Survive and Thrive

How Do I Recognize Human Trafficking?
2023-10-23 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) has created an anti-human trafficking training program called STACPRO. This program is a free, online, on-demand training, funded by Leon County and the City of Tallahassee, designed specifically to empower businesses, workplaces, and employees with greater knowledge about how to recognize and respond if they suspect sex and labor trafficking in our area.
With the community’s support, STAC is building a network of people and organizations who stand with survivors and work together to prevent human trafficking. Please join us on Monday, October 23rd from 6-7:30pm in the Parish Hall at St. Peter’s for a customized in-person training session for the faith community!

Human Trafficking and the African American Community: Myths, Realities, and Taking Action
2023-10-20 13:00 - 14:30
WATCH ON YOUTUBE
Presenters:
Brianna Rogers, CEO, BriSafe
Khia Thomas, Founder, Infinite Public Relations
Description:
Traffickers target people who are vulnerable in almost any way. Factors that place Black women and girls, and men and boys, at greater risk include unstable housing, involvement in the criminal justice or child welfare system, mental and behavioral health/high suicide rates. According to the U.S. State Department: Human traffickers disproportionately target those in positions of socioeconomic or political vulnerability due to discriminatory policies, who are often people of color or part of a racial minority. While U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking have grown in magnitude and sophistication over the years, the United States still struggles with how to address the disparate effects of human trafficking on racial minority communities. To be truly effective, a comprehensive approach to prosecution, protection, and—most of all—prevention must embed racial justice and equity across its policies and programs. (2021)
This program will feature a lively and informative conversation. We will address questions such as, “What can we do better to recognize the impact of decades of discrimination and disproportionate treatment of people of color, especially in the African-American community?” and “How does this reality affect the prevention and support for victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking?”
Presentation resources:
Sex Trafficking Fact sheet
Acknowledging Historical and Ongoing Harm

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

Big Bend Area Health Education Center 2023 Community Resource Fair
2023-10-14 10:00 - 14:00 | Gadsden County Courthouse Greenspace, 10 E. Jefferson St., Qunicy, FL, 32351, United States
Free health and community resources for Spanish-speaking communities and more! Includes legal and screening services.
Download Brochure Download Brochure in Spanish

OWH Informational Webinar Series: HHS Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls
2023-10-05 10:00 - 11:00
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) is seeking innovative ways to address human trafficking prevention among women and girls in the United States through the HHS Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking.
OWH will be hosting an informational webinar for those who are interested in participating in the competition. The webinar will take place Thursday, October 5, 2023 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am ET. Please use the registration below to join and visit Challenge.gov or contact TraffickingChallenge@hhs.gov if you have any questions.
Register Now

Florida’s Human Trafficking Summit
2023-10-03 09:00 - 17:00
Florida’s Human Trafficking Summit brings together local, state, and national leaders working to eradicate all forms of trafficking. Learning opportunities created at the Human Trafficking Summit will allow Florida to continue working to protect victims, prevent trafficking, and prosecute traffickers.
Register Now

Trauma Informed Services and Resources for Human Trafficking Survivors
2023-09-26 15:00 - 16:30
Join us on September 26th for a panel discussion features experienced service providers, all working in the anti-trafficking sphere. Participants will hear from Dr. Beth Bowman, Assistant Professor of Social Work Gallaudet University and CEO of Restoring Ivy Collective, Liz Kimbel, Maryland Regional Director for Restoring Ivy Collective, Jewell Copeland, Baltimore City Human Trafficking Regional Navigator and Center for Hope Anti-Trafficking and Exploitation Program Supervisor, and Natalie Bishop, Esq. Staff Attorney (Immigration and Human Trafficking Focus) for the Sexual Assault Legal Institute.
With the upcoming October 1st enactment of the Safe Harbor Bill, that will protect child survivors from being prosecuted for certain crimes that are a direct result of the trafficking, this webinar will explore each of the panelists’ professional experiences working with different populations of human trafficking survivors and discuss the resources they use and the trauma informed approaches they employ in their work. Participants will learn more about this new law and gain practical insights, tools, and advice they can use when working with human trafficking survivors.
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Identifying Human Trafficking in Domestic Violence Relationships: How OTIP Letters and Certifications Can Enhance Access to Public Benefits and Services for Survivors of Trafficking and Their Children
2023-09-20 08:00 - 17:00
Identifying human trafficking within domestic violence improves victim safety and also expedites protection, work authorization, and victims’ access to public benefits access. This webinar will offer tips and tools to identify human trafficking by intimate partners and family members, discuss new DHS policies on domestic violence and involuntary servitude, and explore how survivors and their children benefit from being identified as victims of human trafficking. Expert staff from the HHS Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) will discuss federal trafficking definitions, the benefits and services foreign-born victims of sex and labor trafficking receive through OTIP certification letters and child trafficking victim eligibility letters, and interim assistance that may be available to child trafficking victims. This webinar aims to assist professionals in promptly identifying trafficking victims, enabling them to access state and federal public benefits and to receive case management support from OTIP.
Register Now

