Mission

Massage Parlor Outreach Project organizes to build worker power through organizing and leadership to provide support for migrant Asian massage parlor workers, sex workers, and care workers in the greater Seattle area.

Purpose

MPOP recognizes that Asian immigrant massage parlor workers are particularly vulnerable to multiple types of violence and exist at the intersections of multiple oppressions. This vulnerability to institutional and gender-based violence is due to the fetishization of Asian women, the sexualization of massage work, and the stigma of sex work by Western media, in connection with imperialism and colonialism throughout Asia and the Pacific. After sustained outreach since 2018, we’ve built trust and relationships with workers that allow us to build around workers’ safety needs, working conditions, and cultural and linguistic access to resources. Our outreach has extended to provide a language and relationship bridge, increasing access to health services, social services, and employment support.