Tamika Spellman began working with HIPS in June 2017. She started volunteering with mobile services, then as a peer educator and then with the secondary syringe exchange program, moved up to Policy and Advocacy Associate and is now the Policy and Advocacy Director. She is dedicated to helping and working to create positive policies and laws to help those engaging in sex work and drug use. She’s testified on behalf of HIPS at DC city council hearings, spoken on several harm reduction panels, and is managing SWAC (DECRIMNOW). She also serves as an advisor to the Sex Worker Giving Circle, the Chosen Few, No Justice No Pride, is a member of the Urban Survivors Union, and a board member for the Church Of Safe Injection-Bangor Maine. She also has featured op eds in The Root and Medium, appears in several articles and is the recipient of an award from the Legal Society of Washington, D.C. for work on the fare evasion bill. She also advised congressional members Ro Khanna and Aynna Pressley on proposed legislation. HIPS is extremely honored to have Tamika as Policy and Advocacy Director.