Survive and Thrive

Responding to & Recognizing Human Trafficking in the Workplace
2025-05-12 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Join the IEC Foundation and Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) for this powerful and practical training designed specifically for businesses and industry professionals. This certificate-based webinar will teach you how to recognize and respond to both sex and labor trafficking, helping to protect your workplace, enhance safety, and reduce legal and reputational risks.
Register Now

What You’ll Learn:

Types of human trafficking and how it manifests in different workplace settings
Relevant state and federal laws
Legal liability and risks for employers
Practical response protocols and safety considerations
Resources to support survivors and build community awareness

Certification:

All participants will receive a certificate of completion, which can be used for professional development credits.
This program has been approved by The Florida Bar for 2.0 hours of Continuing Legal Education.

Know Your Rights: Understanding The U.S. Tax System
2025-05-28 12:00 - 13:30
We invite you to join us for our third Know Your Rights webinar, “Understanding The U.S. Tax System.” This is the third webinar in the Know Your Rights Series organized by the Human Trafficking Legal Center Survivor Leadership Program. Our featured speaker will be Sara Benowitz, director of the low-income tax clinic at Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles.
Register Now
Trafficking survivors in our community have expressed a need for more information on the United States’ complex tax system. In this webinar, we will explore questions including:

What is gross income?
Who needs to file taxes?
What is the difference between a deduction and a credit?
Who is responsible for withholding taxes?
What are tax brackets?
What is a 1099?
And More!

Unmasking Traffickers: Exposing Their Tactics, Disrupting Their Strategies, Empowering Our Solutions
2025-06-20 13:00 - 14:30
Human traffickers use calculated manipulation, psychological control, and coercion to exploit their victims. To effectively combat trafficking, we must first understand the traffickers’ mindset, methods, and strategies. This workshop, “Unmasking Traffickers: Exposing Their Tactics, Disrupting Their Strategies, Empowering Our Solutions,” takes a deep dive into the deceptive tactics used to groom, recruit, and control victims. Participants will learn how traffickers identify vulnerabilities, exploit trust, and maintain power over their victims.

Webinar Resources:

2025 Statewide HT Unmasking Traffickers Powerpoint

Through interactive discussions, real-world case studies, and expert analysis, attendees will gain the critical knowledge needed to recognize warning signs, intervene effectively, and implement survivor-centered solutions. This course is designed for child welfare professionals, law enforcement, educators, social workers, and community advocates and anyone who is dedicated to dismantling human trafficking networks and protecting vulnerable individuals.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
✅ Identify key trafficker tactics and psychological control methods
✅ Analyze case scenarios to understand recruitment and grooming strategies
✅ Apply effective intervention techniques to disrupt trafficking operations
✅ Strengthen prevention efforts through education and advocacy
Speakers:
Marina Anderson
Statewide Human Trafficking Training Specialist
Florida Department of Children and Families
Marina has had an extensive and impactful career in the Department of Children and Families (DCF) in Florida. She began her journey in 2002 and spent fourteen years as a Child Protective Investigator (CPI) and Field Support Supervisor in Duval County, specializing in child sexual abuse and human trafficking. In 2015, she transitioned to the Office of Community Services, where she focused on combating human trafficking at the state level.
Marina’s expertise and her dedication to protecting vulnerable children earned her recognition as a STAR Child Protective Investigator by Governor Rick Scott. She is a certified investigator and trainer in human trafficking, as well as a subject matter expert in critical injury, domestic violence, physical/sexual abuse, and human trafficking.
Her work not only showcases her commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of children but also highlights her leadership and expertise in addressing complex issues such as human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Detective Ryan Ellis
Detective R. Ellis ID#6773
Homeland Security Investigations INTERCEPT Taskforce
Human Exploitation / VICE /North FL ICAC
Detective Ryan Ellis is a Senior Investigator with Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Florida and a Task Force Officer with Homeland Security Investigations. Ryan has been an investigator for 18 years and spent the last 14 years conducting human exploitation investigations including hands-on offenses and an array of technology-based crimes and human trafficking. While fighting the battle against human exploitation, Ryan has testified before legislative committees and co-authored substantial legislative changes to combat child exploitation. Ryan is a two-time recipient of the Department of Justices’ Investigator of the year for victim crimes and Investigator of the year from his agency for case work involving the rescue/identification of victims.
Ryan has presented case studies at the National and state ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) levels and trained hundreds of law enforcement officers in the fight against human exploitation. During his time, he has been the lead investigator on hundreds of major investigations.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Leveraging Collaborative Data-Driven Solutions in Human Trafficking Webinar
2025-07-18 13:00 - 14:30
Accurate and complete data collection has long been a challenge in our state, particularly for those working in human trafficking services, policy, advocacy, justice, and social services systems. Recently, Florida has made significant strides to address this issue through initiatives at the University of South Florida’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Research Lab. Presenters from the TIP Lab will discuss updates from its two main projects: the Statewide Repository for Anonymous Human Trafficking Data (TIPSTR) and the BRIGHT Network.

