Butterfly- Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network

### Context Profile for Butterfly - Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network

#### 1. Organization Mission & Cause
Butterfly is dedicated to supporting Asian and migrant sex workers in their fight for rights and dignity. Their mission is to challenge the harmful impacts of anti-trafficking policies that often misrepresent these individuals as passive victims in need of rescue. Instead, Butterfly advocates for the empowerment and agency of sex workers, emphasizing solidarity and community support. They aim to expose the negative consequences of anti-trafficking initiatives, which frequently lead to increased policing and discrimination against marginalized communities.

#### 2. Type of Activities
Butterfly engages in various activities, including:
- **Educational Panels and Book Launches**: Such as the "Not Your Rescue Project" event, which aims to raise awareness about the anti-trafficking movement's detrimental effects and promote solidarity among sex workers.
- **Community Programs**: They organize discussions and dialogues to explore the experiences of Asian and migrant sex workers, fostering community engagement and activism.
- **Fundraising Campaigns**: They solicit donations to support their grassroots organizing efforts, emphasizing the importance of community contributions.

#### 3. Tone of Voice
The tone of Butterfly's communications is:
- **Informative and Empowering**: They provide detailed information about their events and the issues they address, aiming to educate their audience.
- **Supportive and Inclusive**: The language used is welcoming and encourages community involvement, reflecting their commitment to solidarity.
- **Urgent and Activist**: There is a sense of urgency in their messaging, particularly regarding the need to address the harms caused by anti-trafficking policies.

#### 4. Emoji Usage
Butterfly uses emojis sparingly in their communications. The most common emoji observed is the heart ❤️, which is likely used to convey warmth and community spirit, particularly in contexts of support and fundraising. Emoji usage is not frequent but is employed to enhance emotional connection in specific messages.

#### 5. Key Facts
- **Founding Info**: Butterfly was established to address the unique challenges faced by Asian and migrant sex workers in Canada.
- **Scale**: They operate primarily in Toronto, focusing on local communities while addressing broader systemic issues.
- **Impact Metrics**: While specific metrics were not detailed on the website, their activities indicate a commitment to community engagement and advocacy.
- **Volunteer Info**: Information about volunteering opportunities may be available on their website, encouraging community members to get involved in their initiatives.

#### 6. Writing Guidelines
When creating content for Butterfly, consider the following guidelines:
- **Use Clear and Accessible Language**: Ensure that the content is easy to understand and free of jargon.
- **Emphasize Community and Solidarity**: Highlight the importance of collective action and support for marginalized groups.
- **Incorporate Calls to Action**: Encourage readers to participate in events, donate, or engage in advocacy.
- **Maintain an Empowering Tone**: Focus on the agency and resilience of sex workers, avoiding language that portrays them solely as victims.
- **Be Culturally Sensitive**: Acknowledge the diverse backgrounds of the individuals they serve, ensuring inclusivity in messaging.

This context profile provides a comprehensive overview of Butterfly's mission, activities, tone, and communication style, enabling AI assistants to generate more personalized and relevant content for the organization.

