Get Emma to NSEC 2022

Hi all! Thank you for taking the time to read, share, and donate for the collective enrichment and edification of our community!

Background:

My partner Emma Zonn (sher/her/xie/hir) has been a performer, educator and professional in the field of sex and sexuality for the past 5 years. Xie has worked in sex education, community outreach, retail, reproductive justice, adult entertainment, and the non-profit sector, and is currently doing the majority of hir work as a freelance educator and intimacy choreographer for the stage.

Who is Emma?:

Emma is a fat, white, tall, autistic, mentally ill, college-educated, middle-class, queer, nonbinary, bisexual, femme, millenial homeowner, kink and ENM practitioner, and ecclectic spiritualist. Through many personal and professional setbacks - in addition to a global pandemic and the oppression of late-stage capitalism - she has persisted in her strong belief in the absolute necessity of the work xie is trying to do, and the role that continuous education plays in that goal.

Why We're Here:

The National Sex Ed Conference hosted by the Center of Sexual Health and Pleasure is being held in-person this December in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and provides a unique opportunity for networking, job searching, education, and professional development. Emma had been counting on the volunteer and scholarship opportunities the conference normally provides to offset the high cost of registration, but because of the ongoing pandemic the staff has chosen to keep their numbers small and not open those applications for this conference. After learning this, Emma reached out to the conference management - who have consistently provided accessible sliding-scale pricing to their online Sex Ed Lecture Series throughout the pandemic, which Emma has utliized frequently - and she was able to secure a $100 discount, which will be incredibly helpful! But even with the discount and a reduced fee for early registration the conference will still cost $350 to attend.

What We're Asking:

The $350 registration fee includes both breakfasts and lunches, access to in person networking, panels, workshops, lectures, keynotes, and professional development opportunities. In order to have the greatest degree of access to these opportunities Emma is planning on staying in the hosting hotel for the two nights of the conference. With the organization's discount code the rooms are $60 a night, but with additional resort fees and sales tax the total for a room with two queen beds for two nights comes to $208. Emma is hoping to find another attendee to room-share with in order to reduce costs for both herself and other attendees.

What We're Offering:

This opportunity would be invaluable for Emma’s personal and professional growth, and I want to do everything in my power to help her attend. Emma and I are asking our community to invest in Emma's education, as well as their own! All donors who help us reach our goal of $500 (the registration fee for the conference after discounts + half of the hotel room + $50 for gas and tolls) will obtain access to all of the notes, handouts, and relevant contact information of the professionals Emma comes in contact with during the conference. Donors giving $100 or more may select a specific class from the schedule to have Emma attend and debrief you on upon completion of the conference.

Any help that you can spare would be appreciated. Thank you!

Nox