Open Letter to PAHRC

The following letter was originally published to our Facebook on June 22, 2020

To the Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Coalition (PAHRC),

It is unfortunate that you are continuing a long tradition of erasing sex worker organizing. You have used our fundraiser to boost your Webinar on Harm Reduction and Sex Work and it is clear to us that you are using the labor of harm reductionist sex workers to position and legitimize yourself as a progressive harm reduction organization. We are curious as to: 1) what is motivating PAHRC to address sex work in PA at this particular moment and not before and 2) why PAHRC is not consulting with sex workers in the state it claims to represent.

Good harm reduction practice engages with local conditions and while we admire the work of the panelists that were chosen to participate, they cannot speak to the experiences of Pennsylvania workers.

It is also good harm reduction practice to consult the people receiving the resources. You did not contact either of the organizations hosting the fundraiser to confirm whether they wanted to be affiliated with this event.

Many have assumed we are a part of this event. To be clear, we do not endorse this event because we were not included in the planning or execution of it. If attendees want to donate funds to our mutual aid fund, they can donate directly to us. Details can be found at phillyrua.com.

Philadelphia Red Umbrella Alliance