate with it are at the core of my self-esteem not only as an escort, but as a human being. But I completely understand why someone just reading the word can take a completely different meaning out of it. I'm sorry it had that effect on you. In the last week I've been talking with a bunch of people I know about race, as people reading another post I've been beating to death might guess, and your comments prove again that words matter and I can't be too sensitive about how others might hear what I say, especially on very touchy subjects.

 

I actually don't want to go into in my normal exhaustive blah blah blah on this thread because it will get semantic and pedantic and political and I want the focus of this thread to stay 1000 % on supporting Danny and SWOP, and meeting and exceeding his goal. Having said that, the topic you raise is a very important topic to me, and I can go on forever, so tomorrow I am going to start a separate thread called "The Importance Of Being Unprincipled, Or A Whore" to address the substance of why I use the word, and anyone interested can join that. Hopefully by that point Danny will have met his goal.

 

I will say one other thing that contributes to my views, and why everybody reading this should make a donation right now. Before I became an escort, I was a political activist and community organizer, and I had the fortune of having some fabulous teachers and mentors. Sorry, Mike, but in my words, I would say I am very proud I was a dedicated and passionate political whore, who had the fortune of working with some of the best political whores around. Most of the campaigns and efforts I got involved in from 1983 to 2000 were ones I led or helped lead, and almost all of them, we won. Then from 2008 to about 2011 or so I spent a lot of time as a volunteer on the gay marriage campaign in California, mostly going door to door on weekends with other volunteers speaking one on one to people about gay marriage. I wanted to do it because it gave me an opportunity to be political again - my past - but it also linked to my present, by explicitly dealing with issues of sexuality and identity and integration. The whole time I had this feeling like we were beating our heads against the wall, because in California and state after state it seemed like we were losing the fight. In retrospect, of course, we were doing exactly what was necessary to win. I think what I feel best about now is that I was just one of the thousands and thousands and thousands of unknown and uncredited people who were opening their hearts to people one by one and creating change by doing so. And that is what escorts do. We work in the background, we don't necessarily get recognition, and a lot of society basically looks down on us. There are definitely glamorous aspects of the job, and most escorts I know enjoy the basics of what they do - sex. But there is this other dimension that you describe so eloquently that involves lifting sunken hearts. And I think in doing it we also lift ourselves. There is also a dimension to this that is community, even if most of what happens is one on one, in bed, behind closed doors. We stick up for each other, we support each other, we work together, we never give up hope. And on the gay marriage question, we eventually won. Talk about walking hand in hand to a better place! In my mind there is just no question that Danny and the escorts he is organizing deserve the utmost respect, as well as our financial support. That is exactly how we all win, whether it is a collective goal like gay marriage or a personal one like our self esteem. If you haven't contributed, please do so now.

 

Steven

[adannyboy]

That is a beautiful Story, Mike! I'm still in tears from your donation. Your generosity is enormous and very much appreciated!

Please do get back to me about my message.

 

And thank you to all of you who have donated (or might still be moved to.) you all are the best.

 

Danny Cruz

[rvwnsd]

...And thank you to all of you who have donated (or might still be moved to.) you all are the best.

 

Danny Cruz

 

And thank YOU, Danny, for bringing this cause to our attention so we could help out.

[YooperMike]

Hey Mike,

 

Thanks for being honest about your feelings. What an eloquent statement about what escorts do, and how escorts helped you to lift your self esteem and be yourself. More than the words, the feel of what you wrote speaks to what I love about being an escort for 15 years. It is all about what is in the heart, and the connection with other human beings.

 

Thanks also for being willing to pony up. It's exciting to learn that we are half way to Danny's goal in only 12 hours!

 

You are exactly right. The word "whore" is not meant to be disrespectful to myself or anyone else. To me it is actually the highest compliment I can give some one, and the dimensions of meanings I associate with it are at the core of my self-esteem not only as an escort, but as a human being. But I completely understand why someone just reading the word can take a completely different meaning out of it. I'm sorry it had that effect on you. In the last week I've been talking with a bunch of people I know about race, as people reading another post I've been beating to death might guess, and your comments prove again that words matter and I can't be too sensitive about how others might hear what I say, especially on very touchy subjects.

