THE RED UMBRELLA DIARIES » Red Umbrella Diaries

In the 79th episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast, former rentboy Dominick tells a story about getting out of jail. This piece was published in the first issue of the RedUP literary journal and was read at the Red Umbrella Diaries on December 6, 2012. Dominick is a Brooklyn-born Italian who spent his twenties as a kept boy. In the wake of his Sugar Daddy’s alcohol-related death, he was left a modest fortune that fueled his own addiction. He started escorting in recovery to reclaim sex work on his own terms, retiring after three years to take a management position in commercial real estate. Dominick now writes for blog.rentboy.com, offering escorts and clients alike advice drawn from his experience. He’s a frequent presence at Red Umbrella Diaries, and has appeared in Dan Savage’s podcast and “Savage Love” column. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

Dana Wright has worked as an exotic dancer for the past fourteen years. In fall 2012 she participated in the RedUP memoir workshop. The two stories she reads here were published in the first issue of Pros(e), our literary journal. She read the stories at Red Umbrella Diaries on January 3, 2013. Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

Dana Wright has worked as an exotic dancer for the past fourteen years. In fall 2012 she participated in the RedUP memoir workshop. The two stories she reads here were published in the first issue of Pros(e), our literary journal. She read the stories at Red Umbrella Diaries on January 3, 2013. Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

Dancer and performer Karl Marxxx tells a story about being an amateur dancer. The 77th episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features a story told during Josh Ryley’s guest hosted night on May 3, 2012. Karl Marxxx is a Brooklyn-based performance artist, exhibitionist and sex blogger. He has performed on numerous art and festival stages including recent appearances at Dixon Place (NYC), the Walters Art Museum (Baltimore), The Great Big International Drag King Extravaganza, Showgirls (Ptown), the Charm City Kitty Club (Baltimore) and CRACK (Washington, DC). Karl also blogs for the Big Shoe Diaries (www.colbykeller.com), an artsy-fartsy gay porn blog featuring nerd-porn icon, Colby Keller. Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes  

Dancer and performer Sweet Loraine tells a painful and brave story about being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, and what it took to get the right support, find the right people to believe her, and be a survivor. The 76th episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features a story told during a night with the theme Survivors, which RedUP hosted during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April 2012. Sweet Loraine is an actress, performance artist, go-go dancer, & burlesque performer. Catch her on a stage near you, teasing and pleasing all over NYC! She loves the freedom that these types of performances allow in the realm of sexuality. She is thankful for all the healing and self acceptance that this edition of the Red Umbrella Project promotes. Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

The 75th episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features Aimee Herman reading about addiction and feeling at odds with the sex industry. She read this excerpt from the Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e) issue #1. Performance poet Aimee Herman was recently featured at the LGBT Fresh Fruit Festival. She sews limbs on words to see how far they can stretch. Her work can be read in dead (g)end(er), THRUSH, and Lavender Review. She’s a former sex worker and current sex activist. Aimee edits erotica for Oysters & Chocolate and is a host for the Inspired Word performance series. Find her writing poems on her body in Brooklyn or at aimeeherman.wordpress.com. Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

The 75th episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features Aimee Herman reading about addiction and feeling at odds with the sex industry. She read this excerpt from the Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e) issue #1. Performance poet Aimee Herman was recently featured at the LGBT Fresh Fruit Festival. She sews limbs on words to see how far they can stretch. Her work can be read in dead (g)end(er), THRUSH, and Lavender Review. She’s a former sex worker and current sex activist. Aimee edits erotica for Oysters & Chocolate and is a host for the Inspired Word performance series. Find her writing poems on her body in Brooklyn or at aimeeherman.wordpress.com. Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

The 74th episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features Josh Ryley telling a story about visiting a client who is a hoarder and a very needy submissive. He read this excerpt from a longer piece which was published in the Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e), issue #1. Josh Ryley is an escort living in New York City. He has been nominated for several “Hookies” (the escort awards sponsored by rentboy.com) including Mr. New York and Best Newcomer, and this year, Best Website. He has read at, hosted, and curated nights for The Red Umbrella Diaries, and will be hosting the April 4, 2013 event with the theme “Lessons Learned.” Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

Ta-da! The return of the Red Umbrella Diaries! This time around, we’ve got a new host – Josh Ryley – and better audio recording quality (huzzah!) The 73rd episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features Anna Saini telling a story about a photographer she worked with in Detroit and their mutual messy relationship with the sex industry. She read this excerpt from her piece “Sin,” which was published in the Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e), issue #1, on January 6, 2013 in New York City.  Anna Saini has lived many lives as a political scientist, radical activist, and multi-media artist. She completed a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science at the University of Toronto and McMaster University respectively. She works as a community organizer on drug and education policy reform, civil and labor rights, prison abolition, police brutality,and post-colonial feminist liberation. Her writing has appeared in: Bust Magazine, Make/Shift Magazine, her self-published anthology Colored Girls, and in the first issue of Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e). Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

