THE RED UMBRELLA DIARIES » Red Umbrella Diaries

Episode 38 features Drew Deveaux telling a story about working in porn as a trans woman. This piece was recorded during the International Sex Worker Rights Day event on March 3, 2011. Dynamic and androgynous, Drew Deveaux has been bending over and shaking up the porn world since her explosive first shoot for Doing It Ourselves: The Trans Women Porn Project. Through self-creation and self-exploration, Drew’s work explores gender and power, shame and transcendence, play and authenticity. Pushing boundaries and playing with edges, Drew is a master of dirty talk with a Master of Science and is equally in her element with her face gagged in a pillow or behind a lecturn. http://www.drewdeveaux.com Click here to listen in your browser. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 37 features J.D. Ackerman telling a story about working in porn. This story was recorded during the Price of Love themed event on February 3, 2011. J.D. Ackerman J.D. is a new media sex educator and sexuality writer with a Masters of Education in Human Sexuality. Not only is she a co-creator of ScrewSmart, Philly’s own pleasure-based sex education collective, she works online, creating a sex-positive community with HotMoviesForHer.com, a video-on-demand adult movie site specifically for women. With a focus on pleasure education and queer sexuality, J.D. spends her days making sure that every person is experiencing the most pleasure they can, as well as baking, sewing, crafting and pretty much doing anything else that involves her hands. Click here to listen in your browser. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 35 features Kira Manser with two stories about dabbling in the sex industry. This story was recorded during the Price of Love themed live event on February 3, 2011. Donkey traces her sex education roots from Miko, a feminist run sex shop in Providence, to her current position as an educator at The Velvet Lily, a sex-positive shop in Philly. Besides being a retail goddess, she’s worked as a high school peer sex educator and in legal sex-work.  Currently, she can be found working on a dual masters program in social work and education in human sexuality at Widener University. She brings home the bacon working as a Gynecological Teaching Associate (GTA) and is always excited to chat about her current labor of love, the sex education collaborative ScrewSmart. Click here to listen in your browser. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.  

Episode 34 features Matthew Lawrence with a story about a client he nicknames Mr Chompers. This story was recorded during the Price of Love themed live event on February 3, 2011. Matthew Lawrence is a writer and former escort living in Providence, Rhode Island.  He has written for Carnal Nation and $pread Magazine. Currently he runs a small literary events organization and co-edits Headmaster, an art magazine for man-lovers.  His blogs are Mixtapes For Hookers and Naked Pictures Of Your Dad. Click here to listen in your browser. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 32 features Miss Darling, who shares a variety of emails from her prospective clients. This story was recorded during the Dirty Tricks themed live event on January 6, 2011. Miss Darling is a cubicle-working, “productive member of society” by day and a sex worker by night (and weekends). By being involved with almost every form of online and in-person pay-for-play since 2008, she has been exploring her own sexuality by allowing others to pay her to explore theirs. Besides tantalizing the masses for a living, she is an activist, a staunch feminist, shoe whore, perpetual supporter of underdogs and an avid baker. Living in sin and New Jersey along with her dashing partner in crime, Mr. Darling, she dreams of saving the world one orgasm at a time. http://allthingsdarling.com Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 31 features Dominick, who tells a pair of stories dealing with dirty tricks in New York City. This story was recorded during the Dirty Tricks themed live event on January 6, 2011. ‘Dominick’ found his confessional voice as a regular at Dean Johnson’s ‘Reading for Filth’ series. Dominick draws on his own diaries kept during his three year stint as a sex worker, delving into such topics as his lost sugar daddy, the evolution of his dominant guido persona, the digital transformation of the sex industry, eighties music, ass health- and of course, the johns, in all their splendor. Since retiring from sex work, Dominick walks among civilians in NYC’s real estate industry- where the art of the sell is supreme. Dominick lives on the far West Side with his very understanding boyfriend. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 30 features Sequoia Redd, who reads a story from her hot-off-the-presses zine Dirty Girl. This story was recorded during the Dirty Tricks themed live event on January 6, 2011. Sequoia Redd is a 20 something sex worker, traveler kid, public masturbator, witch and self proclaimed dirty girl. Her one degree is in touching people aka “massage therapy”. She is an aspiring activist in the areas of environmentalism and sex worker rights. She believes there are many paralells between how society regards nature to its attitudes towards sexuality and sex workers. Originally wanting to be an escort and then ending up as a performer in mainstream porn to stripping and webcamming to finally escorting, she’s figured out that most of the exploitation and violence that goes on in the industry is due to lack of community and knowledge within the scene and lack of empowerment for the workers. Inspired by this realization, she’s looking to be apart of building visible