Webinar Resources:

Report on Human Trafficking in Florida

TIPSTR, established through the passage of SB 7064, is now operational and offers Florida a comprehensive and accurate picture of human trafficking incidents, hotspots, and trends. Highlights and data insights from the annual state report will be shared.
The BRIGHT Project, now launched as a mobile application, is a vetted resource referral network for human trafficking service providers. BRIGHT is actively connecting providers across the entire state, while simultaneously gathering and disseminating information on resource availability and needs. Preliminary findings on resource gaps and survivor needs will be shared.
Together, these initiatives are enhancing our understanding of the true scope of human trafficking in Florida, thereby informing and improving anti-trafficking efforts statewide.

About the Presenters:
Joan A. Reid, Ph.D., LMHC
Joan A. Reid, Ph.D., LMHC – Lab Director, TIPSTR Director
Dr. Joan A. Reid is an Associate Professor of Criminology and Director of the USF Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience Research Lab. Dr. Reid received her MA in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling and PHD in Criminology from the University of South Florida. Dr. Reid is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. While primarily focused on advancing research to inform anti-human trafficking policies and practices, Dr. Reid also provides counseling services and forensic mental health assessments in sex trafficking court cases in her private practice.
Dr. Reid has authored over 60 publications primarily focused on child sex trafficking in Florida including groundbreaking research documenting the disproportionate risk of exploitation in sex trafficking among children with disabilities. The real-world impact of her research is extensive, appearing as a citing authority in human trafficking cases in various State Supreme Courts and an amicus brief related to the U.S. Supreme Court case Jane Doe vs. Backpage. Dr. Reid’s research has been cited in state and federal government agency policy reports on child trafficking in Florida, California, and in National Reports to the U.S. Congress.

Shelly M. Wagers, Ph.D.
Shelly M. Wagers, Ph.D. – BRIGHT Project Director
Dr. Shelly M. Wagers is an Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg campus and the Director of the BRIGHT Project, (Bridging Resources and Information Gaps in Human Trafficking) an interactive digital platform that brings Human Trafficking service providers together into an integrated and coordinated network of care to connect victims and survivors to individualized need-based resources. The BRIGHT project was born through an enterprise needs assessment conducted for the USF Trafficking In Persons Lab: Risk to Resilience Lab to improve survivor services. Dr. Wagers designed and directed the needs assessment which consisted of hundreds of field interviews with community partners engaged in antitrafficking work throughout Florida. Through the efforts of Dr. Wagers, her team and the BRIGHT community partners, the BRIGHT project has received aggregate multi-million-dollar funding from the State of Florida and United States Federal Government to expand BRIGHT statewide and develop a replicable evidence-based model.
As the Project Director, Shelly Wagers is responsible for the planning, directing, organizing and coordination of the expansion of the project statewide, and for the ongoing research related to user experience and data collection.

Kailey Pate Carter, M.A.
Kailey Pate Carter, M.A. – BRIGHT Project Manager
Kailey Pate Carter is the Project Manager for BRIGHT at the University of South Florida, a project of the Trafficking in Persons Risk to Resilience Research Lab. Kailey obtained both her B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Criminology from the University of South Florida and has a passion for serving others. Kailey’s research interests include human trafficking, complex posttraumatic stress disorder, ACES, and domestic violence. She has been intricately involved on the BRIGHT project with the USF Trafficking in Persons Lab since the initial needs assessment conducted in the Fall of 2020, working with community partners to tailor the platform to their specific needs.
As the Project Manager, Kailey Carter is the main point of contact for all community partners and works to onboard new organizations into the network. Kailey works with the Project Director to execute the larger goals for the project in addition to the management of the users of the system.

Webinar registration coming soon.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

BBCAHT Quarterly Meeting
2025-08-07 14:00 - 15:00
BIG BEND COALITION AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (BBCAHT) MEETING
Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 2:00 PM
Leon County Sheriff’s Office, 2825 Municipal Way, Tallahassee, FL

Leading Change: Preventing Trafficking of Boys & Men
2025-08-12 15:00 - 17:00
Boys and young men are often invisible in anti-trafficking efforts — even though the data show they’re at significant risk. It’s time to change that narrative.
This event kicks off the Leading Change Scholarship Fund — a new, community-backed effort to support the development of lived experience leadership. As the first-ever recipient, Nathan Earl, Yale MPH Candidate, will receive whatever we raise during this launch. Every dollar goes directly toward his scholarship — and toward changing the narrative.
Register Now

Event Details
Date: August 12, 2025
Cost: Free RSVP | Suggested donation levels with additional value
Location: Zoom
Host: The Genesis Project
Moderator: Kathy Bryan, Founding CEO
Scholarship Recipient and Trainer: Nathan Earl, Yale School of Public Health
Part One: Training
Preventing and Responding to Trafficking of Boys and Men
3:00–4:00 PM ET
Covered: risks + indicators, trauma response, substance misuse, identification and engagement, systemic barriers, and policy recommendations
Facilitator: Nathan Earl

Part Two: Fireside Chat
Leading from the Messy Middle
4:00–5:00 PM ET
A raw conversation on burnout, hard lessons won, and resilience from survivor leaders navigating the “messy middle”
Speakers: Kathy Bryan (CEO, The Genesis Project & Survivor Leader) and Nathan Earl (Lived Experience Leader)

What You’ll Learn:

What the data actually tell us about who is being exploited
Unique risk factors, trajectories, and outcomes for boys and young men
How sexual exploitation intersects with labor trafficking, forced criminality, substance use, and the biology of trauma response
Why implementation (not awareness) remains our biggest failure — and how we fix that
Gritty, lived-experience reflections on healing, burnout, and what it really looks like to lead change after trauma

