Misplaced Pages

#326673

125-572: As he was doing research for a magazine article in the late 1980s, Hamlin discovered a disconnect between the number of black theatre companies at that time. He concluded that a festival could serve as a method to bring these companies together, and he contacted renowned author and poet Maya Angelou for support. Together, they raised $ 500,000 in grants and contributions to finance the festival's operating costs. The first Festival attracted 10,000 people and offered 30 different performances by 17 of America’s best professional black theatre companies. Its theme

250-692: A Greek electrician, former sailor, and aspiring musician, despite the condemnation of interracial relationships at the time and the disapproval of her mother. She took modern dance classes during this time and met dancers and choreographers Alvin Ailey and Ruth Beckford. Ailey and Angelou formed a dance team, calling themselves "Al and Rita", and performed modern dance at fraternal Black organizations throughout San Francisco but never became successful. Angelou, her new husband, and her son moved to New York City so she could study African dance with Trinidadian dancer Pearl Primus , but they returned to San Francisco

375-646: A false self to perform at work. Sex-work-related stigma may help perpetuate rape culture and can lead to slut-shaming . Sex work is also often conflated with sex trafficking, despite the fact that most sex workers choose to consensually engage in the sex trade. For example, the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act in the United States was passed to ostensibly protect victims of sex trafficking but included language making it illegal to advertise consensual sex online. Such laws have

500-510: A strip club owner), non-payment by a client , assault or rape. Sex worker advocates have identified this as whorephobia . The legality of different types of sex work varies within and between regions of the world. For example, while pornography is legal in the United States, prostitution is illegal in most parts of the US. However, in other regions of the world, both pornography and prostitution are illegal; in others, both are legal. One example of

625-518: A "lordly brownstone" in Harlem , which was purchased in 2004 and was full of her "growing library" of books she collected throughout her life, artwork collected over the span of many decades, and well-stocked kitchens. The Guardian writer Gary Younge reported that in Angelou's Harlem home were several African wall hangings and her collection of paintings, including ones of several jazz trumpeters,

750-597: A 1995 interview, Angelou said: I wrote about my experiences because I thought too many people tell young folks, "I never did anything wrong. Who, Moi? – never I. I have no skeletons in my closet. In fact, I have no closet." They lie like that and then young people find themselves in situations and they think, "Damn I must be a pretty bad guy. My mom or dad never did anything wrong." They can't forgive themselves and go on with their lives. Angelou had one son, Guy, whose birth she described in her first autobiography; one grandson, two great-grandchildren, and, according to Gillespie,

875-404: A Brothel Operators Certificate, which certifies them as a suitable person to exercise control over sex workers in the workplace. [In addition,] sex workers operating in managed premises have access to labour rights and human rights protection and can pursue claims before the courts, like any other worker or employee." In regions where sex work is illegal, advocates for sex workers' rights argue that

1000-571: A Swedish film company and filmed in Sweden, was the first produced screenplay by a Black woman. She also wrote the film's soundtrack, despite having very little additional input in the filming of the movie. Angelou married Paul du Feu , a Welsh carpenter and ex-husband of writer Germaine Greer , in San Francisco in 1973. Over the next ten years, as Gillespie has stated, "She [Angelou] had accomplished more than many artists hope to achieve in

1125-549: A country in which pornography, prostitution, and all professions encompassed under the umbrella of sex work are all legal is New Zealand. Under the Prostitution Reform Act of New Zealand, laws and regulations have been put into place in order to ensure the safety and protection of its sex workers. For example, since the implementation of the Prostitution Reform Act, "any person seeking to open a larger brothel, where more than four sex workers will be working requires

1250-618: A day, which she edited down to three or four pages in the evening. She went through this process to "enchant" herself, and as she said in a 1989 interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation , "relive the agony, the anguish, the Sturm und Drang ". She placed herself back in the time she wrote about, even traumatic experiences such as her rape in Caged Bird , to "tell the human truth" about her life. She

1375-576: A deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism , identity, family, and travel. Marguerite Annie Johnson was born in St. Louis , Missouri, on April 4, 1928, the second child of Bailey Johnson, a doorman and navy dietitian, and Vivian (née Baxter) Johnson, a nurse and card dealer . Angelou's older brother, Bailey Jr., nicknamed Marguerite "Maya", derived from "My" or "Mya Sister". When Angelou

SECTION 10

#1732793016327

1500-566: A focus on sex workers' rights. In 1999, the Network of Sex Worker Projects claimed that "Historically, anti-trafficking measures have been more concerned with protecting 'innocent' women from becoming prostitutes than with ensuring the human rights of those in the sex industry. Penelope Saunders, a sex workers' rights advocate, claims that the sex workers' rights approach considers more of the historical context of sex work than either abolitionism or empowerment. In addition, Jo Doezema has written that

1625-472: A lack of consent by the worker to any sexual act performed in the encounter; this risk is magnified when sex workers are trafficked or forced into sex work. Forced sex work often involves deception - workers are told that they can make a living and are then not allowed to leave. This deception can cause ill effects on the mental health of many sex workers. In addition, an assessment of studies estimates that between 40% and 70% of sex workers face violence within

1750-610: A large group of friends and extended family. Angelou's mother Vivian Baxter died in 1991 and her brother Bailey Johnson Jr., died in 2000 after a series of strokes; both were important figures in her life and her books. In 1981, the mother of her grandson disappeared with him; finding him took four years. Angelou did not earn a university degree, but according to Gillespie it was Angelou's preference to be called "Dr. Angelou" by people outside of her family and close friends. She owned two homes in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and

1875-591: A large role in outreach to sex workers, particularly in HIV and STI prevention efforts. However, NGO outreach to sex workers for HIV prevention is sometimes less coordinated and organized than similar HIV prevention programs targeted at different groups (such as men who have sex with men). This lack of organization may be due to the legal status of prostitution and other sex work in the country in question; in China, many sex work and drug abuse NGOs do not formally register with