20th Annual International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference
2023-09-20 - 2023-09-22
Join us for the 20th Annual International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference hosted virtually on September 20-22, 2023.
Register for the conference!
You don’t want to miss this one. TWENTY years strong!
You are invited to virtually connect with our growing community of global anti-trafficking advocates committed to social justice. This year will be our largest conference to date with 115+ live and on-demand webinars to rewatch & access for up to three weeks after the conference!
Our virtual 3-day conference will not only include the latest information from experts in the field of human trafficking and social justice, but will also feature virtual vendors booths, art exhibits, networking opportunities, and giveaways!
This year will be our 20th anniversary!
To make this year extra special, we will be hosting a Virtual Kick-Off Event on Tuesday, September 19th @ 6-7 pm Eastern Time. We will also be launching our exclusive 20th anniversary t-shirt which you could have a chance to win or purchase for yourself.
Register for the conference!

Florida’s Expungement Laws: Helping Survivors of Human Trafficking
2023-09-15 13:00 - 14:30
Download the presentation slides
When a youth or an adult victim/survivor of human trafficking is arrested – whether or not they are prosecuted – they can suffer lifelong personal and practical impacts. Trauma associated with an arrest can haunt them throughout their life. A criminal record can hurt their ability to be economically secure, to get a job or education, and to rebuild their lives and heal. Because these crimes happened while they were being trafficked, Florida law provides a way to help and clear, or “expunge,” their criminal histories.
This month’s program will explain the law on 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. If you are a professional or community member who is in actual or potential contact with sex and labor trafficking survivors or anyone who might be vulnerable, you need to know about expungement.
Approved by the Florida Bar for 2 CLE credit hours (Download FLBAR Approval)
Speaker:
Brent Woody
Lead Attorney/Executive Director, Justice Restoration Center
This free certificate webinar is one of the “Third Friday” community training events hosted by BBCAHT and STAC to inform and engage the North Florida community and beyond. We are happy to extend this invitation to friends and colleagues – please join us!

Do you have any access needs or accommodation requests that you would like STAC to know about? Contact our team at stac@surviveandthriveadvocacy.org or call 850-597-2080.

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

Human Trafficking Webinar Series - Centering the Experience of Boys, Young Men, and Male Identifying Students in Human Trafficking
2023-09-13 15:00 - 16:30
Click here to Register!
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of Education has conducted a webinar series to address child and youth trafficking in America’s schools. The series draws attention to the important efforts underway in our nation’s education community to address both sex and labor trafficking.
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join the next webinar in this series, Centering the Experience of Boys, Young Men, and Male Identifying Students in Human Trafficking.
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
3:00 – 4:30 pm EDT
Boys, young men, and male identifying youth are often overlooked when it comes to recognizing and preventing human trafficking. In this webinar, we will explore how and why that is, and how methods of supporting males can differ from females. Researchers will present data dispelling the myth that exploitation of children is a problem that only affects cisgender girls and young women, as well as data showing that boys and male identifying youth are, in fact, frequently exploited and trafficked. The webinar will also include a panel discussion to better understand the experiences of male and male identifying youth who have experienced human trafficking, featuring experts with lived experience and educators working directly with youth in school anti-trafficking programs. We will end the webinar with a live Q&A where we will respond to your questions related to centering and supporting these youth in anti-trafficking work.
Speakers/Panelists

Jose Lewis Alfaro, Lived Experience Expert & Consultant
Jerome Elam, President and CEO Trafficking in America Task Force, Survivor Leader, FL
Jodi de la Peña, Grant Manager, Human Trafficking Prevention, Oakland Unified School District, CA
Jose (Peps) Garcia, Newcomer Safety Initiative, Program Manager, Oakland Unified School District, CA
Caroline Greig, Anti-Trafficking Initiatives Program Director, WestCoast Children’s Clinic, CA
David Perry, Health Data Research Analyst, WestCoast Children’s Clinic, CA

Click here to Register!

