In honor of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Sun Gate Foundation will be honoring veteran Survivor Leaders in the United States. Survivor Leaders include the lateNorma Hotaling, Vednita Carter, Autumn Burris, Marian Hatcher, Tina Frundt, Audrey Morrissey, Christine Stark, Beth Jacobs, and Kathleen Mitchell.
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January is declared the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Join Sun Gate Foundation in our Freedom For Survivors campaign where we will highlight survivor leaders from around the country who will answer the question: What Does Freedom Mean to You? This campaign was inspired by Juliana Semione.
Juliana is a research associate in the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham and the program developer for The Salvation Army U.K.’s modern slavery unit. In addition, Juliana is pursuing her PhD at the University of Nottingham. Her doctoral thesis centers on the question, “What is freedom from modern slavery?” Juliana’s aim is that the anti-slavery field can unite around an understanding of freedom for the good of survivors just as it has united around an understanding of modern slavery for the good of those who are victimized or vulnerable.
Further, she believes that a shared conception of freedom will raise the standard of support for survivors and increase accountability among those who provide it.
Before relocating to the U.K., Juliana worked with the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force in California. She earned her BA from Biola University and holds an MA in global ethics and human values from King’s College London. She is also an Associate of King’s College London.
When our CEO, Shamere McKenzie, met Juliana in 2018 in the UK and learned of her thesis, she immediately connected with her. Shamere feels far too often freedom is defined for survivors and many don’t fully understand freedom for someone who has escaped the atrocity we know as human trafficking.
Join us for the month of January as we hear from survivors on what freedom means to them. #freedomforsurvivors
Direct of Our Board and Survivor Leader
Policy Analyst, Victim Advocate and Survivor Leader
Case Manager and Survivor Leader
Survivor Leader
Survivor Leader
Survivor Leader
Survivor Leader
Survivor Leader
Co-founder and Executive Director of BridgeHope and Survivor Leader
Founder, CEO/ED of More to Life and Survivor Leader
Founder and Executive Director of 4Her North Dakota and Survivor Leader
CEO of LIFT (Living In Freedom Together) and Survivor Leader
Survivor Leader
Mentor and Survivor Leader
Founder of Dignity House Program in Phoenix, AZ and Survivor Leader
Abstract
“Survivors of prostitution propose a policy reform platform including three main pillars of priority: criminal justice reforms, fair employment, and standards of care. The sexual exploitation of prostituted individuals has lasting effects which can carry over into many aspects of life. In order to remedy these effects and give survivors the opportunity to live a full and free life, we must use a survivor-centered approach to each of these pillars to create change. First, reform is necessary in the criminal justice system to recognize survivors as victims of crime and not perpetrators, while holding those who exploited them fully responsible. Second, reform is necessary to assist survivors in finding fair employment by offering vocational training, financial counseling, and educational scholarships, as well as offering employment opportunities that utilize survivors’ vast array of skills and interests. Finally, standards of care for survivors exiting prostitution should focus on supporting survivors in our journeys and support short- and long-term resources that empower us. These systemic changes are necessary to recognize survivors as the valuable human beings we are and to support survivors in fulfilling our vast potential.” Read More at Dignity: A Journal on Sexual Exploitation and Violence: Vol. 3: Iss. 3, Article 10.
Join our CEO Shamere McKenzie at Loyola University for an event entitled, “Slavery Still Exist: A Slavery & Abolition Symposium”. Shamere is one of the Keynote speakers in addition to Kenneth Morris, Jr., President and Founder of the Frederick Douglas Family Initiative.
The event begins with a panel discussion at 4 pm. Panelists include:
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