2000-481: A lifetime." Angelou worked as a composer, writing for singer Roberta Flack , and composing movie scores. She wrote articles, short stories, TV scripts, documentaries, autobiographies, and poetry. She produced plays and was named a visiting professor at several colleges and universities. She was "a reluctant actor", and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1973 for her role in Jerome Kilty 's play Look Away . As

2125-488: A long time and will continue to do so…Prohibition is not the way to proceed…One should allow for voluntary prostitution. The authorities can then regulate prostitution, [and] it can become healthy, safe, transparent, and cleansed from criminal side-effects." People who wish to legalize prostitution do not see enforcing laws against sex work as effective and think the money is better spent elsewhere. Many people also argue that legalization of prostitution will lead to less harm for

2250-420: A quarter of the sex workers interviewed started sex work because they found it "appealing". The flexibility to choose hours of work and the ability to select one's own client base may also contribute to the appeal of sex work when compared to other service industry jobs. Sex work may also be a way to fund addiction. This line of work can be fueled by an individual's addiction to illegal substances before entering

2375-423: A relationship that's kind of famous among publishers." All my work, my life, everything I do is about survival, not just bare, awful, plodding survival, but survival with grace and faith. While one may encounter many defeats, one must not be defeated. Maya Angelou Angelou's long and extensive career also included poetry, plays, screenplays for television and film, directing, acting, and public speaking. She

2500-546: A representative sample of sex workers in a given city can be nearly impossible because the size of the population itself is unknown. Maintaining privacy and confidentiality in research is also difficult because many sex workers may face prosecution and other consequences if their identities are revealed. Sex workers may be stereotyped as deviant, hypersexual, sexually risky, and substance abusive. Sex workers may cope with this stigmatization in ways such as hiding their occupation from non-sex workers, social withdrawal, and creating

2625-538: A sex worker reported, "in this lifestyle, nothing's safe". Sex workers may experience police abuse as well, as the police may use their authority to intimidate sex workers. Police officers in some countries have been reported to exploit street-based sex workers' fear of incarceration to force them to have sex with the police without payment, sometimes still arresting them after having coerced sex. Police may also compromise sex workers' safety, often holding sex workers responsible for crimes perpetrated against them because of

SECTION 20

#1732793016327

2750-558: A sex worker reporting violence to a healthcare provider may not be able to take legal action against their aggressor. Health risks of sex work relate primarily to sexually transmitted infections and to drug use. In one study, nearly 40% of sex workers who visited a health center reported illegal drug use. In general, transgender women sex workers have a higher risk of contracting HIV than cisgender male and female sex workers and transgender women who are not sex workers. The reason transgender women are at higher risk for developing HIV

2875-406: A significantly negative impact on sex workers. Globally, sex workers encounter barriers in accessing health care, legislation, legal resources, and labor rights. In a study of U.S. sex workers, 43% of interview participants reported exposure to intimate partner violence , physical violence, armed physical violence, and sexual violence in the forms of sexual coercion and rape. In this same study,

3000-417: A submission to or operation within the systems of capitalism, which is of concern to some feminists. Performers in general are problematic to categorize because they often exercise a high level of control over their work product, one characteristic of an independent contractor. Additionally, their work can be artistic in nature and often done on a freelance basis. Often, the work of performers does not possess

3125-672: A swimmer in the [English] Channel: you face the stingrays and waves and cold and grease, and finally you reach the other shore, and you put your foot on the ground—Aaaahhhh! Maya Angelou, 1989 Evidence suggests that Angelou was partially descended from the Mende people of West Africa. In 2008, a DNA test revealed that among all of her African ancestors, 45 percent were from the Congo -Angola region and 55 percent were from West Africa. A 2008 PBS documentary found that Angelou's maternal great-grandmother, Mary Lee, who had been emancipated after

3250-566: A theater director, in 1988 she undertook a revival of Errol John 's play Moon on a Rainbow Shawl at the Almeida Theatre in London. In 1977, Angelou appeared in a supporting role in the television mini-series Roots . She was given a multitude of awards during this period, including more than thirty honorary degrees from colleges and universities from all over the world. In the late 1970s, Angelou met Oprah Winfrey when Winfrey

3375-412: A total of seven autobiographies. According to scholar Mary Jane Lupton, Angelou's third autobiography Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas marked the first time a well-known African American autobiographer had written a third volume about her life. Her books "stretch over time and place", from Arkansas to Africa and back to the U.S., and take place from the beginnings of World War II to

3500-441: A trip or to perform sexual services within the context of a trip; either of these can be voluntary or forced labor. Sex workers may be any gender and exchange sexual services or favors for money or other gifts. The motives of sex workers vary widely and can include debt, coercion, survival, or simply as a way to earn a living. Sexual empowerment is another possible reason why people engage in sex work. One Canadian study found that

3625-457: A watercolor of Rosa Parks , and a Faith Ringgold work entitled "Maya's Quilt Of Life". According to Gillespie, she hosted several celebrations per year at her main residence in Winston-Salem; "her skill in the kitchen is the stuff of legend—from haute cuisine to down-home comfort food". The Winston-Salem Journal stated: "Securing an invitation to one of Angelou's Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas tree decorating parties or birthday parties

3750-458: A year later. After Angelou's marriage ended in 1954, she danced professionally in clubs around San Francisco, including the nightclub The Purple Onion , where she sang and danced to calypso music . Up to that point, she went by the name of "Marguerite Johnson", or "Rita", but at the strong suggestion of her managers and supporters at The Purple Onion, she changed her professional name to "Maya Angelou" (her nickname and former married surname). It

3875-559: A year on the lecture circuit , something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem " On the Pulse of Morning " (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton , making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961. With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She

