Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Working at the intersection of sexual and human rights.
Mission
The mission of The Woodhull Freedom Foundation is to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right.
Ruling year
2006
President & CEO
Ricci Joy Levy
Main address
3302 Gleneagles Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20906 USA
EIN
11-3681116
NTEE code
Alliance/Advocacy Organizations (R01)
Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis (R05)
Civil Rights, Advocacy for Specific Groups (R20)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We are at a critical time as the pendulum of social change swings far to the right. We are going to have to work hard to keep the rights we already have while working to claim those rights not yet recognized. Sexual violence has become a prominent issue in our national discourse, and Woodhull is working to create strategies to prevent sexual violence and to create alternative forms of accountability when harm does happen.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Sexual Freedom Day
Sexual Freedom Day is an annual celebration of this fundamental human right. The day includes an educational program focusing on the various issues, identities and communities in the vast realm of the human rights framework, highlighting the current situation and focusing participants towards the future - including the work that has to be done to realize this right.
"Vicki" Sexual Freedom Awards
The "Vicki" Sexual Freedom Award, named after our namesake, Victoria Woodhull, is given annually to individuals whose work and life embody the mission of Woodhull, the affirmation of sexual freedom as a fundamental human right.
Read more: https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/vicki-sexual-freedom-awards/
Woodhull's Human Rights Commissions
The purpose of a Human Rights Commission is to investigate, promote or protect human rights. Woodhull’s Human Rights Commissions will center on a specific issue, identity, or community in the Sexual Freedom Movement. The intention of the Commissions, in addition to investigating Human Rights violations, will be to highlight the strong connections between the various communities by ensuring a diversity of voices at the table.
Every Commission will have testimony from a wide, diverse range of communities that includes and prioritizes the voices of sex workers and other marginalized people.
Read more: https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/human-rights-commissions/
Spokes Hub
Spokes Hub is a virtual educational program aimed at supporting new advocates in developing their voice and authority on issues relating to sexual freedom. Participants are encouraged to deepen their understanding of complex issues through peer learning and research and to expand their advocacy skills through writing and public speaking.
Spokes Hub is currently dedicated to advocates with lived experience in the sex trade. Future cohorts may focus on other important issues relating to sexual freedom.
Advocates who complete the Spokes Hub program become eligible to access an Awards Pool. The purpose of the Awards Pool is to provide compensation for certain types of public education work that is otherwise unpaid.
After graduation from the program, participants are invited to continue their education by attending workshops hosted by Spokes Hub.
Read more: https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/spokes-hub/
Constitutional Challenge to FOSTA
Woodhull Freedom Foundation is the lead plaintiff in a federal challenge to the unconstitutional FOSTA (Fighting Online Sex Trafficking Act, Woodhull Freedom Foundation vs. the United States of America. We are represented by Bob Corn-Revere and Ronald London, of the Foundation for Individual Rights & Expression (FIRE), Electronic Frontier Foundation, Daphne Keller, and Lawrence G. Walters, of Walters Law Group.
Woodhull advocates for the right to engage in consensual sexual activity and opposes all forms of human coercion. We absolutely support appropriately targeted and effective measures to end sex trafficking. FOSTA, however, erroneously conflates consensual sex work with trafficking and will interfere with more productive attempts to protect vulnerable people from harm. FOSTA also chills online expression about sexual topics and encourages massive self-censorship by internet platforms.
https://www.woodhullfoundation.org/fosta/
Censorship of Sexual Freedom Series
Censorship in the United States is at unprecedented levels, despite the fact that the First Amendment protects our rights to freedom of speech and expression. Teachers are losing their jobs for talking about reproductive care, gender (how we see ourselves), and sexual orientation (who we are physically, emotionally, and/or romantically attracted to). Books are being pulled off library shelves for containing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender characters. Social media platforms are removing the accounts of sex-positive creators, educators, and therapists. Legislators are introducing broad and sweeping legislation to limit sexual expression online. If it has to do with sex or sexual expression, it’s under attack!
“The Censoring of Sexual Freedom” is a monthly community virtual gathering featuring conversations with free speech experts and activists discussing the threats of censorship to our Democracy and to our daily lives, and discovering actions we can take to stop the attacks.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of free participants in conferences
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We returned to in-person programming in 2022 but had very low attendance. More than half of the 218 attendees were scholarships. Virtual programming continues year round and is free.
Number of paid participants in conferences
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
This data is based on Eventbrite metrics for the annual Sexual Freedom Summit. The 2020 Sexual Freedom Summit became a virtual Summit that was free of charge to any who wished to particpate.
Total number of conferences held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Woodhull's Sexual Freedom Commission debunking the myth of increased sex trafficking at Super Bowls.
Number of groups brought together in a coalition/alliance/partnership
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Woodhull's Human Rights Commissions
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We partnered with various organizations to produce virtual programming for the Sexual Freedom Summit. In many cases we highlighted the partner organizations donation options.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The vision of Woodhull is a world that recognizes sexual freedom as the fundamental human right of all individuals to develop and express their unique sexuality; to be personally autonomous with regard to bodily integrity and expression of body mind and spirit; and to enjoy sexual dignity, privacy and consensual sexual expression without societal or governmental interference, coercion or stigmatization.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Education - a national event, regional and local roundtables, workshops, presentations and white papers
Outreach & collaboration - working locally with other organizations to amplify voices and impact
Engagement - identifying programs and opportunities to actively work to create the change we want to see.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a small, dedicated core staff but our committed volunteer leadership staff is dedicated to our projects. For instance, the annual Sexual Freedom Summit is almost entirely a volunteer effort.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We have been able to form partnerships with other organizations and work in their states around various pieces of pending or existing legislation.
We have grown from a half-day annual event to a four-day Sexual Freedom Summit with more than 400 attendees and an enormous social media presence.
We're still here - since 2003 - with limited funds but a lot of passion and dedication!
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Board of directorsas of 08/09/2023
Hardy Haberman
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Term: 2012 - 2025
Jaime Benavides
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Term: 2022 - 2027
Hardy Haberman
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Ricci J Levy
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Ted Bernhardt
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Jaime Benavides
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Mandy Carter
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
Jerimiah Gertler
Savannah Sly
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/20/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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