2026 Human Trafficking Awareness Forum

Welcome to this special podcast episode for the 2026 Human Trafficking Awareness Forum, held in honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. We came together to raise awareness, amplify survivor voices, and equip our community with knowledge that leads to action. Thank you for joining us in the fight to end human trafficking and in supporting pathways to healing, hope, and justice.

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You are listening to Project Red Court Chronicles a podcast of the Renee Jones Empowerment Center. Welcome to this special podcast episode for the 2026 Human Trafficking Awareness form. Held in honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Today we come together to raise awareness, amplify survivor voices, and equip our community with knowledge that leads to action. Thank you for joining us in the Fight to end human trafficking and in supporting pathways to healing, hope and justice. I'd like to Welcome to this edition of Project Corp Chronicles Tina from Abiding Faith Bible Church. She is one of our guests today for our special podcast in honor of human trafficking awareness month and the form that we had in the community. On January 17th, 2026, we want our audience to be able to learn what was done, how we had this community formed, the impact of it, and how you can utilize this in your community and help in the fight against human trafficking. Thank you for joining us, Tina. Welcome to Project Chronicles podcast. Thank you for having me, Renee. It's an honor. Now we're gonna start off by asking you to share your involvement in the human trafficking community forum. First I'd like to say it was amazing. We were blessed to be a part of it. Our role was twofold. First, we were able to learn from and engage with the survivors and to listen to their perspectives. Also we were able to share what our faith-based organization does at the project. Red Court outreaches. That's wonderful. What role do you think faith groups like your church played in prevention? I think there's a couple things. Education. We share information with everyone in our orbit, fellow church members, friends, family, neighbors, educating people about the horrors of this, how to spot it, what to do, who to call, et cetera. We share information and invitations via Facebook and our church's app. Education is key as people must understand what it looks like and what they can say and do to stop it, and most importantly, love being there for these folks and just loving on them. That is really important because there maybe people, in faith-based organizations that wanna help, but they're not mobile. Maybe they can't get out and do outreach. Even spreading the word education on this crime. Saves lives. So glad that you said that and so glad Abiding Faith Bible Church has been involved with our outreach for over two years now. Seeing the impact that you are making within your church community and within the community sharing the words. You're doing an important work. Thank you for that. My next question is. What would you want friends and family to learn from your experience doing outreach with us for the past two years? That these folks are human who deserve love, respect, and dignity, not judgment. The church shouldn't sit inside walls, which should be out in the community, sharing the love of Jesus. To the listeners, you can make a difference. Not everyone is called to be out on the streets, but there's so much more that can be done with sharing information material donations we can distribute on the streets And of course above all prayer, yes. Also what to look for and how to help. Yes. I'd also like to mention your husband, because he has been involved with the outreach as well. I wanna. Say thank you to Jeff, her husband that has been involved from the very beginning, and we appreciate him as well. It's been a blessing to be able to do it together. It really has been. We have a lot of volunteers that are couples. Our outreach is on Friday night, what a great date night. It's, it's very encouraging when other people see couples all doing something really good. Yeah. We have fun, but we're there for a purpose. You guys have been a great example. When we think of hope, empowerment, and moving forward, how do you think the community can honor survivors beyond awareness events? I have a couple thoughts I think helping them overcome obstacles that keep them from living a normal, bountiful life things like free legal counsel housing assistance counseling, material provisions, all the kinds of things humans need to live a normal, bountiful life. We should be providing and helping them in that space. Continuing the work that's being done and then building upon it. And then I think one other thought I had was maybe celebrate them. Yeah. With a party, like a lunch or a dinner without calling out the hardships that they faced. Maybe just keeping it all positive and Yeah, just a good time, enjoying each other's company and celebrating them. Celebrating all the positives. Yes. Wonderful thoughts. You described building relationships. Moving from providing awareness to taking action takes a long time for survivors to have a comfort level of doing things outside of what they're comfortable with. Yeah. But when you do something consistently like outreach where maybe you encounter some of the