WHO WE ARE
MISSION
The Cupcake Girls provides confidential support to those involved in the sex industry, as well as trauma-informed outreach, advocacy, holistic resources, and referral services to provide prevention and aftercare to those affected by sex trafficking.
We provide nonjudgmental support to empower our program participants in their pursuits through respect, resources, and relationships.
The Cupcake Girls envisions a world where sex trafficking is eradicated and consensual sex workers are safe and empowered. Our team of leaders, mentors, advocates, volunteers, and resource partners provide diverse support with an emphasis on empowering our program participants in their pursuits and becoming mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, and relationally balanced and thriving.
Our team at The Cupcake Girls strives for nuance, compassion, and innovation every day by working with hundreds of volunteers and community partners to provide excellent care while maintaining holistic balance to ensure longevity and health within The Cupcake Girls.
VISION
Equity AT THE CUPCAKE GIRLS
The Cupcake Girls remain committed to personal and organizational development so that we can show up well for those around us. In 2021, we formed an official Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) committee to guide us toward becoming a more equitable organization. Since then, we’ve progressively spent more time bringing additional intention and focus to these efforts.
In 2023, our JEDI committee began outlining themes for the year, guiding our work, and providing more learning opportunities, discussion, and reflection among our staff, board members, and volunteers. Here are the topics and workshops we covered for each quarter:
Q1: Intersections of Oppression in Sex Work & Sex Trafficking
Our goal for the first quarter was to focus on the intersections of oppression folks in the adult industry face. In doing so, it was important for us to draw a clear distinction between sex work and sex trafficking. Among our team, we discussed the history of sex work and the various systems of oppression directly impacting our program participants. To close the quarter, in March, we hosted a community education panel to further explore these topics. The panel featured speakers from SWAID, Las Vegas Red Umbrella Collective, and Fifth Sun Project.
Q2: Privilege & Bias
In the second quarter, our staff, board, and volunteers continued our guided learning and shifted our focus to privilege and bias. We explored privilege, especially as it relates to different identities and life experiences. We also discussed the difference between implicit and explicit bias, how they drive our thoughts and behaviors, and how to become more conscious of harmful beliefs and behaviors so we can change them.
Q3: Cultural Humility & Accountability
Our focus for the third quarter was to move from our conversations on bias to ways we can individually show up well for folks who have different experiences and identities than our own. That looks different for everyone, so we continued to focus on an intersectional lens for our learning. We also discussed taking accountability for harm, and acknowledging how important it is to consider the impact of our actions (how they affect others) over our intent (what we mean to do).
Q4: Cultural Competence
Our last quarter of the year was about cultural competence including topics such as representation vs. tokenism, and calling in vs. calling out. We closed the year with an interactive virtual workshop on cultural competence. Although our JEDI committee led the session, our board, staff, and volunteers worked together in breakout rooms to build content to present to the larger group.
We continued this work in March 2024 with a workshop on systems of oppression and mental health, facilitated by Equitable Care Certification (ECC). ECC was created by sex workers, sex work-affirming therapists, and sex-working therapists. They offer a comprehensive 12-course certification for both licensed & unlicensed mental health professionals to provide equitable care to their clients. [link to their site]
Our team has actively chosen to prioritize growth over comfort in these efforts. We’ve had powerful discussions, asked meaningful questions, and walked away from these sessions with resources for continued education and concrete ways to put what we’ve learned into practice.\
This year, we continue to provide similar monthly and quarterly learning opportunities for our team. We look forward to continuing this journey of learning and application as an organization and as community members. We’re excited for even more collaboration, education, and growth this year, and we hope you’ll join us. Keep an eye on our social media and newsletters for opportunities to participate!
(Updated: June 2024)
CORE VALUES
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Support Without Agenda.
This value is the heart of our organization. We engage others with empathy and compassion, without personal agendas. We build connections with each other through authenticity. We empower our program participants to lead their experience in our programs, including goal-setting and carrying out action plans.
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Act With Integrity.
We strive to exhibit transparency and trustworthiness in all we do. We do our best to keep our word and deliver on our promises. We consider the impact of our actions more than our intent; even if we don’t mean to cause harm, we must be accountable, apologize, and take ownership when it happens.
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Engage With Humility.
We believe everyone deserves to be treated with kindness, respect, and dignity. We strive to avoid mistakes by putting forth our best effort, but we address them responsibly when they happen. We learn from our failures and use them as opportunities to grow. We are curious; we seek understanding before making assumptions.
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Cultivate Well-Being.
We prioritize harmony in all areas of our lives. We regularly engage in community care and self-care, acknowledging that they are vital to sustainability. We guard against burnout by resting and asking for help when needed.
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Invite Innovation.
We continuously seek to improve our processes and procedures while intentionally challenging ourselves to grow individually and as an organization. We collaborate and celebrate how our differences and unique perspectives strengthen our team. We regularly request feedback and ideas from our community and value lived experience over theory in our decision-making.
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Communicate Courageously.
We aim to communicate clearly and kindly with one another. Open lines of communication and direct, specific feedback are essential to maintaining a healthy culture. We remain open to giving and receiving affirmative and constructive feedback. We acknowledge each others’ communication styles and work to unlearn biases that impact our interactions.
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Build an Equitable Environment.
We commit to continuous learning about intersecting systems of oppression and their impacts on our community. Our focus on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) allows us to apply and share what we learn to change how we show up in our work and daily lives. We advocate for policies that promote equity in our community. We strive to center the voices of the most marginalized and impacted in our work.
WHY CUPCAKES?
Why is an organization that specializes in supporting sex workers, and connecting them to community resources, named after a baked good?
Our name grew its roots when we began visiting clubs in Las Vegas toting a box of pink cupcakes. These pastries were an icebreaker and conversation starter when offered to entertainers. After being repeatedly referenced as “The Cupcake Girls” during a club visit, we adopted it as our organization’s formal name.
While we now only bring cupcakes into clubs and legal brothels upon request, cupcakes continue to be a symbol for our organization, and they consistently have a presence during events, fundraisers, and outreach opportunities.