Guide to the COYOTE Rhode Island records, 1990-2023, 1990-2023

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2024

Collection Overview

Title:	COYOTE Rhode Island records
Date range:	1990-2021
Creator:	Robinson, Bella
Extent:	8.25 linear feet (5 record center cartons, 5 file boxes, 2 half file box, and 1 oversize folder)
Abstract:	This collection contains the organizational records of COYOTE Rhode Island, a group of sex workers, former sex workers, trafficking victims, and allies, who advocate for policies that promote the health and safety of people involved in the sex industry. Materials include administrative records; special project files such as the COYOTE-RI Impact Survey and Sex Workers Outreach Project pen pal letters; subject files regarding other advocacy organizations; public records of court cases, arrests, and legislation relating to prostitution; and informational zines and booklets. The collections dates from 1990 to 2023.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.2019.019

Scope & content

This collection contains the organizational records of COYOTE Rhode Island, a group of sex workers, former sex workers, trafficking victims, and allies, who advocate for policies that promote the health and safety of people involved in the sex industry. Materials include administrative records; special project files such as the COYOTE-RI Impact Survey and Sex Workers Outreach Project pen pal letters; subject files regarding other advocacy organizations; public records of court cases, arrests, and legislation relating to prostitution; and informational zines and booklets. The collections dates from 1990 to 2021 and is arranged into 7 series.

Series 1, ADMINISTRATIVE, 2013-2022, includes articles, correspondence, and informational materials related to the mission and advocacy work of COYOTE-RI. Particularly interesting materials include an article on Bella Robinson's advocacy work and a letter to the editor by Robinson regarding myths about the sex industry. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.

Series 2, SPECIAL PROJECTS, 2012-2022, contains planning and outreach files related to special projects conducted by COYOTE-RI and collaborations between COYOTE-RI and outside entities, specifically Brown University and the Sex Workers Outreach Project.

In approximately 2014, Bella Robinson began visiting the Brown campus, speaking about COYOTE-RI at the Sarah Doyle Center, co-hosting advocacy events, and lecturing in classes taught by Assistant Professor of American and Ethnic Studies Elena Shih. Topics included justice for the poor, issues of the carceral state, understanding and critiquing human trafficking, harm reduction, and sex work as a profession. In 2017, COYOTE-RI developed the Impact Survey with assistance from the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University. The survey asked sex workers who advertised their services on Back Page 145 questions about the impact on their lives of the passing of the United States House bill known as FOSTA, the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, and the Senate bill, SESTA, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. To date, 1,515 sex workers have responded, providing long form responses. Administrative files related to this survey and response data is available as part of this collection. Original printed survey data is available for research in the Special Collections Reading Room of the John Hay Library. The digital survey data is restricted.

The Sex Workers Outreach Project Behind Bars supports incarcerated sex workers through a monthly newsletter, pen pal program, book program, and paralegal correspondence courses. Files in this series contain letters between Robinson and incarcerated sex workers and touch upon the sex industry, life in prison, and expectations of life upon release. The correspondence has been redacted to protect the identity of incarcerated people and original letters closed. Redacted use copies are arranged alphabetically by correspondent's first and last initials and are open for research.

Series 2 is arranged alphabetically by organization and then by record type.

Series 3, EVENTS, 2013-2022, includes pamphlets, flyers, and schedules related to events hosted by COYOTE-RI or attended by Robinson. Events include The Sex Worker Rights Movement: Addressing Justice Conference, International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, and the Women's March in Providence, Rhode Island. This series is arranged alphabetically by event name.

Series 4, OTHER ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, 2010-2021, includes booklets, calendars, flyers, and news articles related to organizations that also advocate for sex worker rights and safety. Organizations include Butterfly: Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network, International Sex Worker Foundation for Art, Culture, and Education, and United States Prostitutes Collective. This series is arranged alphabetically by name of the organization.

Series 5, PUBLIC RECORDS AND RELATED RESEARCH, 2009-2022, includes legislative House Bills, Acts, and Resolutions; arrest reports, and news articles concerning decriminalization of prostitution in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. Of particular note are the written testimonies in support of Rhode Island House Bill 5354 to create a special legislative commission to study the health and safety impact of revising commercial sexual activity laws. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.

Series 6, PRINT MATERIAL, 1990-2022, contains magazine, newsletters, note cards and post cards, and zines. Titles include "Assata's Testimony, 1973," "Ladies of the Evening: The Improv 10/27/98," "Prostitutes of New York Press: a newsletter published by and for the New York City sex workers' community." This series is arranged alphabetically by title.

Series 7, RESTRICTED, 2002-2023, is arranged into 2 subseries.

Series 7, subseries 1, BELLA ROBINSON'S PERSONAL PAPERS, 2002-2023, includes awards, clippings, and photos. Additional materials will be added to this subseries. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by record type and is restricted for 25 years until January 1, 2044, after which date it will open without restriction.

SERIES 7, subseries 2, GENERAL RESTRICTED FILES, 2017-2022, contains the original un-redacted copies of correspondence to and from Bella Robinson through the Sex Workers Outreach Project Behind Bars as well as one file containing event permit applications. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by correspondent's first and last initials and is closed for 50 years, until January 1, 2069, after which date it will open without restriction.

Access Points

Subject Organizations

• Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women.
• Feminist Theory Archive.

Subject Topics

• Corrections--United States.
• Feminist Activism in Rhode Island
• Prisons -- United States
• Prostitutes--Civil rights.
• Prostitution--Economic aspects--United States
• Prostitution--Government policy--United States.
• Prostitution--Law and legislation
• Sex workers
• Sex Workers--Statistics.
• Women in poverty

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 7 series.