General admission

Panel and Book LaunchNot Your Rescue Project: Stop the Harm of the Anti-Trafficking Movement. Build Solidarity to Support Asian Sex Workers and Massage Workers in Fighting for Their Rights BackgroundThe federal, provincial, and municipal government officials have implemented anti-trafficking policies and allocated significant funding, primarily to law enforcement, while mobilizing NGOs, businesses, and the public to join efforts to end human trafficking. However, rather than providing protection, these initiatives often harm sex workers, as well as racialized and migrant communities, due to the negative impact of the anti-trafficking industry.Concerns about human trafficking have led to increased policing, restrictive regulations, and the shutdown of Asian massage parlours and the workplaces of sex workers. Migrant Asian women, in particular, are frequently misrepresented as passive victims, viewed as incapable of consent and in need of "rescue." This anti-trafficking agenda often advances whorephobic, racist, and anti-migrant policies, resulting in the harassment, arrest, racial profiling and deportation of migrant sex workers and massage workers, e.g. The lobbying efforts of anti-trafficking organizations have influenced the City of Toronto to adopt a repressive policy against Asian and massage parlours. In 2019, Toronto proposed the elimination of the holistic license, posing a threat to the livelihoods of over 2,000 predominantly low-income, middle-aged Asian women.We are organizing this panel and book launch to expose the harm caused by the anti-trafficking industry and to highlight the experiences and resistance of Asian migrant sex workers and massage workers.Date: November 22, 2024 Time: 2:00 - 7:30 pm Location: Workers Action Centre, Suite 206, Community Organizing Space, 720 Spadina Ave., Toronto Admission: Free (**Donations to Butterfly are welcome <span fr-original-class="fr-emoticon fr-deletable fr-emoticon-img" fr-original-style="background: url(&quot;https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/emojione/2.0.1/assets/svg/1f49f.svg&quot;); font-size: 14px;" style="background:url(&quot;https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/emojione/2.0.1/assets/svg/1f49f.svg&quot;);font-size:14px;font-weight:400;font-family:&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, NotoColorEmoji, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Android Emoji&quot;, EmojiSymbols;display:inline-block;line-height:1;box-sizing:inherit;height:1em;width:1em;min-height:20px;min-width:20px;margin:-0.1em 0.1em 0.1em;vertical-align:middle">   your support strengthens our grassroots organizing efforts!**)Schedule:<ul><li style="box-sizing:inherit;font-family:Georgia;font-size:14px">2:00 - 6:00 pm: Panel Discussion and Group Dialogue Join community members, activists, and scholars as they discuss the impact of anti-trafficking policies on Asian and migrant massage workers, and explore ways to build solidarity and support workers’ rights.</li><li style="box-sizing:inherit;font-family:Georgia;font-size:14px">6:00-7:00: Break and snack</li><li style="box-sizing:inherit;font-family:Georgia;font-size:14px">6:30 - 7:30 pm: Book Launch – <a href="https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2258-not-your-rescue-project" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;box-sizing:inherit;-webkit-user-select:auto">Not Your Rescue Project</a> Celebrate the launch of Not Your Rescue Project. All book sales will be donated to Butterfly to support their work for migrant sex workers' rights.</li></ul> <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Organized by: <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit"><a href="http://www.butterflysw.org" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;box-sizing:inherit;color:inherit;-webkit-user-select:auto">Butterfly</a> (Asian Migrant Sex Workers Support Network), Toronto Body Rub Coalition, Holistic Practitioners Alliance, HIV Legal Network, Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto) <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 700; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Co-sponsored by<span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Windsor Law's Transnational Law and Racial Justice Network (TLRJN), University of Windsor <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Centre for Feminist Research. York University <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit"><span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto)<span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Critical Trafficking and Sex Work Studies, York University <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">School of Social Work, McMaster University <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">York Centre for Asian Research, York Unversity  <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Funded by <span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">Canadian Women Foundation<span fr-original-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: Georgia; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" style="font-size:14px;font-family:Georgia;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-position:normal;font-variant-emoji:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;box-sizing:inherit">York University Support Grant, York University  Please Note: The building is wheelchair accessible, and the Worker’s Action Centre is located on the 2nd floor, accessible by elevator. This event will be held indoors and may include a large group of attendees. To help keep everyone safe,  masks, hand sanitizer, and rapid tests will be available onsite.