International Black Theatre Festival - Misplaced Pages Continue

4000-546: A year. Currently, there is little support for migrant workers in many countries, including those who have been trafficked to a location for sex. Sex worker's rights advocates argue that sex workers should have the same basic human and labor rights as other working people. For example, the Canadian Guild for Erotic Labour calls for the legalization of sex work, the elimination of state regulations that are more repressive than those imposed on other workers and businesses,

4125-467: Is unprotected sex with male partners, and studies have been emerging that show men who have sex with transgender women are more likely to use drugs than men that do not. Condom use is one way to mitigate the risk of contracting an STI . However, negotiating condom use with one's clients and partners is often an obstacle to practicing safer sex. While there is not much data on rates of violence against sex workers, many sex workers do not use condoms due to

4250-453: Is approached. While abolitionism would call for an end to all sex work, empowerment would encourage the formation of networks among sex workers and enable them to prevent STIs and other health risks by communicating with each other. Both approaches aim to reduce rates of disease and other negative effects of sex work. In addition, sex workers themselves have disputed the dichotomous nature of abolitionism and nonabolitionism, advocating instead

4375-426: Is difficult to do at times because of their dubious employee categorization. Also, as is the case with many other unions, dancers are often reluctant to join them. This reluctance can be due to many factors, ranging from the cost of joining a union to the dancers believing they do not need union support because they will not be exotic dancers for a long enough period of time to justify joining a union. NGOs often play

4500-537: Is held to honor the most notable advocates and pioneers of sexual freedom and sex workers' rights in the UK, where sex work is essentially legal. The unionization of sex workers is a recent development. The first organization within the contemporary sex workers' rights movement was Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics ( COYOTE ), founded in 1973 in San Francisco, California. Many organizations in Western countries were established in

4625-641: Is linked to tourism. Transgender people are more likely than the general population to do sex work, particularly trans women and trans people of color. In a study of female Indian sex workers, illiteracy and lower social status were more prevalent than among the general female population. One study of sex work in Tijuana, Mexico, found that the majority of sex workers there are young, female, and heterosexual. Many of these studies attempt to use smaller samples of sex workers and pimps in order to extrapolate about larger populations of sex workers. One report on

4750-414: Is that sex trafficking may not be adequately assessed in relation to sex work in these studies. Many studies struggle to gain demographic information about the prevalence of sex work, as many countries or cities have laws prohibiting prostitution or other sex work. In addition, sex trafficking , or forced sex work, is also difficult to quantify due to its underground and covert nature. In addition, finding

4875-825: Is their combination of risk factors. They face biological, personal, relational, and structural risks that all increase their chances of getting HIV. Biological factors include incorrect condom usage because of erectile dysfunction from hormones taken to become more feminine and receptive anal intercourse without a condom which is a high risk for developing HIV. Personal factors include mental health issues that lead to increased sexual risk, such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse provoked through lack of support, violence, etc. Structural risks include involvement in sex work being linked to poverty, substance abuse, and other factors that are more prevalent in transgender women based on their tendency to be socially marginalized and not accepted for challenging gender norms. The largest risk for HIV

5000-545: Is their own decision. Another common argument for legalizing prostitution is that enforcing prostitution laws is a waste of money. Some believe prostitution will continue to persist despite whatever laws and regulations are implemented against it. In arguing for the decriminalization of sex work , the Minister of Justice of the Netherlands expanded upon this argument in court when stating that, "prostitution has existed for

5125-425: Is to keep children from being involved in this industry. Children who have been exploited suffer long-term negative consequences. There are also arguments for legalizing prostitution/sex work. One major argument for legalizing prostitution is that women should have a right to do what they want with their own bodies. The government should not have a say in what they do for work, and if they want to sell their bodies it

International Black Theatre Festival - Misplaced Pages Continue

5250-418: Is used by some types of sex workers (i.e. prostitutes) to avoid invoking the stigma associated with the word " prostitute ". Using the term "sex worker" rather than "prostitute" also allows more members of the sex industry to be represented and helps ensure that individuals who are actually prostitutes are not singled out and associated with the negative connotations of "prostitute". In addition, choosing to use

5375-414: Is used in reference to those who work in all areas of the sex industry . According to one view, sex work is voluntary "and is seen as the commercial exchange of sex for money or goods". Thus it differs from sexual exploitation , or the forcing of a person to commit sexual acts. The term "sex worker" was coined in 1978 by sex worker activist Carol Leigh . Its use became popularized after publication of

5500-537: Is when an individual enters into any sex trade due to coercion rather than by choice. Forced sex work increases the likelihood that a sex worker will contract HIV/AIDS or another sexually transmitted infection, particularly when an individual enters sex work before the age of 18. In addition, even when sex workers do consent to certain sex acts, they are often forced or coerced into others (often anal intercourse) by clients. Sex workers may also experience strong resistance to condom use by their clients, which may extend into

5625-1034: The Civil War , became pregnant by her white former owner, John Savin. Savin forced Lee to sign a false statement accusing another man of being the father of her child. After Savin was indicted for forcing Lee to commit perjury, and despite the discovery that Savin was the father, a jury found him not guilty. Lee was sent to the Clinton County poorhouse in Missouri with her daughter, Marguerite Baxter, who became Angelou's grandmother. Angelou described Lee as "that poor little black girl, physically and mentally bruised." The details of Angelou's life described in her seven autobiographies and in numerous interviews, speeches, and articles tended to be inconsistent. Critic Mary Jane Lupton has explained that when Angelou spoke about her life, she did so eloquently, but informally, and "with no time chart in front of her." For example, she

5750-738: The Democratic Party in the 2008 presidential primaries , giving her public support to Hillary Clinton . In the run-up to the January Democratic primary in South Carolina , the Clinton campaign ran ads featuring Angelou's endorsement. The ads were part of the campaign's efforts to rally support in the Black community; but Barack Obama won the South Carolina primary, finishing 29 points ahead of Clinton and taking 80% of

