Pay Black Women & Femmes ~
Pay Black Women & Femmes ~
My Fee Philosophy
We live in a white supremacist capitalist society. As such, Black folx' labor, especially women & femmes’ labor, has been exploited and extracted for over 400 years, commencing with the Arabic and Trans-Atlantic slave trades. Capitalism also required the theft of land of Indigenous peoples worldwide, including Indigenous Africans.
Being authentically anti-oppressive also means being anti-capitalist as racism cannot exist without capitalism. Below are the ways I’m actively countering racial capitalism thru my pricing.
1. solidarity Discounts
Finances will never be a barrier to entry for my work. I offer solidarity discounts for folx made marginalized (particularly Black and Indigenous women, femmes and non-binary folx) with genuine barriers to access on an as-needed, honor system basis. No applications necessary.
(a) for 50% off, use code “SOLIDARITY50” at checkout; or
(b) for 75% off, use code “SOLIDARITY75” at checkout; or
(c) for 100% off, use code “SOLIDARITY100” at checkout, as needed.
If you use a discount, you’ll be prompted to enter the reason you’re eligible at checkout - this is to help ensure this honor system is working as it is meant to. If you want to pay a different amount, feel free to PayPal what you can afford (when you can afford it) here.
If you’re white or white-passing, I encourage you to consider your racial/skin-color privilege & the relative earning potential that goes along with it, even if you currently have financial need. Please do contribute toward my time, energy & labor as and when you can.
Please be mindful that if you use a solidarity discount when you can truthfully afford to pay a sliding scale rate, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility.
Being honest with yourself & your financial situation when engaging with alternative energy exchange offerings grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of artists & healers, like me, who have families to support and rent to pay. Additionally, when I’m paid fairly, I am able to invest more time & resources to free and lower-cost offerings.
(Language adapted from Bear Hebert and Toi Marie)
2. my co-creation Rates - Speaking, workshops etc.
To help counter the colonial capitalist status quo that expects me (and all Black women, femmes & gender expansive folx) to labor for free, I refuse to partake in collaborations that exploit or extract from us.
I only engage in collaborations involving some form of energy exchange, and only with organizations or folx that value my time, gifts & labor. I offer solidarity rates solely for Black and Indigenous folx or organizations that are engaged in work supporting Black and/or Indigenous liberation. Periodt.
My fees reflect an internally determined sliding scale based on an organization’s financial, racial & other privilege and power. This anti-capitalist fee system is an intentional effort to redistribute resources more equitably and, most importantly, to support and strengthen activists working on the ground in support of Black and Indigenous liberation (inspired by guidelines set by Aorta: www.aorta.coop/rates and introduced to me by Toi Marie).
My rates are non-negotiable.
My regular workshop, consulting & speaking fees also include a stipend to offset my rates so that I can directly support Black and Indigenous folx and organizations. This stipend, a form of microreparations, allows me to best serve my community while ensuring I am adequately remunerated for my time, energy and expertise.
I support ongoing redistribution of wealth as a pinnacle of intersectional racial justice, and my rates reflect that.
I also support myself & know my value.
#PayBlackWomenWhatYouOweUs