survivors and they get to know who you are they feel more comfortable. My closing question is there anything you wish to share about being a part of the community forum that I didn't ask? One of the things I think we can do is to continue to push legislators. This is something we can all do. You don't have to go out in a street corner to do this, continue to push legislators for funding for assistance programs. And legislative changes. Say for example, making purchasing sex a felony. Growing assistance programs that have help'em have a normal life and just continuing with the street outreach. Yes. What I'd like to share about being a part of this forum was it really moved and touched me. First of all. Thank you for inviting us to be a part of it, but it was an honor too. Here, the survivor's perspectives. Yes. And it also really puts a person in a face to this. Yeah. Oftentimes we see it on the news or on social media and we hear about it, but actually being present at this forum, meeting the survivors and listening to their perspectives and feelings, and their successes and their challenges. Yeah. It was just amazing to me. I felt energized to do more after hearing them speak, and I'm sure that would be the impact on anyone else in attendance. I would love to see more in attendance. I'd love to see this thing blow up. Because I know the impact it had on me. Yeah. And I can't imagine it wouldn't have the same kind of impact on others. Yes. And that is where the role comes in, where people can spread the word. Because most people wanna get involved, so we need everybody to invite people that you know to come. That way when they come, they're not just donating or participating, but they are actually coming and learning more about what they're involved in. So that's what I've try to encourage people to do. Yeah. You learn more about it, which means you can share more. Yes. And you can do more. Yes, absolutely. And it was just really neat to hear from them and their successes and how they've overcome. Yes. And they're still working towards it. I was so impressed with all of them and so moved, and I'm so proud of them. Yes. Yeah. That's wonderful. And that makes them feel good to be heard. I want people to know how they're affected from this crime,. It's not easy. They have different stories, they have different needs, and it is really important when they can get to the point where they can express themselves and enjoy being a part of the panel as well. Thank you, Tina for joining us today for this special edition of Project Red Chronicles, and sharing with our audience. About the community forum and honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Thank you, Renee. May God continue to bless you in this wonderful organization that you run. Thank you. We'd like to introduce our next survivor guest, Annette who was a part of our panel at our human trafficking forum. I wanna take this time to welcome Annette to the Project Red Core Chronicles podcast. Welcome Annette. Thank you. It is a pleasure to be here. I wanted to start off by providing information for our audience. About understanding human trafficking, and I think that come, there's no better definition than coming straight from a survivor. So the first few questions I'm gonna ask is related to understanding human trafficking so our audience can understand human trafficking. So my first question to you, Annette, is when people hear the term human trafficking, what are some of the common misunderstandings? You wish the community understood better of asking me when was I rescued? They feel that I was rescued somehow, like people came in a building or something and rescue me. I believe a lot of people look at tvb and stuff and look at that stuff. Yeah. And believe that was me. Another thing is realizing that trafficking, a lot of people don't understand trafficking can help happen to anybody. Yes. To anybody. They, look at me now and they say things like, oh, not you, you couldn't have been. Look what you doing. You never know what people go through. Yes. Another thing happens in the community is when they always ask how did you get away? What did they do to you? Did they have you bonded? Was you in a house where they had. Think of human trafficking as being and they ask them questions to me and I say, I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. That's the movies. Yes. So that's why it's important to dis dispel myths and misunderstandings of what it is, because a lot of times people have only seen. What they know of as human trafficking is what they see in the movies and not saying that all movies are incorrect. But that's trafficking can happen many different ways, so thank you for sharing that. A lot of times when they see these, when they see these movies, they look at the stars in it, yes. They look at the people that they're actually getting paid to portray. Yes. What's going on? Not knowing that this thing, this can be happening right next door to them. That's right behind them. Absolutely. Good point. My second question is, what does trafficking actually look like? In real life compared to how it's often portrayed in the media? To me, with my experience trafficking look like to me is ground zero. It looks like the population that doesn't get enough attention of taking trafficking out is the homeless uhhuh, the ones that's addicted. A lot of times people