From Exploitation to Empowerment: Housing for Labor Trafficking Survivors
2025-08-13 12:00 - 13:30
Labor trafficking doesn’t always look the way we expect. It often hides behind language barriers, family ties, immigration struggles, or a client’s hesitance to name what they’ve experienced. If you work in direct services, chances are you’ve already supported a survivor of labor trafficking without even knowing it.
Join us next Wednesday, August 13th, for a powerful, survivor-led session featuring Anthony Paco Bernaola and Denisse Amézquita—two Harriet Tubman Fellows, labor trafficking survivors, and nationally recognized advocates.
Register Now
This session is ideal for service providers, housing organizations, anti-trafficking professionals, social workers, and advocates committed to supporting labor trafficking survivors with trauma-informed, sustainable housing solutions.
What You’ll Learn:

The critical role short-term housing plays in long-term recovery
Common barriers labor trafficking survivors face when securing stable housing
Creative, trauma-informed emergency shelter models
Best practices for developing survivor-centered housing programs beyond crisis care

Why Attend?
You’ll walk away with actionable strategies, program ideas, and survivor-informed insights to help improve housing support for labor trafficking survivors in your community or organization.
The National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP) has approved this session for a maximum of 1.5 hours toward NACP’s CE renewal requirement; valid through 8/13/2027!
To receive CE credit, you must attend the live presentation. Viewing the recording alone will not qualify for CE hours.

Florida’s Expungement Laws: Helping Survivors of Human Trafficking
2025-08-15 13:00 - 14:30
This program will explain the law on human trafficking expungement, describe the process for clearing a survivor’s criminal history, detail the effects of expungement on a survivor’s life, and dispel myths and misconceptions regarding expungement.

Webinar Resources:

Webinar PowerPoint Slides

About the Presenters:
Brent Woody
Brent Woody, Lead Attorney and Executive Director of the Justice Restoration Center
Brent Woody is the lead attorney and executive director of the Justice Restoration Center, a nonprofit organization providing trauma-informed restorative pro bono legal services and advocacy for survivors of human trafficking, as well as advocating on trafficking-related legislation and policy matters.
Since 2009, Brent has made it a personal mission to provide free legal services to victims and survivors of human trafficking. Understanding that individuals subjected to exploitation in the forms of forced labor, commercial sex, and domestic servitude had no means to obtain desperately needed legal services, Brent committed to never turning away a survivor with trafficking-related legal needs.
Beginning in 2012, Brent’s work for trafficking survivors and victims rose to a new level as he began advocating before the Florida legislature for the rights of human trafficking survivors to petition a court for the expungement of criminal history records and vacating of criminal convictions for arrests while under the coercion of a trafficker or within a scheme of human trafficking. Unjust criminal history records and convictions close many doors for trafficking survivors, and this law was desperately needed by an untold number of victims. As a result, Florida’s human trafficking victim expungement law was unanimously passed and signed into law in 2013. Brent now represents over 200 trafficking survivors from in and out of the state and from within the Florida inmate population. Legislatively, Brent has initiated and successfully advocated for, among other things, the elimination of the statute of limitations for human trafficking offenses, enhanced penalties for traffickers, enhanced penalties for sex-buyers, the non-criminalization of commercially sexually exploited minors, and exemptions from the public records laws for the locations of safe houses.
Brent’s pro bono work has expanded into the Florida prison system as his organization has discovered that countless inmates were trafficked before entering the corrections system and are destined to return to “the life” when they’re released, simply because they don’t have any apparent options. The Justice Restoration Center, in partnership with his wife Pamela’s nonprofit, Advocates Against Human Trafficking, is helping break that cycle by coordinating secure and therapeutic residential housing upon release and facilitating safe releases and transportation.
Brent also handles coerced debt issues, name changes, obtaining public benefits, and other civil matters for trafficking survivors and coordinates other pro bono counsel for matters outside his practice area and involving out-of-state matters.
Brent graduated from USF-St. Petersburg and the Florida State University College of Law. He’s
married to Pamela, and they have three children.

Danielle Lennox
Danielle Lennox, Assistant State Attorney, Human Trafficking Unit, 17th Judicial Circuit, Broward County, FL
Danielle Lennox graduated from the University of South Florida, in Tampa, Florida with her bachelor’s degree in criminology and political science. She then attended Nova Law School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she earned her Juris Doctor. After graduating law school, Danielle began working at the State Attorney’s Office for Broward County as an Assistant State Attorney and has been there for almost 10 years. She has dedicated her entire professional career towards getting justice for victims and she is currently the Head of the Human Trafficking Division for her office, where she partners with law enforcement in the prosecution of human trafficking cases. As part of her role as the Head of the Human Trafficking Division, she is solely responsible for overseeing the law enforcement investigation of all Broward County human trafficking cases, speaking to the survivors of those crimes, filing the appropriate criminal charges against the perpetrators of human trafficking, seeing the case through in court until the case is either resolved via a negotiated plea or trial and to review/approve any and all human trafficking related expungements. Her dedication and hard work earned her the award of Prosecutor of the Year for 2023 by the Broward Victim’s Rights Coalition.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Challenges Today Serving Foreign-born Survivors of Human Trafficking
2025-09-19 13:00 - 14:30
This training will give an overview of challenges and opportunities that service providers and everyone in the community face today when serving foreign-born survivors of human trafficking, specifically around immigration relief options. We will dissect case examples and offer solutions to better equip our leaders, advocates, and providers to serve their community. This program is a must for a wide range of people and professionals in the community who encounter sex and labor trafficking, including non-profit agencies, justice system representatives, health care professionals, advocates, faith communities, and anyone who wishes to understand more about the needs facing foreign-born trafficking survivors.
If you watched this program online after the live event and would like a certificate, please email Karley@surviveandthriveadvocacy.org for your certificate of attendance and provide the name of the webinar you watched and the date you completed watching and we will get back to you within three business days. If you attended the program live, Just in Time will send a certificate to you within three business days; if you do not receive it, reach out to Just in Time Support at JITsupport@usf.edu.