5875-944: The Fair Play for Cuba Committee . She had joined the crowd cheering for Fidel Castro when he first entered the Hotel Theresa in Harlem , New York, during the United Nations 15th General Assembly on September 19, 1960. In 1961, Angelou performed in Jean Genet 's play The Blacks (playing the part of the Queen), along with Abbey Lincoln , Roscoe Lee Browne , James Earl Jones , Louis Gossett , Godfrey Cambridge , and Cicely Tyson . Also in 1961, she met South African freedom fighter Vusumzi Make ; they never officially married. She and her son Guy moved with Make to Cairo , where Angelou worked as an associate editor at

6000-730: The Organization of Afro-American Unity ; he was assassinated shortly afterward. Devastated and adrift, she joined her brother in Hawaii, where she resumed her singing career. She moved back to Los Angeles to focus on her writing career. Working as a market researcher in Watts , Angelou witnessed the riots in the summer of 1965. She acted in and wrote plays and returned to New York in 1967. She met her lifelong friend Rosa Guy and renewed her friendship with James Baldwin , whom she had met in Paris in

6125-706: The University of California , the University of Kansas , and the University of Ghana and was recognized as a Rockefeller Foundation Scholar and a Yale University Fellow. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem " On the Pulse of Morning " at the presidential inauguration of Bill Clinton , becoming the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at John F. Kennedy 's inauguration in 1961. Her recitation resulted in more fame and recognition for her previous works, and broadened her appeal "across racial, economic, and educational boundaries". The recording of

6250-481: The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. In her fifth autobiography, All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986), Angelou tells about her return to Ghana searching for the past of her tribe. She published her seventh autobiography Mom & Me & Mom in 2013, at the age of 85. Critics have tended to judge Angelou's subsequent autobiographies in light of the first, with Caged Bird receiving

6375-581: The decolonization of Africa . Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem , North Carolina. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X . Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances

SECTION 50

#1732793016327

6500-491: The "Africanisms still current in the U.S." for National Educational Television , the precursor of PBS . Also in 1968, inspired at a dinner party she attended with Baldwin, cartoonist Jules Feiffer , and his wife Judy, and challenged by Random House editor Robert Loomis , she wrote her first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , published in 1969. This brought her international recognition and acclaim. Released in 1972, Angelou's Georgia, Georgia , produced by

6625-467: The 1950s and called "my brother", during this time. Her friend Jerry Purcell provided Angelou with a stipend to support her writing. In 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. asked Angelou to organize a march. She agreed, but postponed again, and in what Gillespie calls "a macabre twist of fate", he was assassinated on her 40th birthday (April 4). Devastated again, she was encouraged out of her depression by her friend James Baldwin. As Gillespie states, "If 1968

6750-529: The 1970s, less through its originality than "its resonance in the prevailing Zeitgeist ", or the time in which it was written, at the end of the American Civil Rights Movement . Als also claimed that Angelou's writings, more interested in self-revelation than in politics or feminism, have freed other female writers to "open themselves up without shame to the eyes of the world". Angelou critic Joanne M. Braxton stated that Caged Bird

6875-704: The Black vote. When Clinton's campaign ended, Angelou put her support behind Obama, who went on to win the presidential election and become the first African American president of the United States. After Obama's inauguration, she stated, "We are growing up beyond the idiocies of racism and sexism." In late 2010, Angelou donated her personal papers and career memorabilia to the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem . They consisted of more than 340 boxes of documents that featured her handwritten notes on yellow legal pads for I Know Why

7000-453: The Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim. She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. These included fry cook, sex worker , nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during

7125-514: The Caged Bird Sings , Angelou used the same "writing ritual" for many years. She would wake early in the morning and check into a hotel room, where the staff was instructed to remove any pictures from the walls. She would write on legal pads while lying on the bed, with only a bottle of sherry, a deck of cards to play solitaire , Roget's Thesaurus , and the Bible, and would leave by the early afternoon. She would average 10–12 pages of written material

7250-682: The Caged Bird Sings , a 1982 telegram from Coretta Scott King , fan mail, and personal and professional correspondence from colleagues such as her editor Robert Loomis. In 2011, Angelou served as a consultant for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. She spoke out in opposition to a paraphrase of a quotation by King that appeared on the memorial, saying, "The quote makes Dr. Martin Luther King look like an arrogant twit", and demanded that it be changed. Eventually,

7375-824: The Festival are the Opening Night Gala, the Readers' Theatre of New Works, the Youth/Celebrity Project, International Colloquia, the International Vendor's Market, a poetry slam, and various workshops and seminars. More than 50 celebrities can be expected to attend the Festival during its run. The event was renamed to the International Black Theatre Festival beginning in 2024. The 2007 festival

7500-620: The anthology, Sex Work: Writings By Women In The Sex Industry in 1987, edited by Frédérique Delacoste and Priscilla Alexander. The term "sex worker" has since spread into much wider use, including in academic publications, by NGOs and labor unions, and by governmental and intergovernmental agencies, such as the World Health Organization . The term is listed in the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster 's Dictionary. The term "sex worker"

7625-403: The budget for the Festival was left with a $ 300,000 deficit. In spite of this setback, Hamlin did not cancel the festival and was able to raise enough money to compensate for the loss. He believed that African-American theatre was important and was able to make his dream a success. The IBTF brings nearly 60,000 people to Winston-Salem. In addition to over 100 theatrical performances, highlights of

SECTION 60

#1732793016327

7750-671: The covert nature of illegal prostitution is a barrier to access to legal resources. However, some who oppose the legalization of prostitution argue that sex work is inherently exploitative and can never be legalized or practiced in a way that respects the rights of those who perform it. There are many arguments against legalizing prostitution/sex work. In one study, women involved in sex work were interviewed and asked if they thought it should be made legal. They answered that they thought it should not, as it would put women at higher risk from violent customers if it were considered legitimate work, and they would not want their friends or family entering