Hi <span contenteditable="false" data-custom-variable="{{firstname}}" fr-original-class="fr-deletable styled-tag-chip" fr-original-style style="background-color:rgb(248, 248, 255);border:1px solid rgb(191, 191, 255);border-radius:4px;color:rgb(42, 42, 196);padding:1px 8px;font-size:11px;line-height:16px;display:inline-block;margin:0px;overflow-wrap:anywhere;user-select:none;box-sizing:inherit">First name ,Thank you for registering for Not Your Rescue Project Community Panel Discussion and Book Launch! Please see your attached e-ticket.We’re looking forward to seeing you on November 22, 2024 at Worker's Action Center (720 Spadina Avenue).If there’s anything you’d like to share with us beforehand or any specific accomodations we can support with, please feel free to reach out to us at <a href="mailto:soyounglbutterfly@gmail.com" style="text-decoration-color:currentcolor;user-select:auto;box-sizing:inherit">soyounglbutterfly@gmail.com</a>.Looking forward to a great event together!In solidarity,Butterfly  迁蝶 - Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network

Panel and Book LaunchNot Your Rescue Project: Stop the Harm of the Anti-Trafficking Movement. Build Solidarity to Support Asian Sex Workers and Massage Workers in Fighting for Their Rights BackgroundThe federal, provincial, and municipal government officials have implemented anti-trafficking policies and allocated significant funding, primarily to law enforcement, while mobilizing NGOs, businesses, and the public to join efforts to end human trafficking. However, rather than providing protection, these initiatives often harm sex workers, as well as racialized and migrant communities, due to the negative impact of the anti-trafficking industry.Concerns about human trafficking have led to increased policing, restrictive regulations, and the shutdown of Asian massage parlours and the workplaces of sex workers. Migrant Asian women, in particular, are frequently misrepresented as passive victims, viewed as incapable of consent and in need of "rescue." This anti-trafficking agenda often advances whorephobic, racist, and anti-migrant policies, resulting in the harassment, arrest, racial profiling and deportation of migrant sex workers and massage workers, e.g. The lobbying efforts of anti-trafficking organizations have influenced the City of Toronto to adopt a repressive policy against Asian and massage parlours. In 2019, Toronto proposed the elimination of the holistic license, posing a threat to the livelihoods of over 2,000 predominantly low-income, middle-aged Asian women.We are organizing this panel and book launch to expose the harm caused by the anti-trafficking industry and to highlight the experiences and resistance of Asian migrant sex workers and massage workers.Date: November 22, 2024 Time: 2:00 - 7:30 pm Location: Workers Action Centre, Suite 206, Community Organizing Space, 720 Spadina Ave., Toronto Admission: Free (**Donations to Butterfly are welcome    your support strengthens our grassroots organizing efforts!**)Schedule:<ul><li>2:00 - 6:00 pm: Panel Discussion and Group Dialogue Join community members, activists, and scholars as they discuss the impact of anti-trafficking policies on Asian and migrant massage workers, and explore ways to build solidarity and support workers’ rights.</li><li>6:00-7:00: Break and snack</li><li>6:30 - 7:30 pm: Book Launch – <a href="https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2258-not-your-rescue-project">Not Your Rescue Project</a> Celebrate the launch of Not Your Rescue Project. All book sales will be donated to Butterfly to support their work for migrant sex workers' rights.</li></ul> Organized by: <a href="http://www.butterflysw.org">Butterfly</a> (Asian Migrant Sex Workers Support Network), Toronto Body Rub Coalition, Holistic Practitioners Alliance, HIV Legal Network, Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto) Co-sponsored byWindsor Law's Transnational Law and Racial Justice Network (TLRJN), University of Windsor Centre for Feminist Research. York University Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto)Critical Trafficking and Sex Work Studies, York University School of Social Work, McMaster University York Centre for Asian Research, York Unversity  Funded by Canadian Women FoundationYork University Support Grant, York University  Please Note: The building is wheelchair accessible, and the Worker’s Action Centre is located on the 2nd floor, accessible by elevator. This event will be held indoors and may include a large group of attendees. To help keep everyone safe,  masks, hand sanitizer, and rapid tests will be available onsite.

Butterfly- Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network

Add a donation for Butterfly- Asian and Migrant Sex Worker Support Network

Not Your Rescue Project: Panel and Book Launch

720 Spadina Ave.

General admission

Free