Survive and Thrive Advocacy Training
2023-09-10 09:45 - 10:45 | Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1700 North Meridian Road, Tallahassee, FL, 32303, United States
CHEERS Sunday School is inviting us to join them in Sanders Hall on September 10th for a training presentation by Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center so that we can all be a part of ending human trafficking in our community.
How Do I Recognize Human Trafficking?
The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) has created an anti-human trafficking training program called STACPRO. This program is a free, online, on-demand training, funded by Leon County and the City of Tallahassee, designed specifically to empower businesses, workplaces, and employees with greater knowledge about how to recognize and respond if they suspect sex and labor trafficking in our area.
Be Part of the Solution
With the community’s support, STAC is building a network of people and organizations who stand with survivors and work together to prevent human trafficking. Please join us on Sunday, September 10th at 9:45AM in Sander’s Hall for a customized in-person training session for the faith community!
Learn more about STAC’s work to assist human trafficking survivors and empower communities with the tools to recognize, report and prevent trafficking at www.surviveandthriveadvocacy.org
Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) and/or their officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents, contractors, or partners assume no legal liability or responsibility for the actions or inactions of training attendees resulting from or following this training. Each individual taking this course will take personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others.
For more information or sharing, please download our flyer: https://www.saintpaulsumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/STACPRO-Flyer-SPUMC.pdf

Labor Trafficking: Trends and Case Studies in Florida
2023-08-18 13:00 - 14:30
Since the Trafficking Victims Protection Act was passed in 2000, Florida has seen a variety of labor trafficking cases throughout the state. Join industry leaders for an in-depth discussion about current trends and labor trafficking cases. We’ll also discuss important lessons learned from these cases that will help identify future cases and assist future human trafficking survivors.
Speakers:

Cristobal Perez
Deputy Director of Programs and Data
Coalition for Independent Living Options
Cristobal Perez is an educational psychologist who obtained his bachelor’s degree in Denver, Colorado and his master’s degree in Santiago, Chile. For over 14 years he has supervised non-profit social workers and provided training for healthcare providers, social service agencies, federal and local law enforcement agencies and community associations. He currently works as the deputy director of programs and data for the Coalition for Independent Living Options, Inc. (CILO), a non-profit agency that works with children and adults with disabilities in West Palm Beach, FL.I n his position he analyzes agency-wide programmatic data and provides oversight and management of the Information & Referral, Food Pantry, Social Security Advocacy, and Treasure Coast Services staff. In addition to his role in CILO, Cristobal is also a consultant working on subjects related to vulnerable populations like unaccompanied refugee minors and victims of sex and labor trafficking. A published author and academic guest lecturer, Cristobal has received local and national recognition for his work on human trafficking.

Sue Aboul-hosn
Regional Human Trafficking Coordinator
Florida Department of Children and Families
Sue Aboul-hosn began her career identifying human trafficking victims among DCF’s missing children in 2003. Today, she provides expert guidance to child protective investigators and case managers and develops and implements policies, procedures and training that assists in identifying and determining the appropriate services for victims of human trafficking. She is a qualified expert witness in child risk assessment, is a contributing author to the academia textbook Human Trafficking: A Systemwide Public Safety and Community Approach (August 2017) and has published two research articles including “Human Trafficking Victimization among Youth Who Run Away from Foster Care (2018)” and “Child Labor Trafficking within the US: A First Look at Allegations Investigated by Florida’s Child Welfare Agency (2019).” Sue is six sigma green belt certified, a graduate of the Florida Child Welfare Leadership Academy (2010), St. Thomas University of Law John J. Burnetti Human Trafficking Academy (2018) and the NHTTAC Human Trafficking Leadership Academy (2019).
Do you have any access needs or accommodation requests that you would like STAC to know about? Contact our team at stac@surviveandthriveadvocacy.org or call 850-597-2080.

Register Now!

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

National Human Trafficking Prevention Summit Livestream
2023-08-03 - 2023-08-04
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, January Contreras, Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families invites you to join the National Human Trafficking Prevention Summit Livestream on August 3-4, 2023.
Tune in to hear from experts across multiple sectors and discuss best practices in prevention.
Visit Summit Website

From Stonewall to Stonewalled: Recognizing and Addressing LGBTQ+ Barriers in Rural and Urban Human Trafficking Service Models
2023-07-21 13:00 - 14:30
The LGBTQ+ community is a broad community that encompasses folks from various racial backgrounds, abilities, faiths, genders, socioeconomic statuses, and nearly every other identifiable way of grouping people. As we know, anyone can be a survivor of trafficking, including LGBTQ+ folks who exist across a spectrum of marginalization. The identities of queer people often become politicized, relegated, and a source for oppression. Compounding factors, including societal ostracization and poverty, can lead to increased vulnerabilities that can culminate into human trafficking, homelessness, and anxiety related to traditional service implementation models. There is even further divide in the effectiveness in service provision and outreach in rural and urban areas. This webinar will offer a deep dive into the unique situations of LGBTQ+ people and how those manifest into trafficking, as well as the nuances in rural versus urban service implementation for queer survivors seeking housing stability.
Download – Stonewall to Stonewalled Presentation slides

