Dear DISH! darlings,
June was a busy ass month for us! We were out partying (safely!) on the Christopher Street Piers; distributing safer use kits throughout our circles; and scheming some major stuff that we can’t wait to share with y’all ;)
We pulled together two fab events on the Christopher Street Pier with our sister org, STARR––the group founded by Marsha & Sylvia, and currently led by Sylvia’s daughter, Mariah Lopez.
One was on June 28, Pride Sunday. The park service tried some foolishness by only opening Pier 45 (historically preferred by white gays), while keeping the smaller Pier 46 (historically Black + Brown) shuttered. Leave it to Mariah to know her legal rights and got the space opened! The day was filled with food, music, safer use kits, andrain (and rainbows!).
Annie, a DISH! girl and filmmaker, captured the truly magical day on film.
Four days after Pride and in collaboration with DISH, FIERCE NYC, NYTAG, and others, STARR threw our movement mother Sylvia a birthday party on The Piers, where she used to live in the ‘90s. She would’ve been 69 this year <3
Here’s Mariah talking about the importance of memorializing that day, July 2. We believe should remember and honor her as a legendary revolutionary for sex worker power, trans power, brown power, AND drug user power. (She was a life-long user of crack and dope.)
Out of obligation, we got a huge freakin’ cake.
We also had party favors (lol our kits)
Other Shtuff
DISH! got a cute micro-grant from Rad! Health Resources, an arts and advocacy project that is a great harm reduction resource.
DISH! girl Rachel is in the process of navigating Section 8 housing discrimination. We are challenging these practices and are working to secure her long-term housing.
WHAT’S NEXT?!
DISH! is in the process of renovating a space that will function both as an art gallery for Black trans women and a community space for DISH! girls to get ready for the night together, grab a meal, catch a nap, or re-stock on harm reduction supplies.
DISH! girls are organizing a peer harm reduction support group modeled after Harm Reduction Works. All trans women + trans feminine NB folks who do sex work and/or use (or previously used) drugs are welcomed. Currently, the meetings will be held IRL in NYC, but if people who are unable to travel in the city or people outside the city are interested, we will consider moving online.
Email doitsafeheaux@gmail.com or DM us on social media for more information
We are putting the finishing touches on our safer slamming zine + as well as a few more. Hopefully we’ll have the PDFs for y’all next newsletter :)
For the girls
Order your kits at bit.ly/SafeHeauxs
Hit us up at doitsafeheaux@gmail.com / IG+Twitter (@DoItSafe_Heaux) if you need help navigating your life, esp. re: drug use, sex work, and housing.