About the Presenters:
Vania Aguilar, Ed. D., M.S.
Vania Aguilar, Ed. D., M.S. – Program Manager, Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights
Dr. Aguilar is a program manager at CAHR, where she oversees the administrative work of the Center. She has been working with the Center since 2001. She conducts trainings on human trafficking for various groups in the community. In addition, she oversees the Center’s case management and service provision for human trafficking victims and victims of other crimes. She has developed curriculum for the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Florida Department of Education on human trafficking. She was granted BIA Accreditation in 2013 and is assisting clients with their VAWA, DACA, Adjustment of Status, asylum, SIJS, TPS, U and T visa application submissions. She also represents clients in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review. She has assisted over 500 refugees adjust their status to lawful permanent residence and helps them apply for their citizenship.
She has established direct connections with prosecutors, victim advocates, and law enforcement officials throughout the state. She works very closely with them to secure the necessary documentation to apply for immigration relief for clients who are victims of crimes and to apply for any other forms of relief under the Victim’s Compensation Program.
She serves as a co-chair for the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking Survivor Support Committee. On behalf of the coalition, she has written co-eds, participated in radio show interviews to discuss how Florida is affected by human trafficking, and conducted presentations and outreach initiatives. In addition, she serves on the Social Justice Committee of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, a non-profit that assists victims and survivors of human trafficking in the Second Judicial Circuit.
She received Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees from Florida State University. In addition to working for the CAHR, Ms. Aguilar taught for Adult and Community Education (ACE) in Tallahassee from 2005 to 2022, where she taught evening classes to English learners from around the world. She was the lead teacher for the online English classes at ACE. She conducted classes for adult students in which she incorporated information about services and remedies for victims of various crimes, including human trafficking, and prepared students for their citizenship process. She received her doctorate degree in Instructional Systems and Learning Technology, and her focus was on equitable education for immigrants and refugees.

Daniela Donoso, JD
Daniela Donoso, JD – Gun Violence Intervention Staff Attorney, Legal Services of North Florida.
Daniela helps families in Leon County affected by gun violence. Previously, Donoso served as the Program-Wide Immigration Attorney at LSNF. She designed a comprehensive immigration advocacy program in North Florida to serve immigrants who are crime victims and establish immigration procedures and resources for LSNF staff and community partners. Daniela, a past DACA recipient, knows what it is like to have your life shifted by fear and uncertainty because of the broken immigration system. Her personal and professional experience working with marginalized communities has instilled an altruistic spirit. Donoso received her law degree from Florida State University College of Law. She spent her undergraduate and graduate time working for the Florida State University’s Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, gaining mentors and experience in immigration and anti-trafficking advocacy. She continues to engage in anti-trafficking advocacy and serves as a Board Member of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

*Survivors Only* Town Hall Meeting
2025-09-24 12:30 - 13:30
This gathering is a dedicated space for trafficking survivors to connect, share, and stand in solidarity. In today’s political climate, many survivors may feel isolated—but you are not alone. There is power in community, and strength in being seen and heard.
This is a space where survivors support survivors.
Register Now
Together, we’ll build connection, foster healing, and lift one another up.
We deeply value all advocates in this movement. To ensure a space of safety, unity, and comfort, we kindly ask that this town hall be attended only by individuals who identify as survivors of human trafficking.
Questions? Email evelyn@htlegalcenter.org & hollie@htlegalcenter.org.

Community Human Trafficking Round Table: Shining Light into Darkness
2025-10-09 18:00 - 20:00 | St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, 4784 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, FL, 32309, United States
Take part in a community roundtable on human trafficking. The conversation will bring together representatives from the Leon County Sheriff’s Department, the Department of Children and Families, local emergency room personnel, and several organizations working on the front lines to end trafficking in our community.
9 October 2025
6 PM – 8 PM
St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral

Breaking Invisible Bonds: Navigating the Challenges of Trauma Bonding in Cases of Human Trafficking
2025-10-17 13:00 - 14:30
This session will provide an overview of trauma bonding experienced by survivors of human trafficking. The workshop will delve into the complexities of trauma-bonding, addressing its impacts on victim identification, treatment effectiveness, and building rapport and trust with clients. Everyone will learn valuable information about this including: mental health professionals; victim and social service providers; healthcare providers; criminal justice practitioners; students, researchers, educators; survivors and lived experience experts, and all others who want to know more about trauma bonding and how impacts victims and survivors of human trafficking and other forms of violence and abuse.