 

I actually don't want to go into in my normal exhaustive blah blah blah on this thread because it will get semantic and pedantic and political and I want the focus of this thread to stay 1000 % on supporting Danny and SWOP, and meeting and exceeding his goal. Having said that, the topic you raise is a very important topic to me, and I can go on forever, so tomorrow I am going to start a separate thread called "The Importance Of Being Unprincipled, Or A Whore" to address the substance of why I use the word, and anyone interested can join that. Hopefully by that point Danny will have met his goal.

 

I will say one other thing that contributes to my views, and why everybody reading this should make a donation right now. Before I became an escort, I was a political activist and community organizer, and I had the fortune of having some fabulous teachers and mentors. Sorry, Mike, but in my words, I would say I am very proud I was a dedicated and passionate political whore, who had the fortune of working with some of the best political whores around. Most of the campaigns and efforts I got involved in from 1983 to 2000 were ones I led or helped lead, and almost all of them, we won. Then from 2008 to about 2011 or so I spent a lot of time as a volunteer on the gay marriage campaign in California, mostly going door to door on weekends with other volunteers speaking one on one to people about gay marriage. I wanted to do it because it gave me an opportunity to be political again - my past - but it also linked to my present, by explicitly dealing with issues of sexuality and identity and integration. The whole time I had this feeling like we were beating our heads against the wall, because in California and state after state it seemed like we were losing the fight. In retrospect, of course, we were doing exactly what was necessary to win. I think what I feel best about now is that I was just one of the thousands and thousands and thousands of unknown and uncredited people who were opening their hearts to people one by one and creating change by doing so. And that is what escorts do. We work in the background, we don't necessarily get recognition, and a lot of society basically looks down on us. There are definitely glamorous aspects of the job, and most escorts I know enjoy the basics of what they do - sex. But there is this other dimension that you describe so eloquently that involves lifting sunken hearts. And I think in doing it we also lift ourselves. There is also a dimension to this that is community, even if most of what happens is one on one, in bed, behind closed doors. We stick up for each other, we support each other, we work together, we never give up hope. And on the gay marriage question, we eventually won. Talk about walking hand in hand to a better place! In my mind there is just no question that Danny and the escorts he is organizing deserve the utmost respect, as well as our financial support. That is exactly how we all win, whether it is a collective goal like gay marriage or a personal one like our self esteem. If you haven't contributed, please do so now.

 

Steven

 

Thank you Steven for your kind reply.

I realize that I am the one with the problem about semantics. You inspired me to make a donation. Thank you. I hope that others will do so as well, and I will try not to draw this thread off track.

We have an opportunity to support someone who is doing the best they know how to make a positive difference and I hope that others will contribute as best they can.

[+ jrhoutex]

I will say one other thing that contributes to my views, and why everybody reading this should make a donation right now. Before I became an escort, I was a political activist and community organizer, and I had the fortune of having some fabulous teachers and mentors. Sorry, Mike, but in my words, I would say I am very proud I was a dedicated and passionate political whore, who had the fortune of working with some of the best political whores around. Most of the campaigns and efforts I got involved in from 1983 to 2000 were ones I led or helped lead, and almost all of them, we won. Then from 2008 to about 2011 or so I spent a lot of time as a volunteer on the gay marriage campaign in California, mostly going door to door on weekends with other volunteers speaking one on one to people about gay marriage. I wanted to do it because it gave me an opportunity to be political again - my past - but it also linked to my present, by explicitly dealing with issues of sexuality and identity and integration. The whole time I had this feeling like we were beating our heads against the wall, because in California and state after state it seemed like we were losing the fight. In retrospect, of course, we were doing exactly what was necessary to win. I think what I feel best about now is that I was just one of the thousands and thousands and thousands of unknown and uncredited people who were opening their hearts to people one by one and creating change by doing so. And that is what escorts do. We work in the background, we don't necessarily get recognition, and a lot of society basically looks down on us. There are definitely glamorous aspects of the job, and most escorts I know enjoy the basics of what they do - sex. But there is this other dimension that you describe so eloquently that involves lifting sunken hearts. And I think in doing it we also lift ourselves. There is also a dimension to this that is community, even if most of what happens is one on one, in bed, behind closed doors. We stick up for each other, we support each other, we work together, we never give up hope. And on the gay marriage question, we eventually won. Talk about walking hand in hand to a better place! In my mind there is just no question that Danny and the escorts he is organizing deserve the utmost respect, as well as our financial support. That is exactly how we all win, whether it is a collective goal like gay marriage or a personal one like our self esteem. If you haven't contributed, please do so now.

