TRIGGER WARNING: speech surrounding human/sex trafficking, racism, and racial trauma  DISCLAIMER: Firstly, I think it would be immensely socially irresponsible and ignorant to not address what is going on in the world right now. There is no question that the centuries of systemic racism in the U.S. (and around the world) are being exposed at all angles. Starting with George…

TRIGGER WARNING: Talk about – rape culture, coercion, non-consensual sexual acts, sexual assault Consent. The topic of consent has become more and more widespread over the past few years. With social media and the “Me Too” movement expanding, the concern for consent, and the awareness of what consent actually constitutes has become a priority within romantic relationships. However, consent spans…

Growing up in Seattle, Dulce Zamora always knew she wanted to give back to her Hispanic community and improve the lack of services and support provided for those less fortunate. A few years after earning her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Dulce was hired as the Anti-trafficking Advocate but was promoted to Senior Anti-Trafficking Advocate last year at Washington Anti-Trafficking…

Wide eyed, mouth gaping, I listened as church missionaries recalled the horrors of human trafficking in South Asia – but I hadn’t realized how this dark market reached my own local community.

To be driven is one thing, but to be Jacquelynn Loos is a whole other. The first survivor on leadership at REST, a mother of a five-year-old, and an entrepreneur with plans to go back to school, Jackie is an example of what hard work can create. Beyond hard work, I have never met someone fight an uphill battle this…

Judge Regina Cahan is the Chair of the King County CSEC Task Force and relies upon the efforts of Kelly Mangiaracina the single employee and work force behind the King County Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Task Force. This woman is the glue in connecting all the amazing people involved in the anti-trafficking initiative. Recognizing that an individualized task…

While initially being on the outside looking in, Kevin Connelly’s current job at Businesses Ending Slavery & Trafficking (BEST) gave him a whole new perspective. Kevin’s previous ambition to tell someone’s story through the lens of a camera transitioned into him becoming part of the scene. Rather than capturing a fleeting moment of injustice, he now works directly alongside those…

For a lot of people, working with human trafficking survivors can be eye-opening and empowering. For a lot of organizations, knowing the needs and feelings of the survivors can be difficult at times. But for Noel, this was her reality– she is a survivor. No one needs to empower her. She is determined to help girls and women exploited for…

Already swamped in the pressures and workload junior year demands, Ellen Lee and Hana Pham found the time to create their club Pay It Forward at Roosevelt High School. While addressing an array of different issues, this club’s purpose was sparked with a passion to get the conversation about human trafficking started with their peers in school.    In Hana’s…

Sheridan Moore, an 18-year-old Girl Scout from Snohomish County, is an incredible example of the power youth can have in their community. Using perseverance and unparalleled grit to fight an overlooked and unnoticed global issue, Sheridan highlights the root cause of labor trafficking and has found a way to educate the community and foster sustainable change.    Known for her…