think. From the media that you look at it, they were, they rescued and help women usually in the parlors, in the spa parlors from hotels, from big drug buses. That's the ones that be on the media that they actually go in for. But there's a whole other population Yeah. That they're not looking at. And that's the addiction or even the streets. The neighborhoods, the communities. Yes. Where they're not even looking. They don't. In my lifetime they haven't even consider it. Yes. Because it's, it don't get to the media. Yes. And that's a good point. And that's one thing that, this is why having these community forums and hearing having a community available to listen to survivors and. So that it can get a clear understanding that it could be happening next door to you. It is not just what in the film. And then also making people aware of those vulnerable populations like the home Addic, homeless, and people that have addictions because traffickers take people advantage of people with any kind of vulnerability and use that against them. So thank you for sharing that. Also, how did trafficking impact your sense of safety, trust, or control over your own life? It took me, let's just say I had no sense. I had no control. I had nothing for my being trafficked through my addiction. I didn't know who I was. It took me someplace that I would never thought or anybody else would ever thought that I would go. Yes. It took me. To where I didn't even believe in me no more. I changed my name. I changed things about me. When I seen a family member, I would, they would call my name and I would act like that's not me. When I would get arrested, I'm like, no, but I know where she's at. It changed me so completely that when things did start. Coming back, which it took time. I had to learn how to pay bills again. Yeah. I was excited about getting a job. Yeah. I was running to people asking questions that they were looking at me like, what's wrong with you? You so an agent, you don't know this, it, because it took me out. Yeah. It took my whole mind out to a whole nother place. Yes. And that's good for people to understand that how it can affect you and in, in your normal or everyday life, how you have to readjust how things, you gotta change the way that you live. You now taking control. And I remember one incident when you had gotten a job and you were so excited about paying your bill and usually people are not that excited about paying bill. But you were so excited and that was an empowering moment. I'm glad that you shared that because it's those kind of things that sometimes people don't realize that someone will have to overcome who's been a victim of this crime. My next question is, why is human trafficking often hidden in plain sight right in the community? Because it is normal size. It's normal size. You think that, okay, here I am in this poor neighborhood and this is just what happens. Okay. Here I am in this neighborhood and it's a drug neighborhood, so why wouldn't people just be doing things? Yes. They never looked at it as other. People on drugs couldn't, can affect other people on drugs. Like they're actually trafficking each other. Yes. And we don't see that. We don't know what to do with that. Societies don't know what to do with that. That's why they look over these communities. And you can be in a community and it can be someone that has a house that's upstanding and they looking at what's going on, but they're not saying nothing. What they're doing is oh, look at that person. They're nothing but a drug addict or they drink. Not knowing that we are affecting their community. Yes. They don't say anything. They'd rather talk about us. They don't talk together. They, and in this society, everybody want to be like, I'm staying outta everybody business. I'm not gonna say nothing. I'm not, but we are messing up the communities because communities are not together. They will not work together. And until communities start working together it's gonna be, it's gonna continue to be like this. Yes. And that is why it is so important to have it's National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and so we always try to have a community forum, but I wanted to do a podcast so it could get out to other countries as well, that everybody should be doing these kind of things within their community because the more education say it saves lives. If you are just made aware of what human trafficking is and how you know how it happens when people see it now, they may take a different look because if you have more information about it, you can't assume or be judgmental. That maybe the girl's promiscuous, she likes doing that. Nobody is waking up thinking of doing that every day. So I think the way that people look at things will be different. So thank you for sharing that because it's very important that communities are empowered with the information to know that I don't care whether it is a. Very impoverished neighborhood or one that's has a lot of, wealthy people. The trafficking doesn't care about any socioeconomic status, how much you make. There's victims in every category. Yes. So I think the more we get the word out and people understand what this crime is, then they will see what it is that it is a crime and you just don't set up, be judgemental, but really look at the facts. So thank you for that. So my next several questions are related to your