 

Steven

 

Steven, I love your response, so thoughtful and true. After reading this thread, it reminded me of a famous quote - Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Danny, good job for getting involved and helping the community! Community service and helping others in need is such a good thing. Giving back is something that comes from the heart. Sometimes a small thing you do can mean everything in another person’s life.

Donation - done!

[doitb4ugo]

Steven, I love your response, so thoughtful and true. After reading this thread, it reminded me of a famous quote - Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Danny, good job for getting involved and helping the community! Community service and helping others in need is such a good thing. Giving back is something that comes from the heart. Sometimes a small thing you do can means everything in another person’s life.

Donation - done!

 

absolutely.

[YooperMike]

Guys,

We are a group, and fortunately a group with some means.

I did not like giving my credit card information out, and as a recent theft of identity, I am being watched as closely as possible.

My credit card company contacted me within minutes to make sure my transaction was legimate, and confirmed that the site was secure. They just wanted to make sure I made the transaction.

I spend a whole lot of money that, in my opinion, makes very little difference in this world.

We have an opportunity to support someone here who is putting a whole lot time and effort into improving something and could use our help.

Please help.

Mike

[+ Dane Scott]

Danny thank you so much for doing this. I just made my donation and I hope to see you at the booth.

 

Dane Scott

[+ Axiom2001]

Danny,

I just read your thread for the first time a few minutes ago [9:45a, 5.18.15] and made a contribution. You've reached your initial goal, but I'd encourage others to continue donating to you

and your cause. Axiom in SF

[+ stevenkesslar]

Danny:

 

I just made a second $100 contribution, which happily leaves you $2 short of $1500.

 

I couldn't scrape up the extra $2, but with your permission I'd like to add my 2 cents.

 

First of all, congratulations and thanks again for your passion and your hard work.

 

Second, I gave the second $100 because I want to match $100 for every $1000 you raise, up to a total (from me) of $500. I'd encourage other people to think about matching. It's always a great way to put your money where your mouth is and encourage others to give. Hope that doesn't come off wrong. I realize you guys already know a lot about putting things where your mouth is.

 

Third, kudos to you for starting with a very modest budget focused on LA Pride. It's always better to start with the first step, but good organizing and outreach is going to take more than $1000, so I'd encourage you to set a higher goal and let us know how we can all help. Let's do this right.

 

Congratulations sweetie. You are the best.

[adannyboy]

I am so speechless.

 

Thank you so much for your continued generosity, everyone, truly.

 

Axiom, Dane and Steven.

 

A million thank yous.

 

I have so many outreach plans and hopefully can develop some great events and classes for both SWOP and HOOK online with these funds.

 

I've spent the last few months going to various City-level harm reduction meetings, met with the Mayor and Social Services Manager in West Hollywood and have networked with many great organizations who are THRILLED to have organizations like HOOK and SWOP available for their clientele.

 

In the long term, I want to build an organization that leads Los Angeles and southern California in how to best deal with the needs of those in the sex industry rather than the same old "arrest and redirect" model that only does more harm than good.

 

I was talking with some former escorts this past weekend and want to develop not only classes and support groups about how to be safe, build a better business and work smarter, but also how to develop an exit strategy for those who might look at leaving sex work for more "mainstream" work options.

