sexuality rights & new media activist

Media & Culture Projects

The Official Sex Worker Literati reading series postcard

CO-HOST – Launched August 2009
SEX WORKER LITERATI

Happy Ending, 302 Broome Street between Forsyth and Eldridge, in New York City
First Thursday of the Month. Doors at 7 pm, reading from 8-10
FREE
Portion of proceeds from the bar supports sex workers rights groups

Best-selling author David Henry Sterry and sexuality rights activist Audacia Ray, both former workers in the sex industry, are proud to announce Sex Worker Literati, a new free monthly reading series that features sex workers, former sex workers, and people with stories about the sex industry who will read, monologue, perform, and shimmy their ways into your hearts, minds, and naughty bits. The series kicks off at 8 pm on Thursday, August 6 at the Lower East Side staple Happy Ending (302 Broome Street), which fittingly enough was once an erotic massage parlor. On the first Thursday of every month, Sterry and Ray will showcase a diverse set of performers who have stories to tell about the business of sex.

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EDITOR – Launched July 2009
HOS, HOOKERS, CALL GIRLS, AND RENT BOYS

This website is by, for, and about sex workers. It was born from a very happy union between David Henry Sterry and Audacia Ray as the result of a book of the same name that David Henry Sterry and RJ Martin put together, and which Audacia Ray contributed to. The purpose of this website is to give voice to people who exchange, or have exchanged, sex for money. To show this population for who they truly are, in all their beautiful diversity, in their own words, in their own images-  gay, straight, and all kinds of others. College educated, high school dropout, and everything in between. From glitzy upscale penthouses, to back alley cracked hangouts, and everywhere in between. Too many times, in the it’s-a-small-world-after all community of sex workers, we focus on what separates and divides us, rather than our common cause, which is safety, prosperity, and happiness for all those concerned. There will be a steady stream of movies, pictures, social commentary, short memoirs, nightmares, war stories, poetry, announcements for events, advice for and from sex workers on life, love, money, sex, and so much more. We welcome submissions of all kinds.

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PROGRAM OFFICER, ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS AND CAMPAIGNS – October 2008 – Present
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S HEALTH COALITION, New York, NY

The International Women’s Health Coalition is making every woman’s right to a just and healthy life a global reality. IWHC shapes international policies and budgets and builds local capacity for women’s health and human rights. We leverage our work in these two very different but critically linked worlds to change thinking, redirect funding and motivate action by people and institutions that can secure rights and health for women and girls. This requires a strategy in which we empower local organizations, mobilize women and young people to act, inform powerbrokers and advocate for women in nations’ capitals and the UN.

As Program Officer, Audacia Ray develops and implements online communications strategy, including social media. The IWHC blog, Akimbo, was launched in March 2009 and features daily posts from IWHC staff and partners. The IWHC YouTube channel features short videos made by staff and partners all over the world. Dacia works to support staff and partners in utilizing new media to do advocacy for women’s health and rights.

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VICE PRESIDENT – March 2008-Present
SEX WORK AWARENESS, New York, NY

Sex Work Awareness (SWA) aims to empower our diverse community by building the capacity of sex worker-serving and sex worker member-based institutions as well as the skills and resources of sex workers themselves. SWA also conducts research about sex workers and the sex industry in order to better understand it, develops public education initiatives, and advocates for the rights of sex workers. Along with Eliyanna Kaiser, Audacia Ray has developed and implemented Speak Up! Media Training for the Empowered Sex Worker workshop and a 45 page creative commons training manual. Dacia provides ongoing support to the participants of the workshop as they move into the public sphere and use media to forward their projects. She also manages the Sex Work 101 public education initiative.

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EDITOR AND PRODUCER OF NAKEDCITY.COM – March 2008-August 2008
VILLAGE VOICE MEDIA, New York, NY

During her five month tenure at the Village Voice, Dacia wrote, edited, and published more than 500 posts about sexuality and culture in New York City and beyond. She also concepted, produced, shot and edited one 3 minute video piece per week profiling a person or event, for a total of nineteen episodes.

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VIDEOBLOG HOST AND EDITOR – November 2007-October 2008
LIVEGIRLREVIEW.COM, New York, NY

Live Girl Review offered up video reviews of sexual culture and media: books, film, art, and yes – porno and sex toys. Not always well-behaved and tasteful, but always smart and critical, while never losing sight of that whole fun thing. The show was hosted by Audacia Ray and featured special guests like sex educator Jamye Waxman. In addition to being available on LiveGirlReview.com and via RSS, the video show is also available on iTunes.

Live Girl Review was launched in November 2007 as a short format show; one product was featured in each two to three minute episode. After seventy episodes, the show transitioned into a longer format in August 2008. Each Marathon Episode featured a book, movie, and sex toy review, as well as features like sex tips, products to avoid, and a fan girl moment, as well as giveaways for commenters.

CURATOR May 2007-April 2008
ARENA STUDIOS, New York, NY

  • Demimonde: The Art of Molly Crabapple. February 8 – April 4, 2008.
  • Modified Eros: A Photographic Celebration of Body Modification. November 9, 2007 – January 18, 2008.
  • Sex Worker Visions II & One Dildo Under Nation. May 1, 2007 – July 18, 2007.
  • Articles: Juztapoz, Velvetpark Magazine, NY Press, Eros Zine, Needled, Fleshbot

AUTHOR – June 2007
NAKED ON THE INTERNET: HOOKUPS, DOWNLOADS, AND CASHING IN ON INTERNET SEXPLORATION. Seal Press. A cultural analysis of female sexuality and the Internet, interwoven with the stories of 80 different women.

DIRECTOR & PRODUCER – February 2007
THE BI APPLE (ADULT FEATURE FILM)

  • Award: “Hottest Bisexual Sex Scene” at the Good For Her Feminist Porn Awards. June 2, 2007
  • Nominated: “Best Bisexual Release” at the Gay Video News Awards. February 16, 2008
  • Articles: Oprah Magazine (July 2007, not online) * NY Press
  • Reviews: Blowfish * Porn Movies For Women * Hot Movies for Her
  • Screenings: C*lick Me Internet Porn Festival – Amsterdam, June 2007 * New Filmmakers Series – Anthology Film Archives, NYC, July 2007 * Berlin Porn Film Festival – Eiszeit & Kant Kino, Berlin, October 2007 * CineKink Film Festival – New York, March 2008 * Frameline GLBT Film Festival – San Francisco, June 2007
  • Watch: Trailer

EXECUTIVE EDITOR - January 2005-January 2008
$PREAD MAGAZINE, New York, NY

  • Conduct outreach to sex workers and encourage participation in $pread and written expression of experiences in the sex industry, assist inexperienced writers through writing and revision
  • Organize events including fashion shows, readings and performances, art exhibitions, support group socials and political rallies
  • Do public relations including pitching local and national media outlets and representing $pread in media interviews

ASSISTANT CURATOR – October 2002-August 2003
HEAD RESEARCHER – November 2001-October 2002
MUSEUM OF SEX, New York, NY

  • Managed the research, development, writing, editing and production of exhibition text for inaugural exhibition NYC Sex: How New York City Transformed Sex in America
  • Researched, wrote, and implemented the walking tour “Street Walking: Commercial Sex in the Tenderloin,” which received positive reviews in USA Today, CityInfo Magazine and appeared on Canadian Sex TV
  • Curated video installations “1001 Nights: NYC Sex Now” at the Museum of Sex and “Historic Burlesque” at the First Annual New York Burlesque Festival