experience as a survivor and the impact. First I wanna ask you, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced during or after leaving? Trafficking? My voice uhhuh. My, my voice. Understanding that I have been doing this, trying to get help for so long that I have been down different avenues like treatment. Halfway houses. And the things that were going on for me to be there, I had to keep repeating some things. Yeah. Going in these places, no one. Had ever asked me, okay, what do you need? How do you need, how can I help you? Yeah. It was always going into a place saying, for you to stay here, this is what you're going to have to do. This what we got the funding to do. And my case manager or probation officer or whoever placed me in these places, they never took a look at that. To what they had. So that was my, the most thing I had to get through to start my journey of healing. Yeah. I had to keep repeating what I have already learned. That's good for people to understand. Also, how did trafficking affect your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing? I didn't have no emotions. What is emotions? My emotions was what anybody wanted me to do. I wasn't allowed to have emotions. I just had to do what people told me to do. Yes. To get what I wanted. Yes. My mental stage was I'm doing what I wanna do. I'm not hurting nobody. I'm grown. How can I be helping anybody? My mental state was just focused on me, my body, getting what it needed. I didn't care about what else was going on around me and things like that because it was taking care of me. Yeah. Wow. That's good Also what does healing mean to you now and how has that definition changed over time? Healing is a whole new ballgame. When I first started off starting to heal Miss Renee, you was one of my first healers. Coming from, like I said, where I came from some, for someone to listen to me for somebody to ask me what did I want? How have I been not looking at me for what I've been through. It was the positivity, the healing was the positivity of knowing soul. I had so much hurt in me. That wasn't my first angle in the morning. That wasn't my first negativity, wasn't the first thing that I should think about. Yeah. The first thing you and being around other people like me brought positive, the first word was, let's talk about positive and that over. That was so much healing to where for a minute I got out of the things that was wrong. And my mind was getting trained on, okay, yes, you've been through it. What's happening now? Yes you are. You're what you're doing to heal. And that's where it took me. I couldn't do anything else until I started healing within myself. Yes, I couldn't do nothing. It wasn't, I was a person walking, doing what I was supposed to do again. Yes. I might have was out of it, but I was still just doing what people told me to do. Yes. Instead of doing what I needed to do for myself. So that was healing for me. Time. Yes. Time was healing for me. That's wonderful. That's really wonderful. And giving you a chance to have, get your voice back, yes. And that's very important. Very powerful. Is there anything else that you'd like to share about the importance in having community forum or either this podcast about the crime of human trafficking, anything about that day? Anything that you just want to share at the end of this, your interview at the end? All I really wanna do is say it's a terrible crime. Yes. But it is hope. Yes, it is. Hope. You might have to go through some things and things might not be going your way. Yeah. At the beginning or end or whatever, but there's hope least you're getting better. Yeah. But you're still not in that same place. Yes. You wanna hear a lot of people talk to you. A lot of people going to want a part of you. People gonna bring things, all kinds of books, all kinds of things that they say Here, you can do this, you can do this is what you wanna do. They can say this is what my program do for you. This is what my program can do for you. But you, I had to remember this wasn't about what people had to offer me. Yes. It was what I had to do for myself to interact myself in their program. That would help me because there's people gonna come at you. Yes. But you had to pick what was right for you. Yes. You had to not let no one say, Hey, this program is for you and you, how about I had a good teacher, I had someone sit me down. And I tell anybody one-on-one training the Renee Jones empowerment, because if you ever went through her, anything could happen to you and you would wonder why. Yes. I so happily had great people in my life to help me. Yes, I had a great program that. Didn't try to treat me like I was a superstar. Yes. Uhhuh. Because that's what a lot of times they do, they keep giving and giving to us survivors. Without anything, just because we are Survivor, they would give to us. But my. To me you had to go through the things to get what you want. Yes. You had to. I couldn't go teach a class about human tri, what went on if I didn't sit down in the class first. Yes. To learn about what's going on. Yeah. I couldn't do this stuff if I didn't know me first. Yes. Because as soon as you come out of, if you got addictions or anything, the first thing, example, this is an example. The first thing, you go through treatment and stuff. You have a sponsor and stuff. And let's say your sponsor, let's just say no