Joined February 2019
173 Photos and videos
Thank you to all our donors over the past 6 years! 🥳 🎉 🎊 🍾
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Please consider buying tickets to my debut play which I wrote and directed! hftco.ca/events/victoria-sch… @HamFringeHFTco @GLBTHistory #HamOntFringe

. @SWAPHamilton Inc. Presents Victoria Schneider: Verified A New Play Written and Directed by Scarlett Gillespie With Crystal Rose Haygarth @LisaPezik, Rayna Trepanier, David Faulkner-Rundle As part of the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival (@HamFringeHFTco) Hosted at @TheWestdale Theatre 1014 King Street West, Hamilton Fri, July 17, at 8:30 PM Sat, July 18, at 3:30 PM Sun, July 19, at 12:00 PM Tues, July 21, at 7:45 PM Wed, July 22, at 9:30 PM Sat, July 25, at 8:00 PM Sun, July 26, at 12:00 PM Tickets available in June: HFTCO.ca #HamOntFringe #HamOnt #FringeFest #FringeFestival
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Hi @KeaninLoomis @voteLoomis, what is your stance on AI data centres? #HamOnt #CDNPoli #ONPoli #YHMVote
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Thank you again for bring this to my attention. My apologies again
Replying to @StormyDaniels
. @demarjgrant @TheSpec I am the one that forced Antler Entertainment to announce their (hidden) cancellation and forced refunds. facebook.com/share/p/17oFXHH…
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
. @demarjgrant @TheSpec I am the one that forced Antler Entertainment to announce their (hidden) cancellation and forced refunds. @StormyDaniels #HamOnt @CityofHamilton
Stormy Daniels’ Hamilton tour date cancelled 👉 thespec.com/entertainment/ha… The former adult film actress was supposed to perform at Aquanova Brewing Company.
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
. @SWAPHamilton Inc. Presents Victoria Schneider: Verified A New Play Written and Directed by Scarlett Gillespie With Crystal Rose Haygarth @LisaPezik, Rayna Trepanier, David Faulkner-Rundle As part of the 2026 Hamilton Fringe Festival (@HamFringeHFTco) Hosted at @TheWestdale Theatre 1014 King Street West, Hamilton Fri, July 17, at 8:30 PM Sat, July 18, at 3:30 PM Sun, July 19, at 12:00 PM Tues, July 21, at 7:45 PM Wed, July 22, at 9:30 PM Sat, July 25, at 8:00 PM Sun, July 26, at 12:00 PM Tickets available in June: HFTCO.ca #HamOntFringe #HamOnt #FringeFest #FringeFestival
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RT @ajesusjoseph: Did anyone ask him if he had read the 88 page decision before commenting?
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
31 division never stops! Omg 1 of these men is in the community “integration” program and another works with youths!
The public should know. Here are their names: -Evan Glennie (a training constable), -Rich Rand (a plainclothes police constable), -Caglar Yigit (a constable).
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The public should know. Here are their names: -Evan Glennie (a training constable), -Rich Rand (a plainclothes police constable), -Caglar Yigit (a constable).
3 Canadian police officers arrested for sexually assaulting a prostitute in a taxi in Barcelona “One of them is the one who allegedly sexually assaulted the woman, while another hit her in the face, and the third was the co-pilot of the vehicle.” europapress.es/catalunya/not…
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
3 Canadian police officers arrested for sexually assaulting a prostitute in a taxi in Barcelona “One of them is the one who allegedly sexually assaulted the woman, while another hit her in the face, and the third was the co-pilot of the vehicle.” europapress.es/catalunya/not…
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia #IDAHOBIT Trans and gender-identity hate crimes are on the rise (egale.ca/awareness/2024-hate…).
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Sex work and housing advocate planning to run for Hamilton mayor Scarlett Gillespie, also known as Jelena Vermilion @IsisIntrepid announced last week her intention to run for Mayor of Hamilton in the upcoming municipal elections. Sex work advocate Scarlett Gillespie, also known as Jelena Vermilion, is running for mayor of Hamilton in the upcoming municipal elections. Gillespie is a community activist, organizer and the Executive Director of the Sex Workers’ Action Program (SWAP) Hamilton. @swaphamilton works with sex workers of all walks of life, including those who are BIPOC, experiencing homelessness, undocumented, part of the 2SLGBTQ community and more. “I am running for mayor because I believe Hamilton needs leadership that understands the realities people are facing on the ground and is committed to building solutions that work for everyone,” she said in a statement. Gillespie has used the name Jelena Vermilion for many years, which allowed her to “advocate safely in difficult and often hostile environments,” she said. She said as she steps forwards as a candidate, she’s choosing to use her legal name publicly. People can officially sign up to run in the October municipal election for mayor, councillor or school trustee on May 1st. Nominations close Aug. 21st Source: cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/…
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
My name is Scarlett Gillespie and I'm running for Mayor of the @CityofHamilton. I’m running to fight for a Hamilton that stays affordable, accountable, and livable for the people who call it home. Follow this account and retweet 🏙️ #HamOnt #ONPoli #CDNPoli #Hamilton #YHMVote
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
We wear 💜 to show survivors that it takes a community to end sexual violence and that no one asks for or deserves to experience sexual violence. Will you help us spread the word? Post your 💜 pics with #NoOneAsksForlt and tag @SACHAHamont to purple-fy social media UR Not alone!
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
I am officially a @CityofHamilton Mayoral Candidate! 🎉 🎊 Thank you so much for my amazingly supportive team! 💕 I am so grateful for you labour. Happy May Day! ✊️ See you at the event tonight! @WAHC @hamiltonlabour #HamOnt #ONPoli #CDNPoli
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Thank you to all who've already registered for Tuesday May 12 online Asian Massage Festival event. We are looking forward to sharing and celebrating the power & contributions of massage workers with you ❤️‍🔥 Then take part in a collective action together!
