Survive and Thrive

Imagine Freedom 2026
2026-01-29 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | 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
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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
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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

When Human Trafficking Comes to Work
2026-04-17 13:00 - 14:30
People are both sex and labor trafficked and exploited at workplaces and in plain sight in every community. How can we as employees, managers, co-workers, customers and clients recognize and respond to trafficking situations in ways that protect trafficking victims and the workplace? Children and adults who are trafficked and who are vulnerable to being trafficked need the eyes and ears of our community’s workforce to know how to recognize trafficking situations and to support them. This webinar is an interactive, live presentation of the online STACPRO training program and will provide vital information for the entire community, including social services, healthcare, the justice system, businesses such as restaurants and retail establishments, non-profit agencies, the faith community, and any organization or workplace, large or small. While STACPRO is available online, the advantage of attending this program LIVE is that you can ask questions and participate with the presenters and other attendees.

Register Now

About the Presenters:
Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services
Dr. Michelle Gayle is 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.

Graciela Marquina, MSW
Graciela Marquina, MSW, is the lead Community Services Advocate for the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, which she helped co-found in 2015. She is also an active member of the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Graciela is a skilled researcher and interviewer, has expertise working with non-profit agencies, and provides training and education on human trafficking to communities across the state and around the globe, including NGO and government agencies.

Stephanie Shumate, Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.
Stephanie Shumate is the Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Stephanie brings almost two decades of community engagement, advocacy initiatives, production management, innovative communication strategies, leadership training, personal development, and group facilitation to the CSWG. Stephanie was most recently Vice President of Client Relations at CATECOMM, a Tallahassee-based Public Relations and Communications firm, and brings experience from her prior career roles with Herff Jones as a Yearbook Specialist and Educator, Executive Director of the Leon County Responsible Decision-Making Coalition, Political Campaign Staff, and Director of The Florida Youth Delegation at The Florida Department of Education. She’s a graduate of Florida State University with a B.A. in Sociology, holds a Certificate in Leadership Studies and Theories, and currently serves as Secretary for the Board of Directors with the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center.

Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA
Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA, is the Executive Director of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC), a non-profit agency she co-founded in 2015 to assist survivors of human trafficking. She is also an active member of the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking. In 2001, she traveled to Bangladesh as part of a U.S. State Department mission, which included a site visit to a trafficking rescue shelter in Dhaka. This trip inspired her to take action to end human trafficking. From 2002 to the present, she has directed numerous local and statewide anti-trafficking projects, lectured extensively on the topics of violence against women and human trafficking, and contributed to many national and international publications and curricula. In addition to her anti-trafficking work, Robin’s areas of expertise include domestic and sexual violence law and policy. She has served on and held leadership positions on local, state, and national boards and commissions.

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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

Credit Repair Clinic for Trafficking Survivors
2026-04-28 11:00 - 17:00
On April 28, 2026, there will be a virtual Credit Repair Clinic for survivors of human trafficking. The deadline to apply to participate in the clinic is March 16, 2026.
The clinic is organized by the Pro Bono Institute and the National Survivor Law Collective. The clinic will provide pro bono legal assistance to survivors seeking to repair credit issues related to their exploitation.
The clinic focuses on remedies available under the Debt Bondage Repair Act, which allows survivors to block harmful credit information that resulted from their trafficking.
Please note that survivors must be referred by an organization authorized to provide Victim Determination Documentation under 12 CFR § 1022.142(b)(1)(i)(2). Service providers who are able to provide this type of documentation can scan the QR code on the flyer to complete the pre-registration questionnaire and determine survivor eligibility.
Pre-Registration Questionnaire: https://airtable.com/appgNkXeNpJEx7a21/pag4HrypfY0sIXf5D/form

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (May 2026)
2026-05-15 13:00 - 14:30
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

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (June 2026)
2026-06-19 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (July 2026)
2026-07-17 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Aug 2026)
2026-08-21 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Sept 2026)
2026-09-18 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Oct 2026)
2026-10-16 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Nov 2026)
2026-11-20 13:00 - 14:30
