This Women’s History month, we’re highlighting a special group of women who are friends of Engage Together® that have contributed much of their time and talents to moving the anti-human trafficking movement forward. Representing businesses, technologists, healthcare, law enforcement, non-profits, survivor leaders, task forces, universities, and more, these women became aware of the realities of human trafficking and took action to end and prevent it. It’s a joy to collaborate with each of them in our work at Engage Together and Justice U, and we are excited to introduce you today to each of them and their efforts too!
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Andrea Sorensen & Brittany Hansen – Founder/CEO and Chief Discovery Officer, Viiision
“Ending human trafficking starts with training those who work on the front lines and come in direct contact with survivors. We wish everyone knew what we know now. Human trafficking is a big, scary problem, but YOU can make a difference. And when we partner with others who want to make a difference, we make big changes. We would encourage anyone who wants to see a change here to get involved. Come and be part of this with us!”
Viiision and Justice U™ recently partnered to provide the Just in Time Solution with Implementation Support for Healthcare, a tool that will help equip your healthcare providers to recognize and respond to human trafficking in your local community.
Colette Peterman – Director of HR and Communications, Pomerol Partners LLC
“The courses from Justice U were easy to navigate in short bursts. They revealed how my team can contribute to fight human trafficking. In the last six months, Pomerol Partners introduced new learning opportunities and updated our internal handbook policies related to business code of conduct and travel. Thanks to Justice U™ for channeling our passion into action.”
Pomerol recently enrolled in the Business for Good program from our friends at Justice U™. You can learn more about this partnership in this recently published case study from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Pomerol Partners: From Awareness to Action: How Pomerol Partners LLC Moved From Awareness to Action Through Its Partnership With Justice U™.
Pomerol Partners is also one of our national partners for the 3 active Engage Together® Projects in Dallas-Fort Worth, South Florida, and Tennessee.
Christine McDonald – Public Speaker and Author for Christine’s Vision
“One thing I wish people understood is how deeply faith communities have been both a source of harm and a potential source of healing…My book, The Same Kind of Human: Seeing the Marginalized and Exploited through Eyes of Grace, was written to bridge that gap. If you want to be part of the solution, start by listening. Not just to the parts of our stories that make for good soundbites, but to the reality of what survivors need. Be willing to challenge broken systems, stand in the uncomfortable truths, and commit to real change.”
Christine’s book can be purchased online. You can contact Christine at mailto:christinesvision@gmail.com.
Dr. Shelly Wagers – BRIGHT Director / Associate Director of the TIP Lab / Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology at the University of South Florida
“I value the knowledge, skills and experiences everyone – community partners, survivors, politicians, survivors and researchers – can bring to the table to work collectively to address the problem of human trafficking. As a researcher at a university, I love the data, but my goal and my team’s goal in collecting the data through BRIGHT is to generate meaningful reports and provide findings from studies back to the community for them to use in their efforts to end trafficking and for us to serve the anti-trafficking movement.”
BRIGHT is one of the Project Partners for the Engage Together® Project in South Florida. Learn more about the work of BRIGHT or Engage Together® Project SFL here.
Felicia Tallent – The Tarrant County 5 Stones Task Force / Program Coordinator, Fort Worth Police Dept. – HT Unit
“I wish people knew there was a place for everyone. Every person comes with talents & skills, and the key is being able to match those up with the needs in the community. Churches have a role by offering financial support, making their space available for events, and hosting awareness outreaches to the community. Businesses bring real practical ways of support – a marketing firm can offer marketing advice, a restaurant can offer to host an informative luncheon, a hotel can train their staff to identify and report suspected trafficking. Universities can sponsor data projects and offer interns. There really is a way for everyone to be part of the fight against trafficking in a practical way.”
The Tarrant County 5 Stones Task Force is one of the Project Partners for the Engage Together® Project in Dallas-Fort Worth. Learn more about the work of The Tarrant County 5 Stones Task Force or Engage Together® Project DFW here.
Heidi Olson – Founder and President, Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting LLC
“My training was created with the input of trafficking survivors and other professionals but also through the lens of my own story and doing my own work to heal and grow as a person. I have had the honor and privilege of training some of the most amazing people. They truly care about doing the right thing, learning about trauma, and want to respond to victims in a safe way. It’s so encouraging to see healthcare workers start to connect the dots during a training and then practice those skills in real life with patients. I feel inspired and deeply grateful every time I hear about a participant who was in my training who is now practicing trauma-informed care and building rapport with suspected victims.”
You can learn more about Paradigm Shift on their website.
Lori Hopper – Grants Program Director for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
“The more we learn, the more we identify, the more we serve, the more we realize the problem is deeper and wider than can be fully articulated or solved with funding through any one grant or fundraising initiative. And in order to adapt as new generations of professionals become engaged in the work, there are times it requires us to back up and check the foundation, identify gaps and cracks, bring new partners to the table, instill the same awareness and resolve, and empower each person to have a meaningful role in continuing successful strategies and creating and implementing new solutions to address trafficking.”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is one of the Project Partners for the Engage Together® Project in the state of Tennessee. Learn more about the work of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation or Engage Together® Project TN here.
Rachel Godbout – COO, Advanced Outdoor Management
“I believe we all have a social responsibility to create safe environments where families can enjoy nature and build connections with fellow camping enthusiasts. While the RV industry offers a unique and cherished lifestyle, its relaxed nature can also make it susceptible to human trafficking. With proper education and protocols, we can take meaningful steps to prevent this issue and ensure our community remains a safe haven for everyone. As the COO of Advanced Outdoor Management, I am committed to using my platform to raise awareness and advocate for safety across every RV park and campground in the country, striving to create a safer society for all.”
Advanced Outdoor Management equips all site mangers with education using the Learn How to End Human Trafficking Series from our friends at Justice U™ and have collaborated with the Justice U™ team to create protocols for recognition and response. In addition, they are promoting education and engagement where they live, work, and serve by encouraging all site managers to utilize their human trafficking education in addition to collaborating with community leaders and local service providers.
Shally Pannikode – CTO | CIO, Chair & Co-Founder of The AFRJ® Freedom Council
“What I wish people knew about this issue is that human trafficking is the world’s second largest criminal industry, generating $236 billion annually and enslaving over 50 million people – more than at any point in history. While 66% of trafficking occurs in the Asia-Pacific region, this evil knows no borders. It thrives in every corner of the world, including the U.S. Combating it demands global awareness and collective action.”
The AFRJ® Freedom Council is an assembly of business leaders and global companies working to end human trafficking – together – with the mission to catalyze business engagement in ways that will impact millions of lives. Learn more about the AFRJ Freedom Council here.
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We hope you are as inspired as we are by these amazing women! We are grateful for their leadership and for leveraging their unique gifts and skills to end and prevent human trafficking. You can too.