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Thank you to @The_Hamiltonian for interviewing me this week: thehamiltonian.net/2026/04/b… #HamOnt #CDNPoli #ONPoli
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
Thank you to @aliya_karimjee of @NowToronto for interviewing me about my expressed intentions to run for the Mayor of the @CityofHamilton during the 2026 Municipal Election nowtoronto.com/news/im-not-d… “I’m running for real. I’m also modelling behaviour that tells people if a sex worker, a former sex worker, can run for mayor. I can too." #HamOnt #ONPoli #CDNPoli
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
The National Day of Mourning, observed annually on April 28 in Canada and other countries, honours workers killed, injured, or made ill on the job. It is a day to mourn the dead and "fight for the living" by strengthening commitments to workplace health and safety. Photo: @LylaMiklos
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
The @CityofHamilton is trying to cover up the fact that two of their CityHousing Hamilton employees (a manager of operations and a supervisor of operations) were found to have violated the City's Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Policy in relation to my tenancy. The city is attempting to cover up that I was harassed and discriminated against by CityHousing Hamilton employees. This is corruption, very simply. #YHMCC #HamOnt @TammyHwang @CameronKroetsch @alexwilson96 @LisaHepfner @HamontWard4  @EngAslamRana @cluckiem @karl_andrus @andreahorwath @BCouncillor @TedMcMeekin @mspadafora2022 @NeilLumsdenMPP @EstherPauls2 @ward1wilson @jeffbeattie2014 @NrinderWard3 @MCirielloMPP @RobinLennox @CHCHNews @ConradCollaco @eva_sita @seancowantv @CHCHNews @CHCHTV  @HadiAzad_ @OntarioAuditor @Ont_Ombudsman @TheSpec @JohnPaulDanko @DawnDankoOLP @WAWGHAMILTON @Shaw_Sandy  @FaeJohnstone @ajesusjoseph @EasyThePianoMan @PascaleHamOnt @BayObserver @TeviahMoro @jonjwells  @EmilyNTayler @CHCHTV @CHCHNews @CBCHamilton @KateMccullough @Peesker @McMasterOCE @RabbiMivasair @maritstiles
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SWAP - Sex Workers' Action Program Hamilton Inc. retweeted
I argue it is not just infrastructure, development, or merely commerce that makes a city livable, but rather the willingness of its residents to care for one another. May we continue to support these vital spaces - and may we all learn to love our neighbours just a little more. #HamOnt @CityofHamilton
Thank you to @TheSpec, Sam Campanella, the @EvaRothwell460, and the @uuhamilton. When I was displaced from my apartment in downtown Kitchener due to gentrification in 2018, Hamilton became my home. At first, I felt isolated, anxious, and alone. It was through volunteering at the Eva Rothwell Centre’s Clothing Room program that I began to feel a sense of belonging and integration into the city. The Eva Rothwell Centre is a one-stop community hub that changed my life for the better. In the Clothing Room program, my role was to unpack and organize clothing donations, display them, and assist with transactions. The space is set up much like a retail store, restoring a sense of normalcy and dignity. Each month, visitors are given points based on need, which they use to “purchase” clothing. This low-barrier system not only ensures access for economically disadvantaged individuals and families but also encourages budgeting skills while preserving a sense of autonomy and respect. It was there that I met Pat Dickinson, who I am now blessed to call my grandmother. Through Pat, I was introduced to the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton - another place that helped me feel at home. At that time, I was very close to homelessness, moving between apartments and struggling to find stability. The congregation offered me something that I hadn’t realized I needed so deeply: hope. Serendipitously, the first homily I listened to at the Dundurn Street South location focused on homelessness. Within that hour - of inspired words, music, and shared presence - I felt seen, understood and held. It was a powerful reminder of what it means to belong in a community. It shows me that connection, care, and compassion are not abstract ideals, but lived experiences. What made these spaces transformative was not just the services they offered, but the environment they created: places where people could pause, reflect, and imagine a better future. Yet it is incredibly difficult to hold onto hope without the stability and safety of a home. Spaces like these help bridge that gap. Today, there are fewer places in Hamilton - and across the world - where one can simply exist without the expectation to spend money. Libraries, parks and nature spaces, churches, and community centres are the backbone of a healthy city. They provide not only resources, but also refuge. This is why institutions like the Eva Rothwell Centre are so essential, particularly in neighbourhoods facing high levels of poverty and environmental inequity, as highlighted in the Code Red reports. Under the leadership of Sam Campanella, the Eva Rothwell Centre operates out of the former Robert Land school building. The fully accessible space includes a gym, food pantry, medical clinic operated by the Greater Hamilton Family Health Team, computer lab, music room, and dedicated spaces for tutoring, arts, and community programming. It also offers a welcoming “Qweer” room for queer and questioning youth, ensuring inclusivity is more than just a word - it is a practice. The Centre runs job readiness programs, distributes books through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children in underserved postal codes, and hosts day-camps during P.A. days, March Break, and through the summer. Over the years, it has supported more than 100,000 low-income individuals, families, and children with access to clothing, food, education, and recreation - all at no cost to those who need it most. What a miracle. At the end of the day, the Eva Rothwell Centre and the First Unitarian Church of Hamilton are more than institutions - they are lifelines. They operate on a foundation of care, powered by community partnerships, volunteers, and donations. They offer love and hope. As they both approach their respective 20th and 137th anniversaries, it is worth reflecting on what makes a city truly livable...
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