one greater los angeles Working together for peace, justice, freedom, equality and dignity. YWCA Greater Los Angeles Convenes Welcome to Groundbreaking Symposium Aimed at Combating Domestic Sex Trafficking ONE VOICE, California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, Congresswoman Karen Bass ONE MOVEMENT, and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey Key Speakers at Museum of ONE VISION. Tolerance Event On April 25th, YWCA Greater Los Angeles, in partnership with Southern and Northern California Legislators, Community Service Providers, Corporations and Survivors hosted a groundbreaking Symposium to explore next steps in combating Domestic Human Sex Trafficking. The symposium was an astounding success thanks to partners and friends who joined in the effort. The event took place in the Peltz Theater at the Museum of Tolerance and featured expert panel discussions addressing: • The Challenges We Face in Combating Domestic Sex Trafficking of Children in California • Los Angeles, San Diego and Bay Area Domestic Sex Trafficking Prevention Intervention Models and Best Practices • Building Multi-System Capacity to Respond to Sex Trafficking These efforts provided the platform for the discussion and proposal of innovative solutions to eradicate the crime of sex trafficking and rescuing vulnerable women and YWCA Greater Los Angeles expert children from its terrible grasp. panelists and speakers included “For too long, many have been silent on this issue that is greatly affecting California Attorney General Kamala D. communities across our state. The time is now for all of us to join together to plot Harris, Congresswoman Karen Bass, out real solutions aimed at ending this abhorrent crime,” said Faye Washington, Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie YWCA Greater Los Angeles President and CEO. “That is why we at YWCA Greater Lacey, State Senator Holly Mitchell and Los Angeles convened this symposium to speak out loudly for those victims whose White House Official Lynn Overmann voices have been silenced by fear and violence.” along with representatives from various The symposium opened with a welcome from Liebe Geft, Director of the Museum legislative offices and community partners in the fight to stop sex of Tolerance, followed by a video message from City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric trafficking and provide comprehensive Garcetti highlighting the vital importance of the symposium. support to victims in our community. Human Sex Trafficking Symposium continued on page 3. If you would like to WHAT’S INSIDE May 2014 receive One Voice via email, please email pg 2 Human Sex Trafficking pg 4 YWCA Greater Los Angeles [email protected]. Symposium Highlights pg 3 2014 Phenomenal Woman pg 6 Sexual Assault Awareness Awards Luncheon Month Special Edition We create a safe space to live, learn and grow. Human Sex Trafficking Symposium continued. Top legislators and government officials who participated specialized in child sexual assault cases. “But to really do justice, YWCA GREATER LOS ANGELES PRESENTS in the event included Congresswoman Karen Bass, California to make justice a reality, it’s not just about hugging the victims. Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, Los Angeles District It’s about prosecuting the offender.” Attorney Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles County Supervisors During the event, one of the nation’s top business moguls and Mark Ridley-Thomas and Don Knabe, California State human rights activist, Kathy Ireland, was introduced as the first Assemblymember Isadore Hall, III, California State Senator Holly celebrity Ambassador for the YWCA Greater Los Angeles and Phenomenal Woman Awards 2014 Mitchell, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, she spoke of her passionate support of the YWCA GLA’s effort San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and City of to combat domestic human sex trafficking as well as her own Compton Mayor Aja Brown. encounters with girls who were lured into that world during her Phenomenal Women Awards Luncheon Raises Funds to Eradicate Violence Against Women “We need at the very least a county-wide strategic plan that will time as a model. Event Features Special Speaker Rachel Thomas, Human Sex Trafficking Survivor involve all offices addressing sex trafficking working together The symposium concluded with a powerful “Call to Action” to better share information and formulate solutions,” said Mayor from Faye Washington who charged those in attendance to go he YWCA Greater Los Angeles is honored to feature as most women reported significantly decreased feelings of Brown speaking on the panel discussing multi-system response to beyond forming task forces to study the issue and move towards special speaker Rachel Thomas, Sex Trafficking survivor attachment to their pimps. In the future, Sowers Education Group sex trafficking. systemic change and concrete solutions. and Founder of Sowers Education Group, at the 2014 plans to have a series of curricula for survivors of