Sex Worker Rights 101: An Introduction to Activism

The New Jersey Red Umbrella Alliance (NJRUA) is a working alliance of activists and allies who are dedicated to promoting, defending, and advocating for the human rights of sex workers in the state of New Jersey and the world.

N’jaila Rhee, is the Executive Director of New Jersey Red Umbrella Alliance. She received her B.A in Journalism and Communication Media from Rutgers University, and went on to work in print, broadcast, and public/ media relations. She is also a journalist, a BBW adult web model, and PSO, formerly an exotic dancer. Ms. Rhee hosts the Cuntcast Podcast, part of the Unreasonable Fridays Network. She has organized and hosted several webinars and events for the New Jersey Umbrella Alliance, including panels for the 2018 Commission on the Status of Women in NYC. Rhee has been a speaker at Banana 2, the Asian American media conference, speaking on niche blogging and online community building. She has given seminars at Exxxotica Expo on Sex Positive Body Acceptance and niche blogging. She has spoken on panels at the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit & Catalyst Con. She has advocated for the human and labor rights of sex workers since 2005.  She strives to make a sex-positive space where people of all races, gender identities, and sexual preferences can have their voices heard.

Beyonce Karungi is a transgender woman, sex worker rights activist, human rights defender, and a queer feminist with extensive experience in advocacy for trans and gender equity issues. Now living in the US in New York state, she is the HIV focal person/SRHR at The Best Practices Policy Project and helping immigrant sex workers and trans people to access legal and health care service She began her activism with key populations in 2009 and is also involved in efforts to stop violence towards women and girls, to promote sex and sexuality education for youth, and to increase young people’s access to friendly SRHR services across Uganda. At the global level, Beyonce worked with the International Reference Group on Trans Women and HIV, UNDP, UNFPA, UNAIDS, PEPFAR, the Global Fund, and USAID to develop the TRANSIT. Recently, she became an AVAC partner and is supporting their current efforts to better understand and address the PrEP needs of trans women.

PJ Starr is a filmmaker, photographer, and advocate for the rights of sex workers, immigrants, and the LGBT community. Her documentary projects foster community, involve skill-sharing, and work with diverse groups of people. She was a participant in the second series (2011) of the Filmmakers Collaborative at the Maysles Institute in Harlem, New York. She has made several films (both narrative and documentary) that portray the experiences of people in the sex trade and related communities. These include: the award nominated NO HUMAN INVOLVED (2016); PROSTITUTION FREE ZONE (a 15 minute film highlighted at the Reel Affirmations Film Festival in DC in 2009); SEX WORK AND TRADE UNIONS (2010, a 15 minute film documenting actions organized by the Karnataka Sex Workers Union at the World Social Forum in Belem, Brazil); SEX WORKERS DO HARM REDUCTION I and II (2007 and 2009); TORN (2011, a 55 minute narrative film) and PROTECTION (2005).