Hey everyone,

I don't usually do this but in light of recent events friends suggested that I republish this episode from July 2020. If you haven't heard, last night eight workers in massage parlors were murdered in Atlanta in the Southern region of the United States. Six of these workers were Asian-Americans.

In response to the massacre, Red Canary Song, a US-based grassroots Asian sex workers coalition, tweeted: "These deaths somehow mean more because of the rise in anti-Asian violence related to COVID-19, but no mention of how they’re connected to the long policing of Asian sex work, which so many Asian Americans and those speaking up against anti-Asian hate endorse."

As it happens, in July of 2020 I had interviewed Kate Zen, one of the organisers with Red Canary Song, which also organises transnationally with Asian sex workers across the diaspora in Toronto, Paris, and Hong Kong.

In whatever capacity I can, I stand in solidarity with sex worker/massage parlour workers and activists everywhere in the world and my thoughts go to those who lost their lives to this hate crime.

Before sharing this episode, I wanted to read out a declaration of support that is being passed around. You can find it in the description of this episode.

You will also find links to donate in the description and on the Twitter account @FireTheseTimes

The Declaration of Support:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftvwRE2LEsfL24fvtygAHdqN8qHSjcImOhu_AINt6cmtstQw/viewform?fbzx=-6123717124999218342