people or work at Addiction place. And the first thing when you coming out there say, Hey, you did so good, you should go work at a treatment center. Uhhuh? Absolutely. And I was like. Why would I wanna go ruin somebody else life? Why would I wanna stop getting well myself? Yes. Myself, taking care of myself Yeah. And go take care of other people. How I don't wanna ruin nobody else's life. Yes. So I I took my time. Yeah. I took my time. I actually took my time and I actually did. Things for me. Yes. Which is awesome. Yeah. I completed, I had a goal, I made goals. Yes. And I took them goals one at a time. I didn't skip because someone said, oh, you great. Look what you doing. Look how you doing. Come on over here and do that. I didn't let nobody explore me. Yes. As a another way of, explored me as if while I was getting explored in my human traffic dates. Yes. Yeah, and I, but that's what, that's very important. I want people to know Yes. That we have time. Yes, we have time. Do not let anyone put you on that pedestal. Yes, we are happy. Yes, we are glowing. Yeah. Yes, we are doing all this, but self. Yes. Self first care yourself, right self first. And you know what? I think that is such an important way to end on, because you want people to know that sometimes people in the name of where they think they're being helpful or whatever, it can sometimes hurt the person who is recovering and healing. It is very important to heal for and then to use your own mind. That's what I'm big on. You get your voice back. You want to be the person that decides what it is you want to do.'cause sometimes people, if you accomplish a goal, they'll say hey, you did this. No you, it's time for you to do that. That's someone they don't realize it. But they're trying to control what you do. Yes, so is, I tell people all the time, I don't care how great it sounds. It could be tons of money. If it's not what you want to do, if it is not something that you desire, if it is not your goal, then don't do it because then you go right back into that trap where someone is thinking for you, controlling everything that you do, you as long as your goal and you happy with it. That's great. That's the most important thing. No. So keeping that is very, that's a very important thing and I've seen you, I'm so proud of all that you have been able to accomplish and that I can see you. Making your own decisions. That's my biggest thing. I wanna see you, doing what it is that you want to do, not what someone else wants you to do, but really living your life to the fullest. Make an impact, which you are making impact because you are now doing work in all types of levels. That's very effective for victims of human trafficking. You are given voice to very important things from healthcare to just working with people on the street. So I'm really proud to see what you've done. We encourage your constant healing, and we thank you for being a part, not only of the form for national human trafficking awareness month, but also being a part of this podcast. So thank you, Annette, for joining us today for Project Rare Chronicles. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you. Welcome to another special guest we have in our studio Today we're going to hear from a survivor, and we're gonna hear from Sophia today. I'd like to welcome Sophia to this special edition of Project Core Chronicles. Welcome, Sophia hi, Ms. Renee. Thank you so much. I wanna start by asking you some questions. First of all, I wanna thank you on the podcast for participating in our community forum that we had an honor of human trafficking, national Human Trafficking Awareness Month. It was your first time speaking and I just think that is amazing and I just wanna congratulate you on speaking at that event. It was a great event. So thank you for that. So I wanna start off, I want to bring our, I want our audience to understand the impact of having community forums and hearing for the voices of survivors, which is the most important thing that you will hear at any form, so that the community and family members and friends people whose lives have been impacted by the crime of human trafficking will understand from a survivor. Point of view. So I'm gonna start off by asking you a few questions. Can you share with our audience what are some of the biggest challenges you face during or after leaving your trafficking situation? Two things come to my mind right away. The first thing is money. Everybody expects you to bring something to the table and have money, but they also expect you to spend all your time. Sexually, mentally, physically working for them and not to pay you. But then also what also comes to my mind is like while all this is taking place, not only do you not have any money to survive on your own, but you also, you lose your voice and you are not able to express. What is going on? Yeah. So you don't have any money, you don't have any way of communicating with our traffickers, with your family, with law enforcement. With even your higher power if you have one. Yeah. So those are two big things. Yeah. That, that kept me stuck in that cycle of abuse. Okay. Because no matter how many times I would try to run away. I'll come right back because I didn't have money and I didn't have a voice. Yes. And that is a very powerful statement and important thing for people to know because people will say, if you get