7875-787: The decade after the founding of COYOTE. Currently, a small number of sex worker unions exist worldwide. One of the largest is the International Union of Sex Workers, headquartered in the United Kingdom. The IUSW advocates for the rights of all sex workers, whether they chose freely or were coerced to enter the trade, and promotes policies that benefit the interests of sex workers both in the UK and abroad. Many regions are home to sex worker unions, including Latin America, Brazil, Canada, Europe, and Africa. In unionizing, many sex workers face issues relating to communication and to

8000-537: The dichotomy of the voluntary and forced approaches to sex work has served to deny sex workers agency. Sex workers are unlikely to disclose their work to healthcare providers. This can be due to embarrassment, fear of disapproval, or a disbelief that sex work can have effects on their health. The criminalization of sex work in many places can also lead to a reluctance to disclose for fear of being turned in for illegal activities. There are very few legal protections for sex workers due to criminalization; thus, in many cases,

8125-415: The drug space discursively positions "good" strippers against such a drug locale and indicates why dancers are motivated to closet hard drug use. Stigma causes strippers to hide their lifestyles from friends and family alienating themselves from a support system. Further, the stress of trying to hide their lifestyles from others due to fear of scrutiny affects the mental health of dancers. Forced sex work

8250-605: The eleven tracks of their album Been Found . The album was responsible for three of Angelou's only Billboard chart appearances. In 2000, she created a successful collection of products for Hallmark , including greeting cards and decorative household items. She responded to critics who charged her with being too commercial by stating that "the enterprise was perfectly in keeping with her role as 'the people's poet ' ". More than thirty years after Angelou began writing her life story, she completed her sixth autobiography A Song Flung Up to Heaven , in 2002. Angelou campaigned for

8375-507: The fear of resistance and violence from clients. Some countries also have laws prohibiting condom possession; this reduces the likelihood that sex workers will use condoms. Increased organization and networking among sex workers has been shown to increase condom use by increasing access to and education about STI prevention. Brothels with strong workplace health practices, including the availability of condoms, have also increased condom use among their workers. In order to protect themselves from

8500-426: The government and thus run many of their programs on a small scale and discreetly. While some NGOs have increased their programming to improve conditions within the context of sex work, these programs are criticized at times due to their failure to dismantle the oppressive structures of prostitution, particularly forced trafficking. Some scholars believe that advocating for rights within the institution of prostitution

8625-415: The highest praise. Angelou wrote five collections of essays, which writer Hilton Als called her "wisdom books" and "homilies strung together with autobiographical texts". Angelou used the same editor throughout her writing career, Robert Loomis , an executive editor at Random House ; he retired in 2011 and has been called "one of publishing's hall of fame editors." Angelou said regarding Loomis: "We have

8750-484: The industry or being introduced to these substances after entering the industry. For camming services , motivations can vary when engaging in sex with real-life versus virtual partners. A 2023 study found that sex workers providing camming services were more likely to engage in sex with virtual partners for resources and specific types of sexual experiences (e.g., kink ). In contrast, they engaged in sex more often with real-life partners for physical pleasure, motivated by

8875-604: The interests of sex workers can come from a variety of sources, including non-governmental organizations, labor rights organizations, governments, or sex workers themselves. In Latin America and the Caribbean , sex worker advocacy dates back to the late 19th century in Havana, Cuba . A catalyst in the movement being a newspaper published by Havana sex workers. This publication went by the name La Cebolla , created by Las Horizontales . Each year in London, The Sexual Freedom Awards

9000-506: The last ten years of her life. He said, "She left this mortal plane with no loss of acuity and no loss in comprehension." Tributes to Angelou and condolences were paid by artists, entertainers, and world leaders, including President Obama, whose sister was named after Angelou, and Bill Clinton. Harold Augenbraum , from the National Book Foundation , said that Angelou's "legacy is one that all writers and readers across

9125-450: The legality of sex work. Because sex work is illegal in many places where they wish to organize, it is difficult to communicate with other sex workers in order to organize. There is also concern with the legitimacy of sex work as a career and an activity that merits formal organizing, largely because of the sexism often present in sex work and the devaluation of sex work as not comparable to other paid labor and employment. A factor affecting

9250-484: The most basic level, dancers themselves must have the desire to unionize for collective action. For those who wish not to conform to group activity or want to remain independent, a union may seem as controlling as club management since joining a union would obligate them to pay dues and abide by decisions made through majority vote, with or without their personal approval. In the Lusty Lady case study, this strip club

9375-471: The obvious attributes of employees such as regular working hours, places, or duties. Consequently, employers misclassify them because they are unsure of their workers' status, or they purposely misclassify them to take advantage of independent contractors' low costs. Exotic dance clubs are one such employer that purposely misclassifies their performers as independent contractors. There are additional hurdles in terms of self-esteem and commitment to unionize. On

9500-651: The paraphrase was removed. In 2013, at the age of 85, Angelou published the seventh volume of autobiography in her series, entitled Mom & Me & Mom , which focuses on her relationship with her mother. I make writing as much a part of my life as I do eating or listening to music. Maya Angelou, 1999 I also wear a hat or a very tightly pulled head tie when I write. I suppose I hope by doing that I will keep my brains from seeping out of my scalp and running in great gray blobs down my neck, into my ears, and over my face. Maya Angelou, 1984 Nothing so frightens me as writing, but nothing so satisfies me. It's like

9625-433: The period". Writer Julian Mayfield, who called Caged Bird "a work of art that eludes description", argued that Angelou's autobiographies set a precedent for not only other Black women writers, but also African American autobiography as a whole. Als said that Caged Bird marked one of the first times that a Black autobiographer could, as he put it, "write about blackness from the inside, without apology or defense". Through