Webinar Resources:

Presentation Slides

About the Presenters:
Joan A. Reid, Ph.D., LMHC
Joan A. Reid, Ph.D., LMHC, Professor and Director of the USF Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Research Lab, Department of Criminology, University of South Florida
Dr. Joan Reid is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Florida, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, and Professor of Criminology at the University of South Florida. Dr. Reid is also the Director of the USF Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Research Lab located in St. Petersburg Florida. Dr. Reid is a leading expert on human trafficking having authored over 60 publications, primarily focused on child sex trafficking in Florida. Dr. Reid’s research has been cited in various State Supreme Courts, as well as state and federal government agency policy reports on child trafficking. Her most recent book, Trauma Bonding and Interpersonal Crimes, addresses the phenomenon of trauma bonding across various interpersonal contexts.
Klejdis Bilali, PhD Student, RMHCI
Klejdis Bilali, PhD Student, RMHCI, USF Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Research Lab, Department of Criminology, University of South Florida
Klejdis Bilali is a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Criminology at the University of South Florida (USF), and a graduate research assistant at the USF Trafficking in Persons (TiP) Risk to Resilience Lab. Presently, she is also a registered mental health counseling intern at the USF Department of Pediatrics’ Infectious Disease Program where she facilitates psychotherapy with disadvantaged youth living with HIV. She completed her MA in Clinical Psychology at the University of Central Florida where she facilitated research and trauma-focused psychotherapy with youth victims of sex trafficking involved in child welfare and the juvenile justice system. Klejdis’ primary research interests center on interpersonal violence, including human trafficking, child abuse, and familial violence, with a focus on victimization prevention and intervention. Throughout her academic tenure, she has contributed to a number of scholarly publications, book chapters, presentations, and trainings focused on risk factors, ramifications, and clinical responses to interpersonal violence.
======================
If you watched this program online after the live event and would like a certificate, please email Karley@surviveandthriveadvocacy.org for your certificate of attendance and provide the name of the webinar you watched and the date you completed watching and we will get back to you within three business days. If you attended the program live, Just in Time will send a certificate to you within three business days; if you do not receive it, reach out to Just in Time Support at JITsupport@usf.edu.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Pro Bono Legal Clinic for Trafficking Survivors
2025-11-08 12:00 - 15:00 | Baker McKenzie Office, 815 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC, 20006, United States
On Saturday, November 8, 2025, the D.C. Women’s Bar Association, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Human Trafficking Legal Center will hold a free, in-person legal clinic for trafficking survivors seeking remission under the U.S. Department of Justice Backpage Remission Program. The clinic will be held in the offices of Baker McKenzie, a pro bono law firm, in Washington, DC.
For survivors seeking restitution outside of the Washington, D.C. area, NCMEC has arranged for 30 pro bono law firms across the country to provide free legal support to applicants through the Backpage Remission Network. If you are interested, you can sign up for pro bono representation through the NCMEC portal at https://www.backpageremissionnetwork.org/#form.
Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 12:00pm-3:00pm
Baker McKenzie Office
815 Connecticut Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20006

STAC Third Friday Human Trafficking Training Webinar Series (Nov 2025 - CANCELLED)
2025-11-21 13:00 - 14:30
While we will not be hosting a live webinar in November, we encourage you to attend one of STAC’s past informative webinars. You can receive a certificate of attendance from STAC if you attend. You can find these webinars here: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/training-education-resources/.

The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) Third Friday Training Webinar Series is dedicated to educating everyone about the critical issue of human trafficking. This interactive series aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the various facets of human trafficking, from its root causes and methods of operation to the profound impact it has on survivors, their families, workplaces, and society both in our home towns and worldwide.
Throughout this series, we will explore the complexities of human trafficking, featuring expert insights from sex and labor trafficking survivors, law enforcement officials, anti-trafficking advocates, legal professionals, and researchers. Each session will delve into specific topics, including the impact of social media and the trafficking of youth online, identification of trafficking situations, familial trafficking, the often hidden realities of labor trafficking, the psychological and physical toll on survivors, legal frameworks and strategies, and promising practices designed for prevention and intervention.
Our goal is to empower participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize, prevent, and safely respond to both sex and labor trafficking. Whether you are a concerned citizen, a professional in a related field, a faith community member, and educator, a business person, or someone seeking to make a difference, this webinar series will provide valuable information and actionable steps to support survivors and fortify your family and community. Join us and contribute to the global fight against this exploitation.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Child Domestic Workers: Research and Practice Webinar
2025-12-02 09:00 - 11:00
Child domestic workers are children who work (and often live) in other people’s households, doing various domestic chores. Some of them work in positive and empowering environments, while others work under exploitative and harmful conditions. According to estimates by the ILO, 17.2 million children worldwide are domestic workers. However, due to its uniquely hidden nature, child domestic work continues to remain poorly understood and inadequately addressed. Free the Slaves and the Freedom Fund are committed to promoting knowledge and evidence-based interventions on child domestic work. Driven by this commitment, they are organizing a webinar entirely focused on the issue of child domestic workers.
The webinar, to be held on December 2nd at 9AM (EST)/3PM (CET), will include two complementary sessions of 1 hour each. The first hour will be devoted to research, with presentations of recent research reports on child domestic work. The second hour will be devoted to practice, with presentations of initiatives and programs aimed at supporting child domestic workers. Nepal, Kenya, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Liberia and Nigeria are some of the countries on which the presentations will focus. Q&A will follow each session.
Register Now