Presenter: Danni Hickey, Anti-Trafficking Housing Specialist, International Rescue Committee
Danni Hickey (They/She/He) graduated from Florida State University in the summer of 2019 with a degree in History, and a minor in Gender Studies. From there, Danni began working in the human services field. Danni began their career running a temporary homeless shelter for The Salvation Army of Tallahassee and upon successful completion of the grant, moved into the permanent role of case manager. Following a tenure with The Salvation Army, Danni transitioned to Catholic Charities where they served as Program Specialist for the Tallahassee office. At Catholic Charities, Danni executed and oversaw the housing programs offered by the agency in 8 counties. Currently, Danni serves as the Housing Specialist for survivors of trafficking on behalf of the International Rescue Committee. Through this position, Danni assists survivors with accessing shelter and permanent housing. Along the way, Danni has been engaging with a two-year program to achieve a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration. For the graduation requirement for the MPA, Danni conducted a comparative study on urban and rural emergency shelter programs for LGBTQ+ folks and effectiveness of addressing housing insecurity. Danni was awarded an Exemplary Award for this work by the Reubin O’D Askew School of Public Administration & Policy. Danni’s passions are advocacy and community organizing as it pertains to queer rights and autonomy. Danni believes in using individual voices to lift communities into equality, sustainability, and independence regardless of age, identity, ability, or background.

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

Building a Human-Centered Community: Empowering Human Trafficking Survivors and Fostering Non-Violence
2023-06-16 13:00 - 14:30
The Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking (BBCAHT) and The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) invite you to participate in BBCAHT’s Monthly 3rd Friday Community Training Program:
Building a Human-Centered Community: Empowering Human Trafficking Survivors and Fostering Non-Violence
This free webinar is one of the “Third Friday” community training events hosted by BBCAHT and STAC to inform and engage the North Florida community and beyond. We are happy to extend this invitation to friends and colleagues.
Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking webinar that explores the critical topic of creating a community where nonviolence becomes the answer to human-centered action. In this webinar, we will explore the interconnectedness between anti-trafficking services and the creation of a better community, recognizing that focusing solely on the former exposes individuals to continued violence and retraumatization in various systems and circumstances.
To understand the implications of violence within our society, we will draw upon the words of Coretta Scott King, who powerfully stated, “I must remind you that starving a child is violence. Neglecting school children is violence. Punishing a mother and her family is violence. Discrimination against a working man is violence. Ghetto housing is violence. Ignoring medical need is violence. Contempt for poverty is violence.” These words will serve as a foundation for our exploration of the ways in which systems can perpetuate violence and harm.
We will delve into the experiences of survivors who have navigated these systems despite the inherent violence within them. By centering survivors in our work, we can gain valuable insights into creating systems that do not subject individuals to repeated violence, trauma, and retraumatization. Throughout the webinar, we will emphasize the importance of collective action in dismantling violent systems and creating social safety nets that protect and support vulnerable populations. By fostering nonviolence through people, places, and policies, we can build a community that prioritizes the well-being and dignity of all its members.
Whether you are an advocate, a survivor, a community leader, or someone passionate about human rights and social justice, this webinar will provide valuable insights and practical strategies for effecting positive change in your community. Join us as we embark on this important journey toward a more compassionate, inclusive, and nonviolent society.
Presenters:
Kristin Murray is a native of Jacksonville, Florida and is the creator of Authentic Witness. Kristin graduated from Florida A&M University with a BS in Journalism and an MA in Strategic Communication and Digital Strategy from the University of Oklahoma. She has always been fascinated with the life stories of other people and believes that people sharing those stories (giving witness) is a way to spread knowledge and healing. Kristin has worked as a teacher, journalist, and has spent almost a decade in the non-profit sector. During that time she has worked on several certifications around trauma, narrative storytelling and healing centered approaches. Most recently, Kristin has completed her journey as a certified breathwork practitioner to help people soothe their somatic systems and reconnect with their inner most self.
Across all of her career paths, three things have remained consistent for Kristin-the value of human connection, the power of the human narrative and the ability for each individual to live embodied. Kristin works with individuals, non-profits and corporations to deepen connection with self and build relationships with others. In every place she steps into, Kristin believes in giving witness. She gathers people to connect over food, stories and personhood. She wants people to remember, “Be you, here. We’ll love you-even the broken bits. This is a place where your innermost self gets illuminated, nurtured and loved. It’s a place where you can give witness-authentically.”
Jamie Rosseland is a consultant in the field of anti-trafficking work with expertise in the program development and implementation for victims and survivors of sexual exploitation, trauma-competent and survivor-centered digital marketing and outreach strategies, and most recently, working on policy guides and research projects. She has been active in local government and statewide level policy advocacy. Through sharing her lived experiences and unique perspective, Jamie is committed to change the cultural view of the sex trade, addressing systems that drive demand, and confronting gender inequality.
Jamie has experience providing mentorship, court advocacy, and care coordination to youth impacted by sexual exploitation as part of the Open Doors Outreach Network with the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center. She has presented at countless community events, statewide summits, and national conferences. Currently, Jamie serves on the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice’s State Advisory Group. She is a Social Science Scholar at Florida State University, where she is working on earning her undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary social science.
In 2018, Jamie won the Survivor Advocate of the Year award presented by the Florida Attorney General for her outstanding work with exploited youth. In 2021, the United Nations published the Delta 8.7 Justice Policy Guide, which Jamie contributed to as a working group member. Additionally, Jamie recently guest appeared on the New York Times podcast, The Argument, addressing the intersection of anti-trafficking work and pro-sex work technologies.
Download the slides from the presentation

