ASHAWO CAFE CULTURAL WEEKEND

Black Sex Worker Collective presents “The Bridge that is Our Back” Cultural Weekend to open Ashawo Café, a new cultural hub serving liberation to a diverse community of pleasure activists.

Event: BSWC-Berlin Presents Ashawo Café Cultural Weekend – The Bridge that is Our Back

Date: 10-12 October 2025

Location: Ashawo Café

Exerzierstraße 13, 13357 Berlin, Wedding

Event Link: thebswc.org/events

Celebrate the opening of Ashawo Café with a weekend of culture on the theme: The Bridge That’s Our Back. Ashawo Café is a revolutionary creative space run by The Black Sex Workers Collective (BSWC) for all those engaged in the liberation, decriminalization, and destigmatization of Blackness and Sex Work. At this grand opening the public can meet and greet the artists, performers, and activists who are members in the BWSC as well as local accomplices Aequa, The Dolls, Studio DB, and more. Often uncredited and intentionally marginalized, the transgressive work of our members and allied kinfolk keeps the Berlin club scene, nightlife culture, and mainstream art world nourished with fresh ideas. #NowIsTheTimeto create with us, center our contributions, and elevate our our collective political and artistic practices. Without Black Sx Workers, you have nothing. We are the cultural bridge that spans and connects Berlin’s many cultural scenes.

The party starts 10 October at 13:00 at Ashawo Café and can’t stop, won’t stop. Clear your weekend. Bring your appetite. Show up and show out. Enjoy cuisine, community, culture and cake—yes, cake while you:

• Learn the history of The Black Sex Worker Collective and Ashawo Café
• Connect with local residents and artists engaged in liberation
• Attend film screenings including indies, features, and Audre Lorde “The Berlin Years”
• Throw down on lip-smacking Jamaican-American food
• Dance your ass off at Angel Maxine’s Affirm Dat album release
• Read your high-brow, low-brow, and right-now verses at the Poetry Open Mic
• Join in cooperative games, trivia, a raffle, frolicking, and light mayhem

About the Black Sex Workers Collective (BSWC)

Founded in New York and made it's way to Berlin during the pandemic; the BSWC is the only Black Sex Worker advocacy group formed and led by Black Sex Workers, permanently committed to the liberation of Black people and the full decriminalization and destigmatization of Blackness and Sex Work. Since 2020, our strong presence in Berlin and growing global influence highlights the work and history of Black Sex Workers while shifting political frameworks on health, immigration, and housing. The BSWC is the only group of Black H’ors who, with both permanent and floating members, create live art that is transgressive, rigorous, and deepens public discourse on Sex Work.

Nothing about us, without us! Sex Workers are agents of provocateur. The bridge that is our back has been influencing nightlife, club culture and mainstream art but rarely receives credit. Our style, lingo, and lives inspire literary, media, art, and music culture while we are actively undermined by the mainstream. This fuels our vested commitment in making space for all Black Sex Workers to be seen, heard, and revered. The BSWC incubates ideas in fashion, visual and performance art, and culture, shaping Berlin's club culture through events ranging from games to rest-focused gatherings, installations, and performances that elevate our communities.

About Ashawo Café

Based in Wedding, Ashawo Café is a space created by the Black Sex Worker Collective as a hub for community, art, and activism centered on the liberation and celebration of Blackness and Sex Workers. It will also serve as a catalyst for building capacity and securing sustainable funding for Black Sex Worker art, cultural and political programming.

Featured Artists and Vendors

Angel Maxine, Ghana's first openly transgender musician, is a prominent advocate for the LGBTQI+ community in Ghana. Through her music, activism, and public speaking she addresses crucial issues in LGBTQI+ rights, gender equality, healthcare, sex work, and social acceptance. Her new album, Affirm Dat, is a declaration of self-worth, love, resilience, and visibility for everyone who dares to affirm their truth.

Shadow is an Afro-Latinx queer Sex Worker, artist and scholar. They have been in the trade for over 10 years, working as a stripper, companion and pro-domme.

The Incredible, Edible, Akynos is a interdisciplinary performance arist. She founded and is the President of The Black Sex Worker Collective. A global art and poltical organization dedicated to the liberation of Black Sex Workers globally. She is also the head cook and artist behind The Jamerican.

The Jamerican

The Jamerican serves up lip-smacking Jamaican-American food made by Chef Akynos , aka the Jamerican. Chef Akynos creates dishes representative of Jamaican national cuisine and American soul food including staples such as fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, cornbread and jerk chicken. As a performance artist and educator, Chef Akynos uses food to raise awareness of the impact of Black people on culinary cultural practices. Originally from Brooklyn via Jamaica, she now resides in Berlin and is mentored by chef Miranti Kisdarjono of Indonesia.

For more information: www.thebswc.org

Info: find out how to become a member, what to expect, how to rent and other services we offer to the community

Host or Publisher The Black Sex Worker Collective