BBCAHT Quarterly Meeting
2025-12-04 14:00 - 15:00
BIG BEND COALITION AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (BBCAHT) MEETING
Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 2:00 PM
Leon County Sheriff’s Office, 2825 Major James Morgan Jr. Way, Tallahassee, FL 32304

STAC Third Friday Human Trafficking Training Webinar Series (Dec 2025 - CANCELLED)
2025-12-19 13:00 - 14:30
STAC will not host a Third Friday Webinar in December. We encourage you to attend one of STAC’s past informative webinars. You can receive a certificate of attendance from STAC if you attend. You can find these webinars here: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/training-education-resources/

The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) Third Friday Training Webinar Series is dedicated to educating everyone about the critical issue of human trafficking. This interactive series aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the various facets of human trafficking, from its root causes and methods of operation to the profound impact it has on survivors, their families, workplaces, and society both in our home towns and worldwide.
Throughout this series, we will explore the complexities of human trafficking, featuring expert insights from sex and labor trafficking survivors, law enforcement officials, anti-trafficking advocates, legal professionals, and researchers. Each session will delve into specific topics, including the impact of social media and the trafficking of youth online, identification of trafficking situations, familial trafficking, the often hidden realities of labor trafficking, the psychological and physical toll on survivors, legal frameworks and strategies, and promising practices designed for prevention and intervention.
Our goal is to empower participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize, prevent, and safely respond to both sex and labor trafficking. Whether you are a concerned citizen, a professional in a related field, a faith community member, and educator, a business person, or someone seeking to make a difference, this webinar series will provide valuable information and actionable steps to support survivors and fortify your family and community. Join us and contribute to the global fight against this exploitation.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Learning from Human Trafficking Survivors: Marking a Decade of Commitment - Members of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking Share Their Reflections and Wisdom
2026-01-16 13:00 - 14:30
Join us for a powerful and timely webinar featuring speakers from the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, a federal body established in 2015 to ensure that the voices of human trafficking survivors directly inform U.S. policy and practice. Representing diverse experiences of both sex and labor trafficking, these survivor leaders are true experts on this issue. They will highlight findings from the recently released U.S. Advisory Council’s 2025 Annual Report. They will bring their lived experience, insight, and perspectives on where we are and what we need to do to address human trafficking and the conditions in our world that allow it to be. This program is a must for a wide range of people and professionals, including non-profit agencies, justice system and law enforcement representatives, health care, students and faculty, advocates, faith communities, and anyone who wishes to understand more about human trafficking, its impacts, and what we all can do to prevent trafficking. The Council’s thoughtful, practical recommendations touch every sector of our communities and help shape informed, effective, and survivor-centered responses.

Webinar Resoures:

2025 United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking Annual Report

About the Presenters:

Holly Gibbs
Holly A. Gibbs
Holly A. Gibbs is the System Director of a Human Trafficking Response Program for a U.S. national nonprofit health system. In 2014, Holly’s book, Walking Prey: How America’s Youth are Vulnerable to Sex Slavery, was published by St. Martin’s Press; and in 2019, she received the Sister Concilia Moran Award from the Catholic Health Association. In 2025, Holly completed her Master of Public Health at George Washington University. Holly has served on human trafficking advisory boards and councils for organizations such as the McCain Institute, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Human Trafficking Institute, HEAL Trafficking, and American Hospital Association; and, she co-founded the organization, Survivor Alliance. Holly has testified before Congress.

Yuri Guerrero
Yuri Guerrero
Yuri Guerrero is a bilingual survivor advocate, consultant and speaker. She is also a community health work promoter and Real Estate Agent in the state of Texas. She is passionate about helping others heal, thrive, and become a better version of themselves. Yuri and her family are labor trafficking survivors. Her journey was long, but she is passionate about using her life experiences and professional training to prevent, educate, and raise awareness about human trafficking in her community. Yuri has supported local non-governmental organizations in raising awareness and creating outreach materials related to human trafficking and is working in her community to create a local survivor-focused Council. She has also spoken at numerous federal and national events relating to human trafficking, including those with the Freedom Network and the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services (HHS). She was a member of HHS’ Human Trafficking Leadership Academy in 2021. Yuri has a zest for life and relishes every opportunity to enjoy freedom with her husband, family, friends, and pets. She also loves to sing and enjoys traveling.

Sameer Jain
Sameer Jain
Sameer Jain is a native of India and a passionate advocate for a scientific and data-driven approach to raising awareness against labor and sex trafficking. As a subject matter expert on labor trafficking, Sameer focuses particularly on cases involving individuals or groups who are moved to the United States through legal channels, often under the guise of legitimate employment opportunities. Having moved to the U.S. on a visa for specialty occupations, Sameer spent much of his life in a white-collar profession. Despite his educational, social, and financial background, he became a survivor of labor trafficking. His journey fuels his resolve to prevent others from experiencing similar exploitation. Sameer actively works to raise awareness of human trafficking at the federal, state, and local government levels. He is especially committed to engaging faith-based organizations and ethnic minority-serving communities as vital partners in identifying, preventing, and responding to trafficking. His advocacy includes speaking engagements with governmental and non-governmental organizations across the country, where he highlights the complexities and underreported realities of labor trafficking in the U.S. He currently serves on the United States National Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, where he contributes lived experience and subject expertise to influence national policy and strategy. In July 2025, Sameer joined the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Board of Directors and was featured on Episode 4 of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center’s Imagine Freedom Podcast, where he shares his powerful story and insights on creating systemic change.
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Imagine Freedom 2026
2026-01-29 17:30 - 19:00 | FSU College of Law Rotunda, 425 West Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL, 32306
Imagine Freedom 2026 is the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center’s premier annual gratitude-filled reception, where we celebrate the changemakers and advocates who stand with human trafficking survivors and those who have fortified our world against sex and labor trafficking. It brings together friends from all parts of our community to demonstrate how we can ignite a Community In Action and build a world of Freedom Rising for survivors of sex and labor trafficking. This year’s theme is “Freedom Rising: Community In Action.”
Learn More About Imagine Freedom 2026
Event Location:
FSU College of Law Rotunda
425 West Jefferson St.
Tallahassee, FL 32306