9750-446: The physical desirability of their partner, and to express love and commitment. However, for many other motivations, such as stress reduction, self-esteem boost, emotional expression, or utilitarian reasons, there were no significant differences in frequency of engagement with real-life versus virtual partners. These motives also align with varying climates surrounding sex work in different communities and cultures. In some cases, sex work

9875-518: The poem won a Grammy Award . In June 1995, she delivered what Richard Long called her "second 'public' poem", entitled " A Brave and Startling Truth ", which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. Angelou achieved her goal of directing a feature film in 1996, Down in the Delta , which featured actors such as Alfre Woodard and Wesley Snipes . Also in 1996, she collaborated with R&B artists Ashford & Simpson on seven of

10000-413: The point that they were unable to present themselves as central characters in the literature they wrote. Linguist John McWhorter agreed, seeing Angelou's works, which he called "tracts", as "apologetic writing". He placed Angelou in the tradition of African American literature as a defense of Black culture, which he called "a literary manifestation of the imperative that reigned in the black scholarship of

10125-555: The position, but warned her that she would need to arrive early and work harder than others. In 2014, Angelou received a lifetime achievement award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials as part of a session billed "Women Who Move the Nation". Three weeks after completing school, at the age of 17, she gave birth to her son, Clyde (who later changed his name to Guy Johnson). In 1951, Angelou married Tosh Angelos,

10250-410: The publication of Angelou's third book of essays, Letter to My Daughter (2008), has said, "For the last couple of decades she has merged her various talents into a kind of performance art—issuing a message of personal and social uplift by blending poetry, song and conversation." Sex worker A sex worker is a person who provides sex work , either on a regular or occasional basis. The term

10375-476: The right to recognition and protection under labour and employment laws, the right to form and join professional associations or unions, and the right to legally cross borders to work. Advocates also want to see changes in legal practices involving sex work, the Red Umbrella Project has pushed for the decriminalization of condoms and changes to New York's sex workers diversion program. Advocacy for

10500-474: The sex industry to earn money. Another argument is that legalizing sex work would increase the demand for it, and women should not be treated as sexual merchandise. A study showed that in countries that have legalized prostitution, there was an increase in human trafficking. The studies also showed that legalizing sex work led to an increase in sex trafficking, which is another reason people give for making sex work illegal. An argument against legalizing sex work

10625-609: The sex industry, such as social conservatives , anti-prostitution feminists , and other prohibitionists. Such groups view prostitution variously as a crime or as victimization, and see the term " sex work " as legitimizing criminal activity or exploitation as a type of labor. Sex work can take the form of prostitution, stripping or lap dancing , performance in pornography, phone or internet sex, or any other exchange of sexual services for financial or material gain. Sex workers who include sexual intercourse as part of their services are considered full-service sex workers. The variety in

10750-502: The sex workers. They argue that the decriminalization of sex work will decrease the exploitation of sex workers by third parties such as pimps and managers. A final argument for the legalization of sex work is that prostitution laws are unconstitutional. Some argue that these laws go against people's rights to free speech and privacy. Risk reduction in sex work is a highly debated topic. "Abolitionism" and "nonabolitionism" or "empowerment" are regarded as opposing ways in which risk reduction

10875-517: The stigma attached to their occupation. There is growth in advocacy organizations to reduce and erase prejudice and stigma against sex work, and to provide more support and resources for sex workers. Depending on local law, sex workers' activities may be regulated, controlled, tolerated, or prohibited. In most countries, even those where sex work is legal, sex workers may be stigmatized and marginalized, which may prevent them from seeking legal redress for discrimination (e.g., racial discrimination by

11000-406: The stigma of sex work, many dancers resort to othering themselves. Othering involves constructing oneself as superior to one's peers, and the dancer persona provides an internal boundary that separates the "authentic" from the stripper self. This practice creates a significant amount of stress for the dancers, in turn leading many to resort to using drugs and alcohol to cope. Since it is so widespread,

11125-442: The tasks encompassed by sex work leads to a large range in both severity and nature of risks that sex workers face in their occupations. Sex workers can act independently as individuals, work for a company or corporation, or work as part of a brothel. All of the above can be undertaken either by free choice or by coercion, or, as some argue, along a continuum between conflict and agency. Sex workers may also be hired to be companions on

11250-561: The television mini-series Roots in 1977. Her screenplay, Georgia, Georgia (1972), was the first original script by a Black woman to be produced, and she was the first African American woman to direct a major motion picture, Down in the Delta , in 1998. When I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was published in 1969, Angelou was hailed as a new kind of memoirist, one of the first African American women who were able to publicly discuss their personal lives. According to scholar Hilton Als, up to that point, Black female writers were marginalized to

11375-443: The term "sex worker" rather than "prostitute" shows ownership over the individuals' career choices. Some argue that those who prefer the term "sex worker" wish to separate their occupation from their person. Describing someone as a sex worker recognizes that the individual may have many different facets, and are not necessarily defined by their job. The term is strongly opposed, however, by many who are morally or politically opposed to

11500-452: The underground sex trade in the United States used known data on the illegal drug and weapon trades and interviews with sex workers and pimps in order to draw conclusions about the number of sex workers in eight American cities. However, studies like this one can come under scrutiny for a perceived emphasis on the activities and perspectives of pimps and other sex work managers rather than those of sex work providers themselves. Another criticism

11625-413: The unionization of sex work is that many sex workers belong to populations that historically have not had a strong representation in labor unions. While this unionization can be viewed as a way of empowering sex workers and granting them agency within their profession, it is also criticized as implicitly lending its approval to sexism and power imbalances already present in sex work. Unionization also implies

11750-439: The use of drugs has become normalized in the exotic dance scene. Despite this normalization, passing as nonusers, or covering as users of less maligned drugs, is necessary. This is because strippers concurrently attribute a strong moral constitution to those that resist the drug atmosphere; it is a testament to personal strength and willpower. It is also an occasion for dancers to "other" fellow strippers. Valorizing resistance to

