“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” - Alexander Graham Bell Dear Amirah friends, Imagine the joy of a runner who, after a long period of training and preparation, steps up to the starting line, hears the starting gun go off, starts the race strong, and thinks “all the preparation was worth it“. These last [...]
Last month I ended my essay, on trafficking “overcomer” Jeri Williams, with this sentence: when we create art we give both ourselves and others the opportunity to heal. So, this month—which happens to be National Poetry Month—I asked a few poets to offer poems which address slavery and trafficking issues. Below, is a poem written [...]
The tech revolution has transformed every area of our society. It has revolutionized communication, the economy, transportation, law enforcement, even the simple act of reading a book. So it should come as no surprise to the amateur abolitionist that a number of apps out there can help you make a difference in the fight against [...]
Perhaps you’ve noticed, but Amirah does a LOT of outreach – speaking, training, writing, meeting in coffee shops, etc. – and, as a result, has a wonderful and growing network of friends, volunteers, partners and donors. In case all that exposure seems strange (since we’re getting ready to open a **hidden** safe home), I want [...]
My previous blog looked at why many survivors are out in the community, participating in programs not designed to meet their full array of needs. Here, I want to take the conversation one step further. Amirah doesn’t NEED to go into these programs to be able to run our safe house. Why, then, are we [...]
Two weeks ago, our dynamic duo, Carmen and Jasmine, facilitated our first support group with survivors. An exciting step for us, and it’s going remarkably well! The group is called, “Breaking Free: A Whole Person Approach to Breaking Free from Commercial Exploitation.” AND it was out in the community, in collaboration with one of our [...]
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank Dear Amirah Family, March was not just amazing…it was historic! Amirah crossed some lines that we’ve been preparing to cross for almost four years. We’re now offering direct services to survivors out in the community. [...]
“The work of justice is long and boring. It’s full of waiting rooms, signatures, and persevering.” – Gary Haugen I went to the Justice Conference in Philadelphia last month. My mind is still processing it all. There were so many powerful talks and inspiring people working to fight the injustices of the world: [...]
(photo by Ariane Kunze) TARGETS When people are vulnerable—when they’re young, broke, abused, desperate, despairing, and without a supportive community—they become targets for traffickers. Jeri Williams was a target in the summer of 1989. She was a single mom escaping an abusive marriage when she thought she’d found shelter at a friend’s home in [...]
This past Friday, I caught up with Carmen Maianu, our Program Director since last August, and talked to her about her background, what kind of work she does for Amirah, and her favorite dinosaur. Carmen had a lot to say, and I simply couldn’t fit everything important that she shared with me in a single [...]