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

Responding to Foreign National Minor Victims of Trafficking
2023-06-07 14:00 - 16:00
This training will help participants understand the resources available to assist foreign national minor victims of sex and labor trafficking as well as the reporting requirements under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended. Participants will receive an overview of the process to submit a Request for Assistance to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) as well as gain an understanding of Interim Assistance Letters, Eligibility Letters, and the benefits and services provided to minors who are potential and determined victims of trafficking.
Join the Zoom webinar using passcode [REDACTED].

Free CME Training: ANTI-TRAFFICKING in HEALTHCARE : MAY31st
2023-05-31 20:30 - 21:30
American Medical Women’s Association-Physicians against the trafficking of humans is hosting a LIFT [Learn to Identify & Fight Trafficking] training May 31st at 530p PST.
FREE CME : MD/DO/PA/NP/Nursing/SW FREE curriculum designed to give health care professionals in-depth training about human trafficking. The LIFT series highlights the scope and reach of human trafficking in the U.S., equips participants to recognize the signs of trafficking, and provides connections to trustworthy local resources.
Hosted By:
Pediatric General & Thoracic SURGERY -Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital- Wednesday, May 31, 2023 | 5:30 PM – 8:30pM PST ZOOM WEBINAR w/ LOCAL EXPERT PANEL
REGISTER
Please contact Upinder Sidhu: upindsidhu@gmail.com

When Human Trafficking Comes to Work
2023-05-19 13:00 - 14:30
The Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking (BBCAHT) and The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC)
invite you to participate in BBCAHT’s Monthly 3rd Friday Community Training Program:
When Human Trafficking Comes to Work
This free webinar one of the “Third Friday” community training events hosted by BBCAHT and STAC to inform and engage the North Florida community and beyond. We are happy to extend this invitation to friends and colleagues – please join us!
Sex and labor trafficking victims, adults and youth, are trafficked and exploited in plain sight, including at our area businesses and workplaces. How can we as employees, managers, workers and customers recognize and respond to trafficking that protect the bottom line and our businesses from liability? How can we help keep trafficking victims and the workplace safer? This interactive webinar is a live presentation of the online STACPRO training program and will provide vital information for: anyone working in an office, child welfare, businesses like restaurants or retail establishments, the financial sector, non-profit/social services agencies, the faith community, the justice system, and any organization large or small. While STACPRO is available online, attending this LIVE event means you can ask questions and participate with one other attendees.
Accreditation: 2.0 hours of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits from The Florida Bar; Certified by FL Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation for mandated human trafficking training for public lodging establishments; Professional Development, Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.
Presenters: Robin Hassler Thompson, Executive Director and Graciela Marquina, Community Services Advocate, STAC

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

Mobile Law Clinic April 26, 2023
2023-04-26 12:00 - 14:00 | Jake Gaither Community Center, 801 Bragg Drive, Tallahassee, FL, 32305, United States
The next Mobile Law Clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26, from noon until 2 p.m., at the Jake Gaither Community Center, to assist Leon County’s Promise Zone and low-income residents in civil law matters.