sex worker community in her native South Florida. http://sequoiaredd.com Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 29 features Red Umbrella Diaries host Audacia Ray, who tells a story about a memorable would-be client. This story was recorded during the Dirty Tricks themed live event on January 6, 2011. Audacia Ray is the host and founder of the Red Umbrella Diaries. She is a former sex worker and currently an activist and storyteller in many media. In addition to the monthly Red Umbrella Diaries events, Audacia leads media and storytelling workshops, blogs, makes videos, and generally does more working than sleeping. http://audaciaray.com Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 27 features LeNair “Tré” Xavier, who shares a story about what his mother thinks about his life as an out bisexual porn star. This story was recorded during the Family Affairs themed live event on December 2, 2010. LeNair “Tré” Xavier is a predominantly gay bisexual entertainer and author who writes about sex, life & love in his blog, Tré’s X-Ray Vision. While he has retired from performing in studio-based gay porn, his continued exhibitionist displays online and telling of his sexual adventures and explorations for his blog maintains his being considered an adult entertainer. During his time in the industry, Tré’s writing skills at creating vivid pictures and expressing valid points has led to him writing blog entries for Pitbull Production’s ThugPornBlog, and more recognizably, MOC Blog, which he still maintains being a contributing writer for. He has also had his opinions published in a book review for FlavaMen Magazine, and in the Feedback section of The Advocate. In the vein of his published words on MOC Blog and in The Advocate, he is an active and well-recognized voice for racial equality in gay adult entertainment by way of comments on various websites like Fleshbot, Gay Porn Times, and The Sword. And since retiring, Tré’s voice fighting for that racial equality continues to be heard by the aforementioned, and even more places now as he has spread to fighting for it in gay mainstream entertainment as well, including most recently the gay cable channel, LOGO. All this while he resurrects his skills as an actor, dancer, singer, artist, poet, and songwriter. Most of which can be found on his YouTube channel. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 26 features Katelan Foisy, who shares a story about her mother’s brush with Playboy. This story was recorded during the Family Affairs themed live event on December 2, 2010. Katelan V. Foisy is a visual artist, pin-up model, writer, and tarot reader living in NYC. Her fine art pieces have been displayed at The Worcester Art Museum, Ohio History Museum, Mae West Fest, MODA, Museum of Contemporary Art DC, as well as the A&D gallery in London. Her illustrations have graced the pages of the Grammy Awards, Scholastic Books, as well as appearing on the stage of Ensemble Studio Theater. She is the art director for Constellation, an astrology-based arts magazine, and released her memoir Blood and Pudding earlier this year. www.katelanfoisy.com Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 25 features Syd, who shares her story about growing up the daughter of a sex worker. This story was recorded during the Family Affairs themed live event on December 2, 2010. Syd is a writer and photographer interested in youth led research, sexuality & social justice. Her masters thesis, “Beyond Risk: The evaded curriculum in sexuality education for marginally housed and homeless young women,” has helped shape and focus her lens through which she sees the power in education and knowledge. She has been a passionate photographer since the age of 14, continually documenting her life in New York City and Beyond. She has a BA in Sociology from St. Lawrence University and her MA in Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University. Currently she is working with queer youth in NYC, c0-creating and building a peer sex education program with 15 amazing youth interns. Her photography has appeared in publications by the National Sexuality Resource Center and The Center for Sex and Culture and The Richard F. Brush Art Gallery. Her writing is published in $pread magazine and the San Francisco State University Library. She is interested in Photo Journalism & Art/Erotic Photography. This Cuban/Greek sex geek lives in New York City with her Pound Pup, Henry Marie Elizabeth and is always on the look out for a new restaurant to try. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 24 is a special edition of the Red Umbrella Diaries podcast, featuring select speeches from the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers event held in New York at the Metropolitan Community Church on December 17, 2010. The event was organized by SWOP-NYC and was one of dozens of events taking place around the world. Audacia Ray hosted the evening, and the Red Umbrella Project was a co-sponsor, along with the Anti-Violence Project, Audre Lorde Project, Babeland, Counterpublic Collective, FIERCE, MADRE, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Peter Cicchino Youth Project, The Queer Commons, PONY (Prostitutes of New York), PROS Network, SAFER, Sex Work Awareness, Sex Workers Project at the Urban Justice Center, SWANK (Sex Workers Action New York), SWITCH, SWOP-NYC (Sex Workers Outreach Project – NYC Chapter), The Space at Tompkins, and the Third Wave Foundation. In this podcast, you’ll hear (in order) speeches by: Audacia Ray is a media maker and advocate who is based in New York City. She consults on information and communications technologies for the Global Network of Sex Work Projects and hosts a monthly storytelling