You Are a Whore, and That's Okay

Want to commodify yourself but don’t know how? Never fear, Casey Jane Ellison is here, with a conference that aims to thrust interns, artists, and laborers alike—generally anyone who’s overworked and underpaid—into conversation about how to accept the simple fact that, as its title suggests, “U R $,” and you deserve to be paid for your work.

We spoke to Ellison in advance of Saturday’s conference to get an idea of what exactly is going to happen at an event whose Facebook event boasts “a full day of talks, lectures, performances, therapy, finance astrology, macro education, saleswomanship workshops, and audience participation in many forms, but primarily crying in the Red Bull Studios Auditorium.”

The first part of the day will be devoted to a standup set by Ellison, where she will discuss her own financial history, interwoven with the history of American economics.

Then, there will be a panel discussion featuring Leilah Weinraub, CEO of Hood By Air, Jane Barratt, founder of GoldBean, Sean Monahan, cofounder of K-Hole, and designer Lucy Jones, who has created a new model of fashion design for seated individuals. And there might be a surprise guest panelist or two.

Lastly, a “forced mixer” will create connections between attendees, whether they like it or not.

“Everybody has to participate,” Ellison tells The Creators Project. “It’s chatting and hanging out, but it’s also regimented socializing intended to bring everyone together. Everyone has to wear a nametag that says your name, what you do, and what you need. Hopefully that will inspire intros and conversation.”

Ellison, whose own fame comes from her art and art-related comedy and commentary, says the conference is open to anyone, not just artists. “Artists are unique in that they look at the world and kind of see a territory that they want to carve out, and then make their commentary or their subjects about that specific issue. And that’s kind of entrepreneurial in a lot of ways. But it’s for anyone. It’s also just comprehension of your own place in the system.”

For those who can’t make it to the conference, a video documentation will go online following the event. And Ellison has this advice to offer for anyone interested in finding their economic worth:

“I think the first step is acceptance. Taking responsibility for the fact that you are quantifiable can be very upsetting, but then ultimately liberating.”

U R $ Official Trailer from Red Bull Studios New York on Vimeo.

U R $ will take place from 12-5 on Saturday, March 19 at Red Bull Studios New York. RSVP here, but entry is first-come, first-serve. Watch a hilarious trailer for the conference below.

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