 

I want to be able to provide legal options and legal services for those who get caught up in a jam and need services from an escort-friendly attorney.

 

I want to build another health resource like the Adult Industry Medical clinic in LA that was shut down by the AHF many years ago and have it emulate many of the great harm reduction and HIV prevention strategies that other organizations like St. James Infirmary in SF use for their sex worker population.

 

All of this begins with this first push for funds and our outreach at Pride and this forum has singlehandedly funded the entire project.

 

I thought it would take 10 days to get anywhere near my original goal. And so we are left with 7 more days of fundraising and already well past that $1k mark. You've given us not only an initial push, but a head start on post-pride endeavors.

 

I am in awe of the generosity and the support this organization has received from all of you and I cannot express my gratitude enough.

 

Danny Cruz

Lead Organizer, Sex Workers Outreach Project - Los Angeles

[Epigonos]

Ok Danny count me in. As a member of the Palm Springs Prom Committee I have just made my $100.00 contribution. Now come on you guys if this antiquated cheap old fart can contribute so can the rest of you. Let's see if we can make it to $3,000.00.

[+ WmClarke]

Is there a way to donate anonymously?

[JDXXX]

Danny:

 

I just made a second $100 contribution, which happily leaves you $2 short of $1500.

 

I couldn't scrape up the extra $2, but with your permission I'd like to add my 2 cents.

 

First of all, congratulations and thanks again for your passion and your hard work.

 

Second, I gave the second $100 because I want to match $100 for every $1000 you raise, up to a total (from me) of $500. I'd encourage other people to think about matching. It's always a great way to put your money where your mouth is and encourage others to give. Hope that doesn't come off wrong. I realize you guys already know a lot about putting things where your mouth is.

 

Third, kudos to you for starting with a very modest budget focused on LA Pride. It's always better to start with the first step, but good organizing and outreach is going to take more than $1000, so I'd encourage you to set a higher goal and let us know how we can all help. Let's do this right.

 

Congratulations sweetie. You are the best.

 

 

Hey Danny!!

 

I have to say once again how proud I am of you for being involved in such a cause helping raise funds in providing services in sex workers such as ourselves as you know who is in the escorting community for all genders who are gay in this world.

 

I can tell you take pride in what you do by having such a passion doing this as your hard work, and enthusiasm in wanting to make things happen in this organization is paying off and paying off for the better. We need strong leaders such as yourself in the Gay and Lesbian community who will fight for us to have equality and the best of life as we as a community have a strong voice in this world too that needs to be heard of us wanting what the world has to offer.

 

Cause of your determination, strong will, and hard work in developing such a fantastic programs and to help your organization further along, I'm gonna donate this Thursday of another $100 dollars to help you reach even a higher goal. I know you're way over probably your original goal, but this is my "Thank You" to you in helping volunteering your time to help support the cause in getting Gay, Lesbian, and even Transgender sex workers better quality of life that are low income or just not in position to afford services that may require assistance of some kind.

 

Seriously tip my hat off to you, sweetheart as your awesome. It's true what Steven said " You are the best", baby, and you are as this is an organization we so desperately need for those who are in need, and seeing your a friend of mine who is fighting for us to have such services available to us is amazing as words can't express how I have such respect, and appreciation for you.

 

We as a community need to stick together, and hope each other as we as gay people do come across so many obstacles in this world with being discriminated, hated upon, humiliated, and even ridiculed under the worse possible circumstances ever imagined in this world. As time surpasses through history, were learning new and better ways to overcome those obstacles such as what your fighting to do for the better.

 

You feel a sign of relief when we have kind men voicing what needs to be done for sex workers to not struggle under the worse of conditions, and get the support they need to move forward comfortably in to a better life.

 

Keep up the good work, Danny, and if I can be of any further assistance to help you, and the organization, please don't hesitate to call or email me anytime as I do wanna help you further along in reaching your goal, and see you and the organization become a major success.

 

Much Love, and HUGS to you, Danny as we all here love you, and want to see you successful with this as what your doing is no other than "GREAT".