out, they don't realize you are. You have this person, you've been totally dependent on whatever little bit of anything that you were able to get, and if there's no resources available. To help you, to give you the money to do those things you can't live. That is a very important thing that, I'm glad that you brought that out about the cha challenges of leaving there. How did trafficking affect your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing? Oh, I expected to be disciplined with fear and threat and violence. I was. Addiction became my medication. So I was I needed my medicine. And I began to believe that's what I needed. To beat the system. Yeah. I figured that if I got enough medicine, and I was brave enough to take on these, this terrible situation, these demons alone. Yeah. That I would be able to one day break free. And that was a very, there was a, that was a very bad place to be. Yeah. I began to think that if I turned left that I would, if I turned the wrong way, I would be raped. Or if I turned right, I would be found by one of my traffickers. And that kind of mentality carried with me for a long time. Yeah. Even today, I still struggle oh, if I take. If I take a step to the left, I might get raped. Or if I don't do everything perfect, then I'm never gonna make it. Okay, good. So maybe like this wow. Yeah. I lost my train of thought, but you know what, no, that's good because we want our audience to understand. What goes on? What are the challenges? What does a victim face? All of the fears, all the things that you have to live with. And that's why we do those community forums,'cause even family members that. We love you and wanna support you. They need to understand that these are challenges and things that you have to deal with because you might look like you're doing fine, but you might be struggling inside because of all these things you've been through. So thank you for sharing that information. What does healing mean to you now and how has that definition changed over time? To me for healing what it looks like to me right now, Uhhuh, today, it looks like the ability to be wrong, uhhuh and understand that I don't always see things the right way. Yeah. And that's. It is humbling. Yes. Because sometimes I want to either be 100% right? Yes. Or I wanna be 100% wrong. Yes. And I'm learning that I have to just be open-minded Yes. To, to accepting. The bad things. Yes. And learning how to process them in a way that is, is healthy. Yes. So that I can see things clearly and not through angry red glasses. Yes. That's that. And it's, that's definitely changed for me over the last. Three years now. Almost three, two and a half years. Yes. Then I came to Cleveland for from the Safe House. Yes. I've spent these last two and a half years learning how to be honest with myself. Yes. And it has been a very challenging process. And I've put in a lot of work. And I wouldn't have been able to do it if if I wasn't held on healing and Yes. And letting that little girl inside of me grow up to become a beautiful woman. Yes. Which, that you have definitely become, you are a beautiful woman and it's been a, it is been such a joy to just see you. Grow and develop and heal and make amazing accomplishments. So I wanna be the first one to tell you, to celebrate you on air for everything that you've done, to know that you all the struggles. Or worth it. You're making great progress, and it's a daily thing that you have to go through. We get stronger, we all sometimes we're all not right all the time. Nobody's a hundred percent right. Anytime, whether you've been through something. We all make mistakes, but we can all learn. So we, the important thing is that recognizing, sometimes I might not be right, but that's okay. I'm gonna take this. As some good information that I can now work with, use and add to my little take in my mind to know when I'm making choices and decisions. Yes, this is some information I can consider. Yes. So it doesn't have to be a negative thing. It can be a positive thing that yes, you're just gonna keep it so that you have more information. I always tell people, just say it is new information that you've now acquired. So new information helps us make better decisions. If I get new information about something I might be struggling with. I'm gonna make a better decision now that I have that new information that I didn't know. And when I have the support of someone letting me know that I am valued, I am worth it. And that you're doing great. That's a good thing. So just wanna say that to you. And then my last question is there anything else that you'd like to share? About the importance of you being involved in your, that community forum for the first time speaking publicly about human trafficking. Yeah, absolutely. And I think you, you mentioned it in what you just said, is that knowledge, it power and that, that communion with other survivors. And, being able to process things and recognize our truths is so wonderful and it's so powerful. It's very empowering too. Like I said, like I, I'm healing and I'm trying to find, empower empowerment, not just for me, but for other women.'cause I,'cause it makes me not to feel alone. Yeah. And that was a wonderful thing. I know that we can learn all that we want and we can listen to all the voices and we can know everything. But if we don't, but it's what I think is the best