The Red Umbrella Cabaret: An Evening of Live Entertainment, in Benefit of SWAP Hamilton

Red Umbrella Facebook Event Page

The Red Umbrella Cabaret is a fundraiser in support of the Sex Workers’ Action Program of Hamilton (SWAP).

The show will feature drag performances by Hexe Noire, Salmon Ella and Charlize Angel, burlesque performances by Hamilton Burlesque Society, live music by Easily Discouraged & Baby Drayton, and dance numbers by Mahasti from The Bellydance Emporium. We will be having The Board Chair Ellie Ade Kur of Maggie’s: Toronto (one of the oldest sex workers’ rights organizations in Canada) come to speak alongside Jelena Vermilion, an award-winning transsexual pornstar and the Co-Chair and Educational Director of SWAP Hamilton.

Additionally, we will have some other amazing local organizations present and tabling, such as: SACHA, Vagabond Saints Tattoos, The AIDS Network, and Grenfell Ministries.

Lastly, we will have on-theme merchandise such as: posters (11″ x 17″), 18 different pin-back buttons (58mm), sex worker prayer candles, zines, themed mugs, DVDs, patches, and stickers available for purchase through the night to show your support.

SWAP Hamilton began a bit over a year ago with a small core group, and has now grown to twenty volunteer members, including people with lived experience, public health workers, social workers, faith community representatives, and stakeholders who have joined together to assist and support people working in the sex trade industry. SWAP is well connected to larger networks as part of the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform, and the Global Network of Sex Work Projects.  We do encourage folks to check out our website as well our Social media pages @SWAPHamilton: (Facebook/Instagram/Twitter).

A core tenet of SWAP is that people involved in the sex trade experience the damaging impact of discrimination, societal stigma, violence, crime, criminalization, and poverty. SWAP Hamilton recognizes the importance of the community working together to support sex workers. The main focus of SWAP Hamilton will be to provide outreach support to street-involved workers, those entering or leaving the industry, and including victims of trafficking. We provide Advocacy (such as lobbying politicians or social anti-stigma campaigns), Outreach (such as distributing our harm reduction packages and referring clients to appropriate services), and Education (such as professional trainings and workshops that we provide organizations, businesses, to learn about and affirm the rights of sex workers).

The proceeds of this event will directly be put towards supplies to continue distributing our Harm Reduction Outreach packages. Over the last six months we have distributed 27 bags, and will continue with this program. Other ways the proceeds will benefit SWAP Hamilton is in upkeep of the overhead for our website operating costs, business costs like printing or for the labour to produce these events. Lastly, funds will also be allocated to provide honorariums to local sex workers who participate in data collection with us in the forthcoming years.

We are really excited to throw this event for the community and to have fun while supporting a great cause. Thank you!

Yours Truly,