11875-555: The week after Angelou's recitation. Random House , which published the poem later that year, had to reprint 400,000 copies of all her books to keep up with the demand. They sold more of her books in January 1993 than they did in all of 1992, accounting for a 1,200% increase. Angelou famously said, in response to criticism regarding using the details of her life in her work, "I agree with Balzac and 19th-century writers, black and white, who say, 'I write for money'." Younge, speaking after

12000-555: The weekly English-language newspaper The Arab Observer . In 1962, her relationship with Make ended, and she and Guy moved to Accra, Ghana , so he could attend college, but he was seriously injured in an automobile accident. Angelou remained in Accra for his recovery and ended up staying there until 1965. She became an administrator at the University of Ghana and was active in the African American expatriate community. She

12125-444: The world can admire and aspire to." The week after Angelou's death, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings rose to number 1 on Amazon.com 's bestseller list. On May 29, 2014, Mount Zion Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, of which Angelou was a member for 30 years, held a public memorial service to honor her. On June 7, a private memorial service was held at Wait Chapel on the campus of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. The memorial

12250-457: The writing of her autobiography, Angelou became recognized and highly respected as a spokesperson for Blacks and women. It made her "without a doubt, ... America's most visible black woman autobiographer", and "a major autobiographical voice of the time". As writer Gary Younge said, "Probably more than almost any other writer alive, Angelou's life literally is her work." Als said that Caged Bird helped increase Black feminist writings in

12375-477: Was "An International Celebration and Reunion of Spirit". Angelou served as the Festival's first chairperson, and other prominent African-American performers lent their professional and financial support. It was covered by both the national and international media with wide acclaim. The IBTF has been successful, but not without difficulties. In 2001, the Festival faced serious financial troubles that threatened its existence. Several funding sources reduced support and

12500-421: Was "perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing" autobiography written by an African American woman in its era. Angelou's poetry has influenced the modern hip-hop music community, including artists such as Kanye West , Common , Tupac Shakur , and Nicki Minaj . Reviewer Elsie B. Washington called Angelou "the black woman's poet laureate". Sales of the paperback version of her books and poetry rose by 300–600%

12625-671: Was 14 and her brother 15, she and her brother moved in once again with their mother, who had since moved to Oakland , California. During World War II, Angelou attended the California Labor School . At the age of 16, she became the first Black female streetcar conductor in San Francisco. She wanted the job badly, admiring the uniforms of the operators, describing the women in uniform as having “their little money-changing belts and with bibs on their caps and well-fitted uniforms” —so much so that her mother referred to it as her "dream job". Her mother encouraged her to pursue

12750-498: Was a TV anchor in Baltimore, Maryland; Angelou would later become Winfrey's close friend and mentor. In 1981, Angelou and du Feu divorced. She returned to the southern United States in 1981 because she felt she had to come to terms with her past there and, despite having no bachelor's degree, accepted the lifetime Reynolds Professorship of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina , where she

12875-445: Was a "distinctive name" that set her apart and captured the feel of her calypso dance performances. During 1954 and 1955, Angelou toured Europe with a production of the opera Porgy and Bess . She began her practice of learning the language of every country she visited, and in a few years she gained proficiency in several languages. In 1957, riding on the popularity of calypso, Angelou recorded her first album, Miss Calypso , which

13000-546: Was a feature editor for The African Review , a freelance writer for the Ghanaian Times , wrote and broadcast for Radio Ghana, and worked and performed for Ghana's National Theatre. She performed in a revival of The Blacks in Geneva and Berlin. In Accra, she became close friends with Malcolm X during his visit in the early 1960s. Angelou returned to the U.S. in 1965 to help him build a new civil rights organization,

13125-468: Was a prolific writer of poetry; her volume Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie (1971) was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize , and she was chosen by U.S. president Bill Clinton to recite her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" during his inauguration in 1993. Angelou's successful acting career included roles in numerous plays, films, and television programs, among them her appearance in

13250-402: Was a year of great pain, loss, and sadness, it was also the year when America first witnessed the breadth and depth of Maya Angelou's spirit and creative genius". Despite having almost no experience, she wrote, produced, and narrated Blacks, Blues, Black! , a ten-part series of documentaries about the connection between blues music and Black Americans' African heritage, and what Angelou called

13375-645: Was alive and well in St. Louis, which resulted in rumors of her death and, according to Angelou, concern among her friends and family worldwide. Angelou died on the morning of May 28, 2014, at age 86. Although Angelou had been in poor health and had canceled recent scheduled appearances, she was working on another book, an autobiography about her experiences with national and world leaders. During her memorial service at Wake Forest University, her son Guy Johnson stated that despite being in constant pain due to her dancing career and respiratory failure, she wrote four books during

13500-661: Was among the most coveted invitations in town." The New York Times , describing Angelou's residence history in New York City, stated that she regularly hosted elaborate New Year's Day parties. She combined her cooking and writing skills in her 2004 book Hallelujah! The Welcome Table , which featured 73 recipes, many of which she learned from her grandmother and mother, accompanied by 28 vignettes. She followed up in 2010 with her second cookbook, Great Food, All Day Long : Cook Splendidly, Eat Smart , which focused on weight loss and portion control. Beginning with I Know Why

13625-421: Was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist . She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou's series of seven autobiographies focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why

13750-456: Was during this period of silence when Angelou developed her extraordinary memory, her love for books and literature, and her ability to listen and observe the world around her. To know her life story is to simultaneously wonder what on earth you have been doing with your own life and feel glad that you didn't have to go through half the things she has. The Guardian writer Gary Younge , 2009 Shortly after Freeman's murder, when Angelou