*RESCHEDULED* - BBCAHT Quarterly Meeting
2026-02-12 14:00 - 15:00
BIG BEND COALITION AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (BBCAHT) MEETING
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2026 AT 2:00 PM.
Leon County Sheriff’s Office, 2825 Municipal Way, Tallahassee, FL 32304

(CANCELED) Learn How to Prevent Human Trafficking in Tallahassee
2026-02-17 17:30 - 19:00
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Schools & the Law: Hidden in Plain Sight – How Schools Can Prevent and Identify Human Trafficking and Provide Trauma-Informed Responses to Child Survivors
2026-02-20 13:00 - 14:30
This webinar provides an overview of Florida’s legal framework governing child trafficking and its intersection with public education. Speakers will discuss how educators and school personnel can help prevent trafficking by equipping students with the knowledge to recognize and report exploitation. The session will also cover how school staff can identify students who may be survivors of trafficking and respond effectively using trauma-informed practices. Speakers will give particular attention to legal and educational obligations when addressing discipline, including expulsions, suspensions, and chronic absenteeism, to ensure that responses appropriately accommodate a survivor‑student’s trauma history. This program will be relevant to community members who are parents or caregivers, faculty, staff, and students, law enforcement and justice system representatives, non-profit agencies, and private-sector representatives, and anyone who wishes to learn more about the vital role schools can play in ending human trafficking.
Register Now

About the Presenters:
Paolo Annino, JD, PhD, Glass Professor of Public Interest Law, Distinguished University Scholar, Public Interest Law Center, FSU College of Law
Clinical Professor Paolo Annino is a national leader in helping children in the health care, juvenile justice, and criminal law systems. Professor Annino is the Glass Professor of Public Interest Law and a Distinguished University Scholar at Florida State University College of Law. Annino is the Co-Director of the FSU College of Law Public Interest Law Center, and the Director of the Health Care Access Project, the Children in Prison Project, the Human Trafficking-Exploitation Law Project, and the Solitary Confinement Project. Professor Annino has taught at the FSU College of Law Public Interest Law Center since 1995. He earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Fordham University and a J.D. from FSU College of Law. Before teaching at FSU College of Law, Annino practiced public interest law as a public defender and as a legal services attorney.

Professor Emmalyn Dalton, Clinical Professor, Children’s Advocacy Clinic, Public Interest Law Center, FSU College of Law
Emmalyn Dalton joined FSU Law in 2023 as a fellow with the Children’s Advocacy Clinic. Dalton mentors students in the Children’s Advocacy Clinic, advocates and supervises students at all Children’s Advocacy Clinic court hearings, and provides the students with case guidance. She also organizes law reform projects and facilitates student community outreach presentations. Prior to joining FSU Law, Dalton worked as an assistant public defender with the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida, representing juvenile clients. While a student at the College of Law, she participated in the Children’s Advocacy Clinic and the Children in Prison Project and was involved in the creation of a documentary about the realities of solitary confinement for children in the adult prison system. Also, while a law student, Dalton completed an internship with the FSU College of Social Work’s Institute for Family Violence Studies, where she assisted in the creation of an online course for judges on intimate partner violence.

Emma Smith, Human Trafficking and Exploitation Project (HELP) law student, FSU College of Law
Emma Smith is a second-year law student at Florida State University College of Law and a legal advocate with the FSU Children’s Advocacy Clinic. Her work is driven by a calling to secure justice and safety for children navigating the legal system.

Valerie Busto, Human Trafficking and Exploitation Project (HELP) law student, FSU College of Law
Valerie Busto is a 2L law student at FSU College of Law. She is a student advocate at the FSU Children’s Advocacy Clinic and is working alongside Professor Paulo Annino with the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Law Project and the Children in Prison Project.

Dr. Michelle Gayle – Deputy Superintendent, Leon County Schools
As the Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services, Dr. Gayle oversees School Board Administration, Intervention Services (Attendance, Foster Care, Families in Transition), Office of Admissions, Charter School, Homeschool, School Choice, Health Services, Mental Health Services, Marketing, Volunteers & Mentors, Community Partners, District Advisory Council (DAC), Student District Advisory Council (SDAC), and the Foundation for Leon County Schools.

Emma Champman
Emma Chapman is a second-year law student at Florida State University College of Law and a legal advocate with the FSU Children’s Advocacy Clinic. She is driven by a passion to fight for safety, security, and a bright future for every child through legal advocacy and community-wide awareness.