Connecting the Dots: The Links Between Substance Use and Human Trafficking
2023-04-21 13:00 - 14:30
Presenter: Marina Anderson, Regional Human Trafficking Coordinator, Northeast and Northwest Regions, Florida Department of Children and Families
One of the most effective and influential techniques that human traffickers use to coerce, manipulate, and exploit their victims – both youth and adults – is with drugs and alcohol. This presentation will provide an overview of factors that link human trafficking tactics of control to substances and how communities can know more to respond safely and effectively.
Traffickers commonly use substances to prey on a person’s vulnerabilities and recruit them into labor and sex trafficking. They may introduce them to drugs and alcohol or target individuals with existing substance use disorders to lure and recruit them into a trafficking situation. The trafficker can more easily control the victim once they are addicted and keep the victim in a trafficking situation. Substances are used as rewards or punishments, and to decrease the victim’s ability to resist trafficking and other abuses. Victims may also use substances as a coping mechanism both during and after being trafficked, in response to trauma.
Human traffickers are highly skilled manipulators that target a person’s vulnerability. A person with a substance use disorder is in one of the most vulnerable categories of trafficked persons. Someone who has an addiction may be seeking ways to support their drug habit or dependence and traffickers are actively searching for people with these vulnerabilities to exploit. Traffickers use substances as a means of coercion, to get victims to obey their demands, work longer hours, comply to their rules, decrease attempts to leave their abusive situation, and keep them in the life. Many victims also use substances as a means of coping with past or current trauma. Furthermore, victims often engage in forced criminality, a form of labor trafficking, as their traffickers require them to participate in criminal activities.
This topic has a wide reach and this webinar will be helpful to anyone who has contact with adults or minors who are trafficked or who are at risk including the justice system (law enforcement, prosecution, advocates, judges and judicial staff), child welfare, non-profits and advocates, human resource professionals, healthcare, businesses, the faith community, students and education professionals and staff, substance use disorder programs, and the many in the community at-large.
See slides for this event.
Additional links from the presentation:
What does trafficking look like? 1-800-the-lost (watch video)
Former Trafficking Victim Describes Her Ordeal and Rescue (watch video)
All American Girl – Heroin Super Bowl Commercial (watch video)

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

Reimagine Financial Literacy for Survivors
2023-04-19 13:00 - 14:00
Financial literacy is considered a key component of economic empowerment for many service providers in the anti-trafficking and domestic violence field. However, topics like budgeting, savings and managing credit do not always meet the immediate financial needs of survivors. For financial literacy awareness month, this webinar will highlight a panel of service providers who have expanded and reimagined their approach to financial support for survivors.
Webinar Learning Objectives
By the end of this webinar, the learner will be better able to:

Understand the financial needs of survivors.
Identify the limitations to financial literacy programs and resources for survivors.
Recognize best practices in financial literacy and capital building for survivors.

When: Wednesday April 19, 2023
Time: 10:00-11:00pm PST/ 1:00-2:00pm EST
Platform: Zoom Virtual Meeting
REGISTER

Bon Secours St. Francis Health System - 5th Annual Seminar on Human Trafficking: Responding Together
2023-04-04 08:00 - 12:30
On Tuesday, April 4th, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System will be hosting our 5th Annual Seminar on Human Trafficking: Responding Together. HEAL’s Dr. Hanni Stoklosa was a featured speaker at this event in 2022.
This is a free, multidisciplinary educational event for anyone who may come into contact with victims of sex or labor trafficking in their daily work. Free CME credit is available. Both in-person and virtual attendance options are available, and registration links are below.
Featured Speakers:
Ana Isabel Vallejo, JD – Ms. Vallejo is the Co-Director and lead attorney at VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, human trafficking, and other violent crimes. For almost 20 years, Ms. Vallejo has dedicated her practice to representing survivors of human trafficking, working in collaboration with the US Department of Justice, Criminal Section Civil Rights Division, the US Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that victims of trafficking have access to justice.
Mollie Gordon, MA, MD – Dr. Gordon is an Associate Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine and the Associate Director of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit at Ben Taub Hospital. She co-founded Baylor College of Medicine’s Division of Global Mental Health to treat survivors of torture, trafficking, and mass violence atrocities. Mollie is a co-chair of the American Medical Women’s Association – Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans, a member of the HEAL Trafficking speaker’s bureau, has testified for the National Advisory Council for the Office of Trafficking in Persons, and lectures at national meetings on human trafficking.
Cardell T. Morant – Mr. Morant is the Director of the Center for Countering Human Trafficking for the Department of Homeland Security. With 16 participating component agencies and offices, the CCHT is a DHS-wide effort to advance counter human trafficking law enforcement operations, protect victims, and enhance prevention efforts. Mr. Morant has had a distinguished career with more than 25 years of experience in federal law enforcement. Among other leadership roles, Mr. Morant has also served as the acting Deputy Assistant Director of the HSI Cyber Crimes Center where he was responsible for the child exploitation, computer forensics, and cyber crimes portfolios.
In-person registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bon-secours-st-francis-5th-annual-seminar-on-human-trafficking-tickets-558123411147
Virtual registration: https://bsmh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bp94Ng4dQ3qkBWFU3nOC3A