13875-808: Was eight and her brother nine, Angelou and her brother were sent back to their grandmother. She attended the Lafayette County Training School , in Stamps, a Rosenwald School . Angelou credits a teacher and friend of her family, Mrs. Bertha Flowers, with helping her speak again, challenging her by saying: "You do not love poetry, not until you speak it." Flowers introduced her to Charles Dickens , William Shakespeare , Edgar Allan Poe , Georgia Douglas Johnson , and James Weldon Johnson , authors who would affect Angelou's life and career, as well as Black female artists such as Frances Harper , Anne Spencer , and Jessie Fauset . When Angelou

14000-838: Was held August 3-8, 2015, with celebrity co-chairs Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams . The 2017 NBTF was held July 31-August 5, 2017, with celebrity co-chairs Anna Maria Horsford and Obba Babatundé . The 2019 NBTF was held July 29-August 3, 2019, with celebrity co-chairs Margaret Avery and Chester Gregory . The 2022 NBTF was held August 1-6, 2022, with celebrity co-chairs Lisa Arrindell and Petri Hawkins-Byrd . The 2024 IBTF will be held July 29–August 3, 2024, with celebrity co-chairs Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie . 36°05′56″N 80°14′55″W  /  36.09875°N 80.24863°W  / 36.09875; -80.24863 Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( / ˈ æ n dʒ ə l oʊ / AN -jə-loh ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson ; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014)

14125-567: Was married at least twice, but never clarified the number of times she had been married, "for fear of sounding frivolous." According to her autobiographies and to Gillespie, she married Tosh Angelos in 1951, and Paul du Feu in 1974, and began her relationship with Vusumzi Make in 1961, but never formally married him. Angelou held many jobs, including some in the sex trade working as a prostitute and madam for lesbians, and describes so in her second autobiography, Gather Together in My Name . In

14250-431: Was more of a celebrity than an intellect ... [and] an overpaid figurehead". The last course she taught at Wake Forest was in 2011, but she was planning to teach another course in late 2014. Her final speaking engagement at the university was in late 2013. Beginning in the 1990s, Angelou actively participated in the lecture circuit in a customized tour bus, something she continued into her eighties. She also taught at

14375-402: Was murdered, probably by Angelou's uncles. Angelou became mute for almost five years, believing she was to blame for his death; as she stated: "I thought, my voice killed him; I killed that man, because I told his name. And then I thought I would never speak again, because my voice would kill anyone." According to Marcia Ann Gillespie and her colleagues, who wrote a biography about Angelou, it

14500-430: Was one of a few full-time African American professors. From that point on, she considered herself "a teacher who writes". Angelou taught a variety of subjects that reflected her interests, including philosophy, ethics, theology, science, theater, and writing. The Winston-Salem Journal reported that even though she made many friends on campus, "she never quite lived down all of the criticism from people who thought she

14625-641: Was published for the first time. In 1960, after meeting civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and hearing him speak, she and Killens organized "the legendary" Cabaret for Freedom to benefit the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and she was named SCLC's Northern Coordinator. According to scholar Lyman B. Hagen, her contributions to civil rights as a fundraiser and SCLC organizer were successful and "eminently effective". Angelou also began her pro-Castro and anti-apartheid activism during this time, joining

14750-558: Was quoted as saying: "The way I deal with any pain is to admit it – let it come." Angelou stated that she played cards to get to that place of enchantment and to access her memories more effectively. She said, "It may take an hour to get into it, but once I'm in it—ha! It's so delicious!" She did not find the process cathartic; rather, she found relief in "telling the truth". In 2009, the gossip website TMZ erroneously reported that Angelou had been hospitalized in Los Angeles when she

14875-565: Was reissued as a CD in 1996. She appeared in an off-Broadway review that inspired the 1957 film Calypso Heat Wave , in which Angelou sang and performed her own compositions. Angelou met novelist John Oliver Killens in 1959 and, at his urging, moved to New York to concentrate on her writing career. She joined the Harlem Writers Guild , where she met several major African American authors, including John Henrik Clarke , Rosa Guy , Paule Marshall , and Julian Mayfield , and

15000-407: Was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction , but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made

15125-427: Was seven and her brother eight, the children's father "came to Stamps without warning" and returned them to their mother's care in St. Louis. At the age of eight, while living with her mother, Angelou was sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend, a man named Freeman. She told her brother, who told the rest of their family. Freeman was found guilty but was jailed for only one day. Four days after his release, he

15250-478: Was shown live on local stations in the Winston-Salem/Triad area and streamed live on the university web site with speeches from her son, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama , and Bill Clinton. On June 15, a memorial was held at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, where Angelou was a member for many years. Rev. Cecil Williams , Mayor Ed Lee , and former mayor Willie Brown spoke. Angelou wrote

15375-454: Was the first all-woman-managed club to successfully unionize in 1996. Some of the working conditions they were able to address included "protest[ing] racist hiring practices, customers being allowed to videotape dancers without their consent via one-way mirrors, inconsistent disciplinary policies, lack of health benefits, and an overall dearth of job security". Unionizing exotic dancers can certainly bring better work conditions and fair pay, but it

15500-494: Was the first without the direct guidance of Hamlin, who died on June 6, 2007; organizers continued preparations though his presence was missed. The 2009 NBTF was held August 3–8, 2009, with celebrity co-chairs Ted Lange and Wendy Raquel Robinson . The 2011 NBTF was held August 1–6, 2011, with celebrity co-chairs Lamman Rucker and T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh . The 2013 NBTF was held July 29-August 3, 2013, with celebrity co-chairs Tonya Pinkins and Dorien Wilson . The 2015 NBTF

15625-608: Was three and her brother four, their parents' "calamitous marriage" ended, and their father sent them to Stamps , Arkansas, alone by train, to live with their paternal grandmother, Annie Henderson. In "an astonishing exception" to the harsh economics of African Americans of the time, Angelou's grandmother prospered financially during the Great Depression and World War II , because the general store she owned sold basic and needed commodities and because "she made wise and honest investments". Four years later, when Angelou

#326673