Ta-da! The return of the Red Umbrella Diaries! This time around, we’ve got a new host – Josh Ryley – and better audio recording quality (huzzah!) The 73rd episode of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast features Anna Saini telling a story about a photographer she worked with in Detroit and their mutual messy relationship with the sex industry. She read this excerpt from her piece “Sin,” which was published in the Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e), issue #1, on January 6, 2013 in New York City.  Anna Saini has lived many lives as a political scientist, radical activist, and multi-media artist. She completed a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science at the University of Toronto and McMaster University respectively. She works as a community organizer on drug and education policy reform, civil and labor rights, prison abolition, police brutality,and post-colonial feminist liberation. Her writing has appeared in: Bust Magazine, Make/Shift Magazine, her self-published anthology Colored Girls, and in the first issue of Red Umbrella Project’s literary journal, Pros(e). Podcast editing and hosting by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Four ways to listen – new episodes every other Wednesday Listen right now in your browser Follow us on Soundcloud Subscribe to the podcast by RSS feed Subscribe on iTunes

The 67th episode of Red Umbrella Diaries features Ben Rosenberg serenading the crowd with a not quite love story. This reading took place during the Love and Riches reading on February 2nd 2012. ben rosenberg is a multimedia/performance artist and designer who has spent the majority of his time getting schooled in herstory and urban development since emigrating as a refugee from los angeles early last year. when not cooking or making awkward quips about fighting the powers that be, he is usually working with [queer electro punk collective] lotus eater machine, as well as organizing PHAN[T.A.Z.]MAGORIA, a new immersive audio visual experience based on hakim bey’s model of the temporary autonomous zone. Podcast editing by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Click here to listen in your browser  

The 67th episode of Red Umbrella Diaries features Ben Rosenberg serenading the crowd with a not quite love story. This reading took place during the Love and Riches reading on February 2nd 2012. ben rosenberg is a multimedia/performance artist and designer who has spent the majority of his time getting schooled in herstory and urban development since emigrating as a refugee from los angeles early last year. when not cooking or making awkward quips about fighting the powers that be, he is usually working with [queer electro punk collective] lotus eater machine, as well as organizing PHAN[T.A.Z.]MAGORIA, a new immersive audio visual experience based on hakim bey’s model of the temporary autonomous zone. Podcast editing by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Click here to listen in your browser  

The 66th episode of Red Umbrella Diaries features adult film star Sinnamon Love reading a message to a former lover. This performance took place on February 2nd 2012 as part of the Loves and Riches reading. Sinnamon Love is an adult film star, fetish model, professional dominatrix, writer & single mom of 3 teenagers living in Brooklyn, NY. Since 1993, Love has appeared in over 250 hardcore movies, numerous men’s magazines and countless appearances on Playboy TV & Radio. In 2010, Sinnamon took on a year long tour with The Punany Poets of HBO’s “Real Sex” fame, a sex positive erotic poetry & sex education theater show. She is a frequent guest on Shade 45 on Sirius/ XM radio, and is currently a staff writer & relationship columnist for TheWellVersed.com. In 2010 she was inducted into the Urban X Awards’ Hall of Fame followed by induction into the AVN Awards’ Hall of Fame in 2011. Love is an outspoken Autism/ Asperger’s parent advocate and has recently taken on improving sex education in Inner City schools. Click here to listen in your browser Podcast editing by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project.

The 66th episode of Red Umbrella Diaries features adult film star Sinnamon Love reading a message to a former lover. This performance took place on February 2nd 2012 as part of the Loves and Riches reading. Sinnamon Love is an adult film star, fetish model, professional dominatrix, writer & single mom of 3 teenagers living in Brooklyn, NY. Since 1993, Love has appeared in over 250 hardcore movies, numerous men’s magazines and countless appearances on Playboy TV & Radio. In 2010, Sinnamon took on a year long tour with The Punany Poets of HBO’s “Real Sex” fame, a sex positive erotic poetry & sex education theater show. She is a frequent guest on Shade 45 on Sirius/ XM radio, and is currently a staff writer & relationship columnist for TheWellVersed.com. In 2010 she was inducted into the Urban X Awards’ Hall of Fame followed by induction into the AVN Awards’ Hall of Fame in 2011. Love is an outspoken Autism/ Asperger’s parent advocate and has recently taken on improving sex education in Inner City schools. Click here to listen in your browser Podcast editing by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project.

The 65th episode of Red Umbrella Diaries features Akynos reading a piece inspired by a “Christian” client, Stefan. This piece was read at the Love and Riches event on February 2nd 2012. The self proclaimed e-slut extraordinaire known as The Incredible, Edible, Akynos is a burlesque performer of almost 5 years. the newest member of the popular burlesque troupe Brown Girls Burlesque, she’s performed on stages from Symphony Space to the late great Zipper Factory. She’s a burlesque show producer and former stripper who aspires to strip again only if the money is right. She’s been a proud working girl and will write about her escapades in her graduating piece A Sexual Social History Involving Theory when she graduates from Goddard College this March. She’s scheduled to go on an east coast tour this spring and produce wonderful burlesque ensembles such as Darkie and Thick. You’d have to be pretty lucky to get a date with her but until then visit her on www.akynos.com Click here to listen in your browser Podcast editing by Josh Ryley. Podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Live events are produced by the Red Umbrella Project. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by  RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.