Health Justice in Practice: Supporting Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence and Exploitation Who are Living with HIV
2023-03-30 12:00 - 13:30
With the movement towards trauma-informed care, many community health center-based HIV and sexual health programs are looking for ways to better support their patients who are experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) or other intersecting forms of exploitation and abuse. HIV care and sexual health providers see the ways that violence and trauma lead to worse health outcomes for their patients and can make it more difficult for patients to stay engaged in care. This webinar will feature providers and advocates from across the country working to promote the health and well-being of survivors living with HIV in clinical settings – and their communities.
Spanish/ASL interpretation will be provided.
REGISTER

Learning More About Anti-Human Trafficking Work and the Blue Campaign
2023-03-17 13:00 - 14:30
With Diego A. Luque Campaign Specialist at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Blue Campaign
This session will give participants information on who the Blue Campaign is and go into detail about its many facets of this campaign. Participants will hear about the multiple audiences the Blue Campaign works with and how we are raising awareness of human trafficking within the general public and other many other sectors and helping people to know how to safely and effectively respond.
Blue Campaign will provide information and resources on how participants can be better equipped to recognize sex and labor trafficking of youth and adults. We will also discuss how to prevent trafficking in our communities and to protect people who are exploited by traffickers in person and online.
Diego A. Luque currently serves as a Campaign Specialist at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Blue Campaign, the Department’s national public awareness campaign to combat human trafficking. In this role, he supports the Prevention portfolio of the Blue Campaign, assisting on decreasing victimization within vulnerable communities and deterring criminal activity.
Presentation slides for Big Bend HT Coalition_March17 (PDF)
Do you have any access needs or accessibility accommodations that you would like STAC to know about? Contact us!

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

Strengthening Domestic and Sexual Violence Programs to Support Trafficking Survivors: Intersections, Equity, Cultural Humility, and Collaborations
2023-03-15 15:00 - 16:30
Systems of inequality increase vulnerability to human trafficking, domestic, and sexual violence. Supporting survivors of human trafficking requires an intersectional and equity-centered lens to decrease barriers to accessing resources. This webinar will review the ways that human trafficking can intersect with domestic and sexual violence, how to engrain equity and cultural responsiveness in your support of survivors, and the power of collaborative relationships to better support and serve survivors.
REGISTER

Presenter: Kiricka Yarbough Smith, Human Trafficking Consultant
Target Audience:
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program Staff and Boards, Anti-Human Trafficking Program Staff and Boards, Anti-human trafficking Task Force Members, other Interested Individuals.
Please share the webinar flyer and registration link with your network: http://go.futureswithoutviolence.org/e/858853/-support-trafficking-survivors/27q922/511189147?h=Q6lAcrgRNepVd2k0jJptP6N1lvZd9zrah0guqJ6oUxg
Have a question?
The Building Collaborative Response to Human Trafficking Project is happy to provide technical assistance on community collaboration and working with human trafficking survivors and can be reached at learning@futureswithoutviolence.org
Wishing you and yours the best of health and healing!
This project is supported by Grant# 15JOVW-21-GK-02211-MUMU, awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

Human Trafficking and Disabilities: What We Need to Know
2023-02-17 13:00 - 14:30
Without adequate social accommodations and supports to create equity, persons with disabilities may be vulnerable to exploitation, including human trafficking. Vulnerabilities may include a lack of access to human trafficking awareness training, legal and victims’ rights advocacy, mental health education and services, societal isolation, and economic support resources as well as challenges with reporting abuse, all of which increase the risk of exploitation. This program will explore human trafficking and disability advocacy realities and what we can do to take action. This discussion is a complement to the hybrid January 26, 2023 program, “The Intersection of Human Trafficking and Persons With Disabilities” and will go deeper, exploring – but not repeating – issues raised there. You do not have to have attended the January 26 program to benefit and learn, but if you wish to view it in advance, you may do so here: https://surviveandthriveadvocacy.org/training-education-resources/
Speakers:
Liz Kimbel, Program Specialist, The Restoring Ivy Collective
CocoEva Soleil LuzGuerrero Alcazar, Consultant with AveMagnolia Consulting
Ashante Taylorcox, MA-MHC, LPC, Founder and Executive Director, You Are More Than, Inc