series, The Red Umbrella Diaries, where people who have worked in the sex trade gather to share stories and document their experiences. Audacia leads annual media training workshops with Sex Work Awareness. Michael Miller developed and implemented a harm reduction intervention in peer education and peer outreach for LGBTQ youth of color that were engaging in street and internet-based sex trade. Through this work, Michael became one of the founding members of the PROS Network (Providers and Resources Offering Services to sex workers) and is currently serving on the PROS Committee for Community Education. Michael is speaking tonight on behalf of the Counterpublic Collective, a peer-led workgroup that fosters thoughtful reflection and community-building around queer issues through discussions that are both academic and personal. Chelsea Johnson-long is an artist/activist with over 6 years of experience in liberation theater and music therapy. She rests her head in Brooklyn via her homeland on the island of Oahu. She received her BA in Community Studies, Theater, and Feminism from UC Santa Cruz. As current program Co-coordinator of the Safe OUTside the System collective (a program of the Audre Lorde Project) she works with the LGBTSTGNC people of color community in central Brooklyn to address violence without relying on police. Sarah Jenny Bleviss is a community organizer and co-founder of SWANK and SWOP-NYC. She read a piece by Stephanie Thompson, daughter of Catherine Lique, a sex worker who was found murdered in Nevada in 2003. We also got some great mainstream media coverage. Watch an NBC segment on the event below: This event and podcast is hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded by Chris Thomas and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 23 features Lily Burana, the author of the memoirs Strip City and I Love A Man in Uniform and the novel Try. Lily reads from her book Strip City in this episode, which was recorded during the Family Affairs themed live event on December 2, 2010. Lily Burana is a punk rock girl turned writer and editor. Since starting her writing life as a columnist and editor at punk and alternative ‘zines, she has gone on to write for numerous publications including The Washington Post, GQ, The New York Times, Self, Glamour, Entertainment Weekly, Details, The Village Voice, Slate, Salon, and The New York Observer, and her reviews and cultural criticism have been picked up by magazines and newspapers around the world. She has been a Contributing Editor at SPIN and New York magazines. Her essays have been included in numerous anthologies. Lily is the author of three books. Her first book, STRIP CITY: A Stripper’s Farewell Journey Across America (Miramax Books, 2001) made Best Book of the Year lists in Entertainment Weekly, Salon, New York Newsday, and Rocky Mountain News, and was selected as a Barnes and Noble Discover New Writers title. Strip City was also named in the Top Six “EW Picks” in Entertainment Weekly’s 2008 “So You Want to Write a Memoir” roundup, which featured a thousand recent memoirs. Her novel, TRY (St. Martins Press, 2006), an alt.Western romance, was lauded by Kirkus Reviews as “a touching winter-spring romance set amid full Western regalia.” Her third book, I LOVE A MAN IN UNIFORM: A Memoir of Love, War, and Other Battles (Weinstein Books, 2009) was called “a notable historical document” by the New York Times. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 22 features Goldschwanz, a German escort who is based in Berlin. The piece was recorded during the Bad Behavior themed live event on November 4, 2010. Goldschwanz is a Berlin & London based independent escort, dedicated activist, writer & visual artist. She smashed her promising academic career to become a sex worker, and has since checked out the European adult industry, starred in scat movies and fetish clubs, and has been an usherette at porn movie theatres, a party host, and sex coach. She blogs at “Hookers’ Republic,” a dirty, entertaining, and revealing treatise on sex worker issues, and documents her life and travel with images, print columns, comic strips, and poetry. She also performs multifaceted stand-up comedy to crack mind-mapping and stereotyping and tackle political issues with grim humor. She has performed in London & Berlin and this is her debut in NY. Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.

Episode 21 features multiple AVN Award winner Joanna Angel. The piece was recorded during the Bad Behavior themed live event on November 4, 2010. Joanna Angel is a writer, producer, director, model and AVN award-winning adult film star – is more commonly referred to as the “Queen of Punk Rock Porn” in the adult world. A nerd by nature, Joanna holds a B.A. in English from Rutgers University and although her name and brand are synonymous with a much more risqué art, she remains a director, writer, actress, adult entrepreneur and comedian. Joanna has been published in Carly Milne’s “Naked Ambition,” and was a featured sex columnist for Spin Magazine in 2006. She is also a diligent blogger who captures her daily experience for fans on the BurningAngel blog. When forming the BurningAngel empire, she drew upon her strengths as a powerful, intelligent and creative woman, added her innate sense of comedic timing, and – with a lot of chutzpah and her unique vision – created a whole new genre of adult film. http://joannaangel.com Live events and podcast are hosted by Audacia Ray. The audio in this episode was recorded and edited by David Beasley, with podcast bumper music by The Mercy Studio Project. Click here to listen in your browser. Subscribe to the weekly podcast by RSS feed for a new episode every Sunday or on iTunes.