Hi everyone!
This morning we started out bright
and early at 8:00 am with coffee and doughnuts provided by Sally. Sally is the
former president of the Sun City Center Campaign Against Human Trafficking. She
brought along a survivor as well as volunteers/professionals from various
counties and organizations. The panel was very knowledgeable and brought
insight on the topic of human trafficking. We also learned about ways to
advocate for victims.
One of our favorite parts was
hearing from a survivor who went through the recovery home we visited in the
afternoon. Her story was very moving and touched both of our hearts. One of the
parts that resonated with both of us is how one mistake can change your life
completely even if you don’t know it at the time.
In the afternoon we visited Learn
to Fish which is a recovery home based in Sarasota, Florida. Their mission is “To
breathe life and hope into women who have been marginalized, demoralized and traumatized
as we equipped them for a future of love and prosperity.” Both of us were
unsure of how we would react while visiting. However, we were warmly welcomed
by the 11 women staying in the in the home. We got the chance to tour their
beautiful (very pink) house. After the tour we played Catch Phrase while listening to music. This provided a nice leeway
into deeper conversations. As the night progressed the women were willing to
open up to us. This was emotional for both of us as we heard their touching
stories. Tears were shed when they pulled out pictures of their children. The
motivation and strength they have was inspiring to each and every one of us.
After
visiting Learn to Fish, we came back to the Ruskin campus and it was time to
reflect. As a group we meditated, drew pictures with our non-dominant hand and
used random items around the building to express our feelings. I (Anna) chose a
vacuum to represent how I wanted to wipe away the worries and fear that human
trafficking victims have. Even though this is a long process every step counts.
I (Kayleigh) chose a palm tree. As the day progressed I really believed we grew
as individuals. We gathered so much knowledge as well as tools to bring back to
the Erie community and our home towns. We are eager to continue our journey for
finding a voice for the voiceless. Stay in tune to find out what this week has
in store for all of us!
Never stop believing in the possibilities,
Anna and Kayleigh J
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