The POWER executive board would like to thank everyone who has contributed to POWER’s work in 2020, particularly those who donated to and signal-boosted our COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Thanks to your generosity and support, we were able to donate thousands of dollars directly to sex workers in need via $100 microgrants. We have also donated to Willow’s and Ottawa Independent Companions to support their own emergency work supporting sex workers during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. POWER’s emergency fund is now inactive.
Due to the pandemic, we were not able to hold our 2020 Annual General Meeting to report back to our members and host elections for board members. We are concerned that a Zoom (or similar) meeting would jeopardize our members’ safety. Instead, we hope to hold an in-person meeting in the summer or fall of 2021, pending vaccine roll-out and improved COVID-19 numbers in capital-region. In the meantime, if you are interested in getting involved in organizing with POWER, please get in touch with us via our email, powerottawa(at)gmail(dot)com.
For 2021 initiatives, we are excited to report a collaboration with University of Ottawa researchers Emma McKenna and Ryan Conrad. The research team also includes current and former POWER members and board members in its ranks. The team is gathering information on how sex workers have or have not accessed emergency income replacement programs like the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), and Employment Insurance (EI). We hope that this data will help future advocacy work for sex workers’ full inclusion in social benefit programs intended for all workers.