part, is that we're not just. Putting all this knowledge out there, we're moving it forward and we're moving it forward together. Because when you're out there, you're isolated and you're lonely, and it's just you versus many. Yeah. But when we get together. We're stronger and we can make a difference. Absolutely. That is well said. And I just wanna thank you for joining us for this edition of Project Redco Chronicles, making your first podcast debut. That's awesome. So I thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you again for joining us. I will now. Thank you, Ms. Renee. At this time I'd like to introduce our next guest to the Project Rare Core Chronicles podcast. We have another special, very special guest, Alexis with us a survivor who is going to share with you her next awesome project that she has embarked on, and we wanted to let you know on this special podcast in honor of national human trafficking awareness. Month. We had a forum and Alexis was at the forum presenting on her new book that will be coming up. So Alexis, we'd like to welcome you. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. So would you share what our audience, the name of your upcoming book, and let us know why you chose this specific title? Okay. The name of the book is called The Well Beneath the Rock. And I chose this title because it starts with a story from my ch young childhood of me hearing about a well being stuck underneath the rock. And we wanna go back and save that. And to me, this book is like a. It's like a vision board book. Yeah. So basically I was able to write about my life Uhhuh, but also write about how I see my life going towards the end. Nice. And at the end, I wanna be right back at that place. Wow. In that same location where I see. Where I heard that story. Wow, that's pretty cool. I thought that was really amazing. And the, I know at the forum you had a, you had the graphic, which was really nice to see. Oh yeah. We were happy about that. As a first time author, what was the most challenging part of writing this? The most challenging part I believe of writing this book was reliving my trauma. Yes. Yes. Having to relive my trauma.'Cause when you write you also have to like edit. Yes. And so it's like you're going back and rereading you, things that sometimes can be triggering. Yeah. Also I had to think about my children. Yes, my mother and other family. My husband, yes. And how they might receive what I'm saying, Uhhuh. I know that it really took me year like. I wanna say I started writing a book in 2017. Wow. And I probably a year ago. Yeah. I I threw that book out. That's not my voice anymore. Yes. You know what I mean? I'm covered a long way since then. I have I think differently now. I'm mature, and then also I just felt more comfortable with where I was in life. Yes. And also, where like the age of my children and my relationships and stuff to where I felt safe sharing now. Yes. And then I just wanna I had a new voice of, I knew I had a new voice and I wanted to say something a little bit. I didn't wanna just to be me writing like, oh, what happened to me? Yes. Uhhuh, I needed something deeper. Yes. And more faith based and allow people to know who I am spiritually. Yes. Awesome. That's wonderful. And it is different in how as you grow and as you heal, your perspective changes on things. And I think that's a good, that's a good place to come from. And because when you write a book and when people read the book, you want them to really feel the story that you're telling. Yes. And hopefully that. Do your book, someone will receive help and know that they too can make it, yes. So I think that's great. What lemme see. How did you decide what parts of your journey you were ready to put on the page? I knew that I would be, I knew my goal was to be speaking to women who has survived, or anyone, woman or man that has survived human trafficking or self trafficking. Yes, I wanted to focus on that. Okay. And experiencing that uhhuh, but I also wanted to focus on who I am. Yes. Because, and I might even share some stories about other people that I've, who also were in the same position Yes. About that, that come from. All different backgrounds. Yes. I just wanted to, so me dec what I was deciding was to share like my life uhhuh, who I am, my beliefs, my background, my family background. Because somebody may relate to that. Yes, absolutely. And then it gives people, and I wanted to give people who. Just inform them and educate them Yes. On what's going on and how this could happen. Yes. To anyone. Yes. From the outside looking in. You're seeing a girl that has two parents went to private school. You just don't know. Absolutely know. So it's, it is just so I just wanted to let people know who I am. Yeah. Know what I went through and know that you could come out of it. Yeah. And there is hope. Yes. And that's a, that's the greatest message. Yeah. That you've given, to make sure that people know that. I love that it will be relatable to all people, because most of the time the images that we have are what's portrayed in the media, what's portrayed in the movies, and that is not always the case. It's nothing like that at all. It's all different scenarios of how this can happen. Yes. And so it is very important to hear. A real life story, real experiences and how it doesn't matter.'cause sometimes people think if you got two