Welcome to our first HTAP newsletter. We wanted to give you an opportunity to tap into our activities on a regular basis and to share stories from your own communities. Our mission has always been to bring awareness of the crime of human trafficking and to help community leaders and professionals get the training and help they need to work in their own way.
Recently, we have added a prevention program, ARTREACH, aimed at young American girls. Through this newsletter, I hope we can all learn from each other. Nola Theiss Executive Director |
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THANK YOU
to two Zonta Clubs which recently donated to HTAP. The Zonta Club of Bonita Springs, FL gave a generous donation for the ARTREACH program in June 15. The Zonta Club of Bangor donated to HTAP in May. We appreciate all the support we have had from Zonta clubs, including Sanibel-Captiva and Ft. Myers.
Reading and Viewing Recommendations
Rachel Lloyd's book "Girls Like Us" is the best book I've read about sex trafficking of young American girls. Her remarkable personal story is enmeshed with the experiences of the young girls she has worked with. The book is well written and filled with analyses of current research which corresponds to her own experience.
CNN has been carrying stories about human trafficking as part of its regular reporting as well as specials. I also recommend all of the MSNBC specials on human trafficking which are frequently replayed both when a new segment is aired and at other random times. It's worth recording these shows to share with others.
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What's Happening In Your Community
THIS SPACE IS YOURS! We would like to give organizations an opportunity to showcase their own events and efforts, upcoming or completed. Please tell us about your activities and we will showcase them here.
This photo represents some Zonta members from Sanibel-Captiva who were celebrating the BIG Arts exhibition of 11 paintings created by Lee County, FL students in 3 ARTREACH projects since January, 2010. This exhibition will be shown through August 31 on Sanibel. Gari Lewis standing in front of the Hand Painting has served as an art instructor for the project since the beginning. The Zonta Club has had a Human Trafficking Awareness Committee since 2004 that supports local efforts to fight trafficking and assists its two partners: HTAP and the GRACE Project in service, awareness and fundraising efforts and through grants.
This Zonta Club spearheaded the formation of the Lee County Human Trafficking Task Force beginning in 2004 and has served as an example to clubs around the country of effective advocacy and action. |
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ARTREACH: Awareness is the First Step to Preventing Trafficking
The HTAP ARTREACH program addresses the need to educate young girls about human trafficking through all forms of art including painting, theatre, photography and writing, so that they become aware of how trafficking may affect their lives which will enable them to teach others about the dangers of trafficking.
We plan on conducting ARTREACH programs in Bonita Springs, Ft. Myers and Sanibel this year and are anxious to help other communities conduct ARTREACH programs in their own communities. A copy of an original play written by students at the Cypress Lake Center for the Arts is available at no charge.
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Upcoming Events
Our next ARTREACH program is scheduled to begin on August 22 on Sanibel at BIG Arts. It is open to middle and high school girls. Please contact us for further information. These programs consist of four 4-hour sessions. Our website gives much more information about these programs and how you can conduct one yourself.
SAVE THE DATE: Made by US: Women-Made Fashions, Food and Social Change Event. November 19, 4 to 7 pm at the Unitarian-Universalist Church on Shire Lane in Ft. Myers, FL. Details in the next edition.
For other events, please refer to the calendar on our website. We will be holding our "do-over" event at Quality of Life Center which was disrupted by a power failure in Ft. Myers in mid-August, date soon to be determined.
See our calendar on the HTAP website. |
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"It takes many spiders to tie up a lion"
We often quote this Ethiopian proverb to describe how the web of anti-trafficking efforts created by community leaders, professionals and governments around the world joined together is the best way to successfully fight slavery.
HTAP has an active board with members from around Florida, Washington DC and Reno, NV and we will be highlighting some of them in the next issues, but it takes many more people to do this important work. Whenever we work with a group, we ask them to join with us to help leaders in other states and countries who may be trying to initiate action, to deal with similar organizational issues, or to share materials and resources on an as needed basis.
We have an informal Advisory Council made up of leaders around the country and internationally who serve as advisors to us and, more importantly, to others who may just be starting out or who have encountered an obstacle. These are individuals who have used their talents and influence to start or join human trafficking efforts around the country or have represented HTAP at meetings or events.
Their efforts have caused legislation to be passed, have created partnerships of law enforcement, human service providers and citizens which have resulted in victims being rescued and a huge increase in public awareness.
This Advisory Council has been informal, but we will be asking many of the leaders we've worked with if they will serve on this board. If you are interested in serving, please let me know at nola@humantraffickingawareness.org. |
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