Accompanying Materials
1003.42. Required Instruction
1006.481. Human trafficking awareness training
6A-1.094124. Required Instruction Planning and Reporting.
OPPAGA 2025 Report on Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
USF 2025 Lab Report
Schools & the Law: Hidden in Plain Sight
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

BBCAHT Quarterly Meeting
2026-02-26 14:00 - 15:00
BIG BEND COALITION AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (BBCAHT) MEETING
Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Leon County Sheriff’s Office, 2825 Major James Morgan Jr. Way, Tallahassee, FL 32304

Virtual Release of the Council's 2025 Annual Report
2026-03-12 14:00 - 15:30
The members of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking invite you to attend the virtual release of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking’s 2025 Annual Report.
March 12, 2026 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET
This event will take place via Zoom.
Register here while space is available: https://icf.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/FdHBn-9DROCxnWie20wqwg#/registration

Shine Together: BRIGHT Networking Event
2026-03-20 10:00 - 15:00
Friday, March 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Registration begins at 9:30 AM
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Campus
200 6th Ave South St., Petersburg, FL 33701
RSVP with the QR code below.

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Mar 2026 - CANCELLED)
2026-03-20 13:00 - 14:30
STAC will not host a Third Friday Webinar in March. We encourage you to attend one of STAC’s past informative webinars. You can receive a certificate of attendance from STAC if you attend. You can find these webinars here: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/training-education-resources/
The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) Third Friday Webinar Series Program is dedicated to educating everyone about the critical issue of human trafficking. This interactive series aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the various facets of human trafficking, from its root causes and methods of operation to the profound impact it has on survivors, their families, workplaces, and society both in our home towns and worldwide.
Throughout this series, we will explore the complexities of human trafficking, featuring expert insights from sex and labor trafficking survivors, law enforcement officials, anti-trafficking advocates, legal professionals, and researchers. Each session will delve into specific topics, including the impact of social media and the trafficking of youth online, identification of trafficking situations, familial trafficking, the often hidden realities of labor trafficking, the psychological and physical toll on survivors, legal frameworks and strategies, and promising practices designed for prevention and intervention.
Our goal is to empower participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize, prevent, and safely respond to both sex and labor trafficking. Whether you are a concerned citizen, a professional in a related field, a faith community member, and educator, a business person, or someone seeking to make a difference, this webinar series will provide valuable information and actionable steps to support survivors and fortify your family and community. Join us and contribute to the global fight against this exploitation.
Webinar descriptions, registration, and speaker info: Coming Soon
======================
STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

WorldWE 2026 Stand Program Training, Beyond Exit: Addressing Criminalization & Building Long-Term Sustainability for Trafficking Survivors
2026-04-02 14:00 - 15:30
Led by STAC Consultant and Stand Trainer, Jamie Rosseland, participants will explore how the criminal justice system intersects with trafficking, and what meaningful long-term support for trafficking survivors who have been in the criminal justice system should look like beyond immediate exit services.

Register Now

Framework Survivor Panel: Mental Health Needs of Labor Trafficking Survivors
2026-04-10 13:00 - 14:30
This panel centers the insight and resilience of survivors, exploring how different forms of labor trafficking shape mental health and recovery. Featuring six survivors with lived experience, the discussion will highlight the mental health impacts of trafficking and the supports that help survivors heal and rebuild.
The conversation will also address key factors affecting recovery, including mental health needs, immigration-related uncertainty, and the role of economic stability as a protective factor—offering practical insights for service providers supporting survivors.

Register Here

Human Trafficking is Real: Do You Know What It Really Is?
2026-04-14 11:30 - 12:30
Join us for an important and eye-opening conversation on Real Talk with Judy Live Radio Show: “Human Trafficking is Real: Do You Know What It Really Is?”
Hosted by Dr. Judy Mandrell (Tampa Bay Gospel Radio Host of the Year & 2024 Praise & Worship Black History Concert Radio Host of the Year), this powerful discussion will feature special guests:

Lorie Asifor-Tuoyo, MSN, CHW – Community Health Worker
Robin Hassler Thompson – Executive Director, STAC

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 11:30 AM EST
Listen Live On-Air:
Tune in via Hallelujah 95.3 FM (Tallahassee’s Inspiration Station) or stream online at:

www.Hallelujah953.com
www.RealTalkWithJudy.com

Watch LIVE on Social Media:
We’ll also be streaming live on Facebook and Instagram — join the conversation in real time!

Human Trafficking is Real: Do You Know What It Really Is? (Re-broadcast)
2026-04-16 18:00 - 19:00
If you missed Tuesday’s powerful conversation, here’s your chance to tune in! Join us for the rebroadcast of Real Talk with Judy Live Radio Show: “Human Trafficking is Real: Do You Know What It Really Is?”
Hosted by Dr. Judy Mandrell (Tampa Bay Gospel Radio Host of the Year & 2024 Praise & Worship Black History Concert Radio Host of the Year), this powerful discussion will feature special guests:

Lorie Asifor-Tuoyo, MSN, CHW – Community Health Worker
Robin Hassler Thompson – Executive Director, STAC

Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST
Listen Live On-Air:
Tune in via Hallelujah 95.3 FM (Tallahassee’s Inspiration Station) or stream online at:

www.Hallelujah953.com
www.RealTalkWithJudy.com

Stay connected with Real Talk with Judy on Facebook and YouTube for more impactful conversations.