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 2023: A Champagne Toast!
2023-01-31 17:30 - 19:00
IF 2023 Flyer
A Fundraising Event
To Help Empower Human Trafficking Survivors
January 31, 2023 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Food Glorious Food
1950 Thomasville Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32303
Guests can look forward to a gratitude-filled event where we will honor the changemakers and those who have helped fortify our community against sex and labor trafficking.
We will have:

Trafficking-free foods, treats, and drinks (including alcohol-free beverages)
Community awards and recognition
Ideas on how to get involved
And so much more!

Tickets for Imagine Freedom 2023 are just $25 each. Order your tickets today!

Best Practices for Legal Professionals When Working with Survivors of Human Trafficking
2023-01-26 12:00 - 13:30
Date: Thursday, January 26, Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Location and to Register: Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hHzgBbNJQumzpLcwWDWrYQ
Description: Through this course, practitioners will learn best practices and recommendations to take into consideration when representing child and adult survivors of human trafficking. The session will include a panel of experts representing Survivor Leadership, Clinicians, and Direct Service Providers with a proven track record of serving this population. The facilitator will present panelists with questions related to appropriate language when representing survivors of human trafficking, survivor-centered approach to services, impacts of trauma, collaboration, and advocacy.
Contact: Robin Metcalf Blank Robyn@FloridaAllicanceEndHT.com

The Intersection of Human Trafficking and Persons with Disabilities
2023-01-26 08:30 - 12:00
The Intersection of Human Trafficking and Persons with Disabilities New

Description: Without adequate social accommodations and supports to create equity, persons with disabilities may be vulnerable to exploitation, including human trafficking. Vulnerabilities may include a lack of access to human trafficking awareness training, legal and victims’ rights advocacy, mental health education and services, societal isolation, and economic support resources as well as challenges with reporting abuse, all of which increase the risk of exploitation. This program will examine the intersection of human trafficking and disability rights work and what service providers and communities can do to take action.
Session PowerPoint: Trafficking and Individuals with Disabilities Training
Additional resources:
Restoring Ivy Collective.pdf
Survivors of Sex Trafficking
Featured Speaker Full Bios
Session Agenda
Featured Speakers:
Liz Kimbel, Program Specialist, The Restoring Ivy Collective & Survivor Advocate, The Center on Human Trafficking at Montclair State University;
Christabelle Robinson, Communications and Social Media Specialist, Global Center on Human Trafficking at Montclair State University;
M. Elizabeth Bowman, PhD, LCSW, LICSW-C, Assistant Professor, Gallaudet University and member, Disability Without Abuse Network, Director, Restoring Ivy Collective;
Daynica Harley, Esq., Clinical Professor, FSU College of Law, Public Interest Law Center’s Human Trafficking and Exploitation Law Project;
Jackie Fortmann, Deputy Director, Ability 1st;
Meghan Torres, Program Administrator for Quality Improvement, Agency for Persons with Disabilities; and
Peter Sleasman, Exec. Dir. and Caitlyn Clibbon, Public Policy Analyst, Disability Rights Florida.
This program has been approved by The Florida Bar for 3.5 hours of General CLE Credits
Cost: Free
Do you have any access needs or accessibility accommodations that you would like STAC to know about?
Contact: Robin Hassler Thompson, STAC, 850-597-2080 robin@surviveandthriveadvocacy.org

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

The Roles of Families in Human Trafficking: Participation, Prevention, and Intervention (Part 2)
2023-01-25 15:00 - 16:30
Since 2020, the U.S. Department of Education has conducted a webinar series to address the growing response of America’s schools to child trafficking. The series draws attention to the important efforts underway in our nation’s education community to address both sex and labor trafficking.
On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and in recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join a two-part miniseries focused on the roles of families in human trafficking, including participation, prevention, and intervention.
Part 2: Engaging Families in Preventing and Addressing Human Trafficking
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
3:00 – 4:30 pm EDT
During this second webinar in the two-part miniseries, our subject matter experts will offer a variety of approaches for school personnel to work with families to build protective factors in their children to lessen the risk of victimization and approaches to support students who have been trafficked.
To register for this webinar, go here. Please note this webinar will be archived on its event webpage here, including a recording of the presentation, slides, transcript, speaker information, and related resources.