• Subseries 1. Bella Robinson's personal papers
• Subseries 2. General Restricted Files

Biographical/Historical Note

Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics (COYOTE) is a national grassroots social justice network founded by Margo St. James in San Francisco, California, in 1973. It is dedicated to the fundamental human rights of sex workers and their communities. COYOTE focuses on ending violence and stigma through education, community building, and advocacy. COYOTE looks to improve the lives of sex workers, end the criminalization of sex work, and erase the stigma associated with sex work. COYOTE Rhode Island was founded by Bella Robinson in 2009 and is the only state chapter of this nationwide organization.

COYOTE-RI stands in solidarity with many social justice movements including Black Lives Matter, disability rights, criminal justice reform, the undocumented, the homeless, gender equality and the LGBTQ movement, and the rights of the working class. COYOTE-RI recognizes that many people choose to do sex work due to limited options in other sectors, often due to marginalization and discrimination along the lines of race, gender, ability, sexuality, and immigration status, and that those who do choose to engage with the sex industry should not be further criminalized. As an organization, COYOTE-RI has existed to support sex workers in crisis, serve as an advocate for sex workers in the political sector, and provide education on the reality of sex workers and how best to be an ally to sex workers in the New England area.

Bella Robinson is a sex worker's rights activist who has worked in the sex industry for over thirty years. As the director of COYOTE-RI, Robinson looks to build and strengthen support networks for sex workers in Rhode Island and she works in close collaboration with activists nationwide. She is a strong proponent of centering the voices of sex workers in policies that affect their population. In the late 90's she was incarcerated for five years at Lowell Correctional Institute in Florida, and during incarceration experienced sexual assault at the hands of the state. It is with this perspective that she advocates for sex worker rights as a solution to policies that seek carceral redress for sex trafficking crimes.

From 2012 to 2018, Robinson also served as a board member and secretary of The Erotic Service Providers Union Legal, Education and Research Project (ESPLERP), a diverse community-based erotic service provider-led group that seeks to empower the erotic community and advances sexual privacy rights through legal advocacy, education, and research. Additionally, Robinson is on the advisory committee of the Sex Worker Outreach Project Behind Bars (SWOP Behind Bars), an organization that supports incarcerated sex workers. With SWOP Behind bars, Robinson works to send over 1,000 incarcerated sex workers a newsletter every month. Incarcerated sex workers are also supported through pen pal programs, a book program and 6 paralegal correspondence courses every year. SWOP Behind Bars and COYOTE also act as case managers to help those being released to access reentry services.

In 2013, Robinson was featured in the award-winning film "American Courtesans" as Gina Robinson. In 2014, Robinson began a collaboration with Elena Shih, Assistant Professor of American and Ethnic Studies and a fellow at the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, human trafficking research cluster, at Brown University. Together Robinson and Shih host speakers, events, and course lectures, which look at justice for the poor, issues of the carceral state, understanding and critiquing human trafficking, harm reduction, and sex work as a profession. In 2017, COYOTE-RI developed the Impact Survey with assistance from Shih and the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice at Brown University. The survey asked sex workers who advertised their services on Back Page 145 questions about the impact of anti-trafficking legislation on their lives and work. Original printed survey data is available for research in the Special Collections Reading Room of the John Hay Library. The digital survey data is restricted.

Robinson plans to continue donating her personal papers to the Pembroke Center Archives at Brown University in the future. She currently resides in Rhode Island and has one daughter. See also: This interview with Bella Robinson and Naomi Blech of StoryCorps regarding myths around sex work, Robinson's personal experience as a sex worker, and Bella's advocacy fighting for decriminalization of sex work.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except SERIES 2, COYOTE-RI Impact Survey born-digital survey data, SERIES 7, Bella Robinson's personal papers, is restricted for 25 years until January 1, 2044, and SERIES 8, Restricted, is closed for 50 years, until January 1, 2069. The collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. Advance notice is required to view any audiovisual media or born-digital records that may exist in this collection. Audiovisual media and born-digital records in this collection may not have been reformatted yet. Researchers may request access to copies by contacting the John Hay Library with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. Access to original physical audiovisual or born-digital media is restricted.
Use of the materials:	All researchers seeking to publish materials from the collections of the John Hay Library are requested to complete a Notice of Intent to Publish, prior to reproducing, quoting, or otherwise publishing any portion or extract from this collection. Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	COYOTE Rhode Island records, Ms.2019.019, Box [#], Folder [#], Pembroke Center Archives, John Hay Library, Brown University.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Gift of Bella Robinson beginning in 2018.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Amanda Knox, Julia Park, and Erin Perfect on behalf of the Pembroke Center for the Teaching and Research on Women and the Brown University Library.
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-07-09.
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)
Sponsor:	Curatorial work provided by Mary Murphy on behalf of the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women and the Brown University Library.

Additional Information

Related material:

Related Materials See also: the COYOTE-RI Survey Collection partially available through Brown University's Digital Repository: https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/collections/id_938/The Records of COYOTE, 1962-1989 (81-M32--90-M1), at Harvard University's Schlesinger Library. View finding aid here: https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/8/resources/5083This interview with Bella Robinson and Naomi Blech of StoryCorps regarding myths around sex work, Robinson's personal experience as a sex worker, and Bella's advocacy fighting for decriminalization of sex work.

Inventory

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