Emancipation Nation

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When survivors have lawyers, survivors have rights: This is the mission of the Human Trafficking Legal Center located in Washington, DC. The Legal Center has a database of every federal civil and criminal human trafficking case in the U.S. since 2009. They use this information to study trends in human trafficking, identify gaps, and advocate for change. In this episode, Deputy Director Sara Bessell, discusses some of the most critical trends occurring in the U.S. including the targeting by traffickers of those with disabilities, domestic violence and trafficking, and arresting victims in order to compel their testimony. The Legal Center is at your service to share the civil database, to pull criminal cases for you, or to potentially answer the questions you have.

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Ashlie Bryant entered the prison system to learn from those who knew the most, the traffickers. She learned what they think, do, and say to manipulate youth. She and her two colleagues developed the 3Strands Global Foundation that focuses on anti-trafficking education, empowerment, and engagement. Using keen strategies and masterful principles, they serve as the force behind many positive interventions occurring across the states of California, Utah, and Texas. The success behind this work is credited to all of the diverse and invested stakeholders coming together to collaborate and do their part to educate students, engage survivors, and provide employment opportunities that help survivors to thrive. Learn how large scale anti-trafficking work is done.

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Heidi Wilt, decorator by trade with a heart for those in need, was called to help survivors meet their basic needs and achieve their goals. Only a short time later, Heidi found herself actually running a Drop-In Center called Alabaster Gift, located in a secret location for survivors. Heidi knows that she is there for a season and will soon hand over the reins to someone else. However, the work she has done during her short tenure changed the lives of some survivors. Taking on the challenge to lead, enables both you and others to have a transformational experience.

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For the 50th Episode, the Emancipation Nation brings you the anti-trafficking pioneer, Dr. Lois Lee. Dr. Lee began her work fighting youth sex trafficking in the early 70s on the streets of Hollywood and to date, has 41 years of experience. Her pioneering work blazed the trail that other anti-trafficking advocates follow today. From suing the LAPD for not arresting customers to her involvement trying to save women from the Hillside strangler, Dr. Lee is a force for to be reckoned with.  It was during this time that she found out that children were involved in prostitution and pornography. She began to give each child she engaged a safe place to live, which turned into helping over 250 children. Word of her work got back to the White House where President Reagan got involved to help.  However, bets were taken by some over whether she would be killed by pimps or the crooked police. Hugh Hefner, of Playboy magazine, stepped in to help Lee set up a nonprofit corporation. Instead of being at risk, Lee became the founder of the first, and still thriving, “Children of the Night” program. To date. Children of the Night has helped over 10,000 youth. Lee’s work and life has been featured on 60 minutes, a 1985 CBS Movie of the Week, and a 1989 song by Richard Marx called “Children of the Night”. She won the prestigious Volunteer Action Award presented to her in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. To date, Lee’s organization has raised over 50 million dollars in private donations. She gives advice to anti-trafficking advocates around the world.

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Not being culturally educated and sensitive is like telling your client that their history of oppression, experiences, traditions, and values they hold sacred, aren’t important to you or the helping process.  When that happens, one of the two parties are ignorant to the healing power of culture and how to use it as a strength and tool in the helping process. Cultural ignorance is unconsciously destructive and translates into misunderstandings that create barriers to the helping process. This episode is devoted to the opportunity to be effective and stay woke.

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Ever thought of publishing an article in a journal, but didn’t know how to go about it? Ever heard of a double-blind review? Want to be an article reviewer for a journal? Meet Editor-in-Chief Dr. Rochelle Dalla, who understands both the difficulty and the richness in studying and working with hard-to-reach populations. She honors that sentiment through her own past research with Native Americans, women in street prostitution, and more recently with sex trafficked women in Mumbai. She also serves as the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the international Journal of Human Trafficking, where key human trafficking research is published.  She discusses the Journal of Human Trafficking, how she developed it, and how she and editors work with authors to get their article up to publishable quality. This episode is for anyone who has ever thought of publishing their work and who are brave enough to seize the opportunities in front of them to make great contributions to the field of anti-trafficking work.

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This episode focuses on the numerous protests in the U.S. surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and discusses the importance of protest, and what and why they are happening. In addition, the episode focuses on why anti-trafficking advocates don’t typically use protest as a form of intervention and why it might eventually become inevitable.

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There are five common questions and associated fears that anti-trafficking advocates have about the work they do. These fears lead to significant barriers that serve to block our progress and speak to the heart of the problems in the movement. In this episode these fears are exposed, discussed, and potential solutions provided.

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This week we are set to reach 10,000 Emancipation Nation Podcast downloads! I celebrate by sharing some little known facts about myself, how the podcast started, and reveal the exciting new and free Emancipation Nation Network, an online network and downloadable app developed just for you to connect with other advocates across the U.S. and around the world. On the Network you'll find human trafficking focused topics, groups, jobs, grants, research, and over 250 anti-trafficking advocates to connect with on various levels. In addition, find online workshops and courses designed to train you on specifically what you want to learn! Our goal is to populate the Network with great advocates and with those who want to be great advocates, so invite people you know that are passionate about the work! https://members.emancipationnationnetwork.com

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Patrick Atkison, the founder of Godschild.org, an organization that helps thousands of children in poverty in El Salvador, Gutamala, India, and more. Started by Patrick, who while in college volunteered on a crisis line to meet college girls who also volunteered. There he did find the love of his life, which was the love of helping children. Enjoy the conclusion of Patrick Atkinson's career that spans across continents to help some of the most vulnerable children in the world. Patrick takes on the challenges that are in front of him and becomes bold enough to use his voice, brave enough to listen to his heart, and and strong enough to live his life in the service of others.