parents, this only happens to people That's single parent households and they live in the ghetto Uhuh. It's all, it can happen to anyone. Yes. And so I think that is really beautiful that you are preparing it that way. What does it mean to you to reclaim your story in your own words? It means freedom, healing. Healing, freedom and healing. Uhhuh it was very healing to to get those, get my story on paper and get it out. It's like you write in a journal, yes. That's what it, that's what it was like. It was very free and healing and I wa I was inspired. By myself. That's awesome. And and yeah, so I would say freedom and healing. Yeah. And you know what, I love that you said you were inspired by yourself because when sometimes, people they don't realize you can go through all this trauma and then, but really when you really take the time to write down your pro, your healing, your journey. It is very friend. And then you can really take the time to see how inspiring you, you didn't think you could make it right. But what you're doing, how far you've come from where Yeah. How far you've come. Yeah. And I just want every person to know that it's not over. Every day we wake up. Yes. Another chance, another opportunity to and throughout my throughout my story, my journey, I've been giving. Chances, second chances or third chances from from you, yeah. From my job. Like there's always, if you want it, you can have it. You can have it absolutely. When you can have it. Yes, you do. And one thing I can say, just knowing you over the years you inspire me all the time because. When you would put your mind to a goal, it would just seem so at the time. Wow, that's great. You didn't have any problem thinking of your bigger goals, but the most inspiring part is that everything that you did, you said you did it. And so that, that was inspiring. It was fun. I'm not, plan on what I say. If I say something, I usually mean it. I try to. Yeah. But I literally seen it come to life and what that does, especially to other people that, because it, it becomes you without even knowing it becomes a role. You become a role model for, especially for victims to know that you know what you can accomplish things you can. Get the things you want. You can raise great children, you can keep your life going. You know what I'm saying? So I wanted to just say that to you. That's really good. How did it feel to share your upcoming book with the community at the forum? The community forum that we had in for Awareness Month that, was very liberating, uhhuh and I really felt good that day. Good. I really felt grateful Yes. To have that opportunity. Okay. And it was even better the how people received it. Yes. And support. Yes. It gave more confidence. Yes. And more like drive and that push to wanna just get it out as soon as possible. You know what I mean? That's good. I'm grateful for that. And because people have been asking about it, I'm like, wait a minute. She just talked. They're like, where's the book? Lemme buy it now. And I'm like, okay. That's confirmation. You know that It's time. That's wonderful. That's wonderful. Okay, just a few more questions about hope and empowerment. What message do you want Bo, you most want people to take away from your book? I. I want most people to take away, I would say I would have to go back to just never giving up. Yes. Oh, that's good. Never giving up, that you are worthy. Yes. Okay. Uhhuh, no matter what you've been through, you are still worthy. Yes. You are still useful? Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. That's a power that's powerful. Yes. Right there. Because coming off situations like that, a lot of times people don't feel that way, but you are valuable. You are special and you can accomplish absolutely anything that you want to accomplish. So if there is, my last question to you is if someone is currently living in a situation similar to what you've endured, what would you want them to know? I would want them to know that guy loves them, uhhuh. To look to him for answers yes, but also to go look for resources. Come to the Renee Jones Empowerment Center or something like it in your sense, yes. Use your resources because they're out there. Yes, they are. And people do wanna help people who want help. Yes, they do. And just, I couldn't do none of this without the support and love that I received. Yes. The resources I sought. Yes. Or that was offer or brought to me, I took advantage of. Yes, those. Yes. And that's what we want people to see because sometimes they'll have the resources available, but they won't take advantage of it. Yeah. Take advantage. But if you take advantage of the resources that you receive Yeah. Or that's available to you, you can accomplish anything. And so I just wanna thank you for taking the time outta your day to be a part of this special podcast. We look forward to doing an entire podcast when your book is ready to come out. And we will dive a little deeper. And the good thing is it goes all over the world. It's a lot of interest all over and usually anytime we have anything that has survivors, those are really good podcasts. People enjoy learning. So thank you for taking the time for joining us for this episode of Project Corp Chronicles. Have a great day. You also, and thank you for having me. Yes. Thank you for joining us for this episode of Project Red Core Chronicles. Thank you.