trafficking to Also featured as a panelist was Lynn Overmann, Senior “We need to work toward preventing trafficking, prosecuting T Phenomenal Women Awards Luncheon. Rachel has turned a help them embrace their survivorship and rebuild self-esteem and Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer in the White offenders, protecting survivors and partnering with civil society, horrific experience in her life into an opportunity to educate learn again how not to be coerced or manipulated. House Office of Science and Technology Policy, who offered state and local government, the private sector, and faith-based others and promote awareness of this heinous crime. an expert view on Federal efforts to develop technologically organizations to maximize resources and outcomes,” said “The YWCA has a special place in my heart. My first job advanced solutions in combating sex trafficking. Ms. Overmann Washington. “To have survived something like Rachel has is life-changing when I was 16 years old was working with a YWCA program said the office is working on a tool to identify traffickers by She added, “We have already received a great deal of positive indeed but to choose to speak out and teach others with the in Pasadena called ‘Just For Girls’. The YWCA believes that pulling phone numbers, phrases and other details form trafficking feedback and national news coverage on the symposium and we goal of minimizing the atrocity of sex trafficking requires a each woman has strength and they encourage women to see that ads. truly value our partners collaborating with us in our commitment tremendous amount of courage. We applaud Rachel’s strength strength and they give them a license to be bold. I’m so glad to be California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris gave the to bringing an end to this horrible crime. It is our hope that all of and are honored for her to join us at this year’s Phenomenal able to lend my voice to the current efforts of the YWCA Greater keynote address focused on how law enforcement can best the information that was shared and the relationships that were Women Awards Luncheon – an event designed to celebrate Los Angeles.” address the issue. “When we think about what should be done, formed will result in the passing of legislation, effective programs phenomenal women just like Rachel,” shared Faye Washington, Proceeds from this year’s Phenomenal Women Awards our response understandably is we want to protect that child, hug and funding that will change the lives of victims of human sex President and CEO of the YWCA Greater Los Angeles. Luncheon will benefit YWCA Greater Los Angeles programs that her,” said Attorney General Harris, who as a prosecutor once trafficking.” To help spread awareness about the little-known type of pimp address Violence against Women. Join with Rachel in supporting she encountered, Rachel and her husband founded a company the YWCA Greater Los Angeles and help us fight sexual assault called Sowers Education Group and coined the term ‘CEO Pimp’. and trafficking. DOMESTIC To read Rachel’s survival story, see below. “There is another side of trafficking. For years I buried my HUMAN SEX TRAFFICKING story, I was ashamed. I began to realize that no one was sharing a story like mine in the media and information regarding Sex Rachel’s story: SYMPOSIUM Trafficking. I was a happy girl from a good family. I went to Rachel was in her junior year at Emory University when she college. I was smart and headed on a good path. There are pimps unknowingly met her pimp: a professional and well-spoken out there with a different approach. They wear three piece suits ‘modeling agent’. He had business cards, a portfolio of contracts and begin with legitimate business opportunities. Sex Trafficking with recognizable models, and is happening to women like me,” shares Rachel. connections throughout The goal of Sowers Education Group goes beyond sharing Atlanta. He groomed Rachel’s story and enlightening communities about the “CEO her with high-quality, Pimp”. They work to address negative messages in media and all-expense paid photo challenge decision makers to share positive images of women and shoots and legitimate a respectful perspective of relationships. Sowers Education Group modeling work in works with various law makers, youth and community groups to various music videos raise awareness of the influence of pop culture. and magazines. He convinced her to start “Every message is like a seed that is sown – what goes in, exotic dancing to comes out. This is why we work hard to raise awareness about raise revenue for her the negative seeds that are often prevalent in pop music and modeling career. Then, culture when it comes to sexual violence and pimping.” to receive payment from A recent accomplishment of the organization was the a video, he asked her completion of a pilot of their 12-week curriculum entitled to fill out a W4 “Ending the Game”. This curriculum is geared toward women (including her who are still loyal to their pimp and/or a lifestyle of commercial Continued on page 8.