We invite anyone who shares our goal of fighting intersectional issues individuals involved in the sex trade face and who would like to help build one of the most important national groups working for human rights to apply to join the board of directors. As a board member, you would be asked to:
— Join a vision and planning retreat in July 2016 (right before Desiree) to help set goals for the new year
— Participate in a BOD conference call once per month to discuss policy issues, campaigns and how to support SWOP chapters all across the country
— Participate in two committees, which usually includes a conference call each month.
— Contribute to SWOP: Individual board members contribute to SWOP in different ways: through fundraising, through expertise and insight, through connections and fostering strategic alliances, and through volunteer work. These diverse types of contributions are all valued and crucial to our organization.
All participation is on a volunteer basis. Need-based funding for travel and lodging is available for board retreats, meetings, and some conferences. Income should not serve as a deterrent for participating in SWOP leadership.
The selection criteria are included below. Please send a brief statement of interest—a description of who you are, your work, the communities and organizations you have worked with as well as two references* to savannah@swopusa.org. You may also send a resume if you would like.
The application deadline is June 5. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Board Member Qualifications:
1) A commitment to social justice, implementing our AR/AO framework, and supporting SWOP towards becoming an organization that centers the most marginalized individuals of our communities and focuses not just on decriminalization but on intersectional issues individuals involved in the sex trade face. This is demonstrated by:
— Willingness to support and self-educate around anti-oppression and related issues such as reproductive justice, intersectionality, immigration, economic justice, civil rights, and LGBTQI rights; and
— A dedication to identifying and implementing strategies that encourage the participation of and transfer decision-making power and leadership to the most impacted members of our community.
2) A commitment to decriminalization of sex works in all forms.
3) A commitment to supporting our allies and working with them to attack the broader policing and criminalization of our communities, including people of color, immigrants, drug users, indigenous women, and low-income women.
4) A working relationship and knowledge of the Sex Industry, and the culture of Sex Exchange (we use this language here to include people who may not or are not able to personally identify as a “sex worker” but who clearly understand the terrain.)
5) Priority skill sets include fundraising and development, information technology, legal expertise, public policy, and non-profit administration.
Please note, if you have applied for another position with SWOP and are also interested in serving on the board, you cannot hold both positions at one time. Board members cannot be paid in any capacity by SWOP. Therefore, please let us know if you would like to withdraw another application. And if you have questions, contact savannah@swopusa.org.
*References are ideally someone with whom you have done community organizing, campaign planning, and non-profit, reproductive justice or social justice work with previously.
