Transparency Report 2022
Money raised
23.000 €
Direct donations from individuals as well as organizations
Money distributed
50 applicants / 10 000 € in September
74 applicants / 10 000 € in December
See The Fund In Numbers under our Transparency page on our website for more details on our risk tiers and other expenses.
Supporting our alliances
Towards the end of 2022, BCA took on the task of supporting two of its closest alliances with the financial bookkeeping of their projects. (In the past BCA has donated directly to Trans*Sexworks to support their initiative of working with trans street based sex workers in Berlin. BCA has also received a generous donation from the Black Sex Workers Collective to allocate in 2021.)
One of the projects BCA is currently in support and passionate alignment with is the Redliight Walks. These tours are a direct extension and outcome of the community support that has been provided by the collectives to the workers on the street. The tours are the perfect example of the harms and violence of gentrification experienced by those that experience criminalisation and discrimination.
Find out more about the history and current situation of sex workers in Schöneberg, Berlin at the Red Light Walks @redlightwalks. (The tour has English, German and French translation.
To join us RVSP via redlightwalksberlin@protonmail.com
The tour has and will take place every Sunday in February, and begins at @schwulesmuseum )
Internal Changes
In 2022 we made the decision to stop collaborating with party/nightlife collectives. This was because of the lack of involvement, participation or interest expressed by the collectives that had signed off on the mission of BCA.
The only thing that sets Berlin apart from any other city in its club culture and nightlife these days is its opening hours which is directly connected to its normalization of substance abuse. This is all made possible because of the institutionalization of clubbing. It has been made very clear to us that Berlin nightlife led by Clubcommision is more down to profit off of the wellbeing of its residents and sell Berlin to tourists than provide any form of care, harm reduction or radical change for its residents.
In 2022, BCA had a change to its board members. J Van Bruggen was removed from the board of directors. S Lynch did not run to continue as a board member in 2022. The current board, as voted, are founding members H. Keil and A.E Forrest.
Community
BCA has been supporting predominantly people who experience criminalisation due to systematic oppression. This includes sex workers and migrants without working or residency visas and therefore access to government support or work. Due to geopolitical developments leaning in favor of fascism and climate change we expect a further increase in migration. Local fascist politics are driving gentrification of the city.
Initiatives like BCA, Schlafplatz Orga, Les Migras, qtmutual aid, GLADT e.V, OLGA e.V, Casakua, Trans* Sexwork and Black Sex Workers Collective and other initiatives working with direct outreach are essential in supporting and helping those who suffer the most from the change of this capitalist pace. Artists from marginalized identities, migrants and sex workers have been the heart of Berlin for hundreds of years and are the heart of the vibrancy this city has been benefiting from. The increase in the oppression and strain on these communities are the reason you see the energy, creativity and vibe of the city deteriorating.
A city without accountability
Since 2020 BCA has been asked to support various processes of accountability, taking a transformative justice approach over a criminalized justice approach. BCA and its members have become painfully aware of the lack of accountability and justice Berlin nightlife and its clubbing culture wants to take part in. BCA has witnessed a continuation of party collectives either not positioning themselves in solidarity with survivors of abuse within the scene or even worse defending and supporting abusers over believing survivors and their experiences. BCA has witnessed a very harmful bullying and silencing issue in the Berlin scene, for example the weaponsing of defamation through the criminal justice system.
BCA would like to take this opportunity to remind anyone reading this that survivors do not come forward for their own gain, it is very difficult to share one's story due to the patterns of disbelief and retraumatization. A survivor comes forward out of fear that it might happen to another, as a preventative measure. Berlin Collective Action e.V stands unquestionably in solidarity with survivors.
What’s next
As long as donations are coming in and we reach 10k, which is the minimum we need to open applications and distribute funds, we will continue to do so as these structures are already in place. However, we cannot continue to develop Berlin Collective Action e.V and the projects we would like to see impact change and support until we have paid positions for ourselves and create positions for those who cannot afford and/or are in a position to do unpaid labor.
It is our dream to continue to develop BCA and its outreach program, so if you have any experience with funding applications or would like to support BCA with funding please get in touch.