is a new organization founded by courageous Kim Biddle, that exists to
PREVENT human trafficking
RESCUE youth from crisis
RESTORE their innocence, health, and dreams
A NIGHT OF EMPOWERING LIVES LAUNCH PARTY
March 7, 2012
THE VICEROY | Santa Monica
The evening was a combination of LA glamor and authentic passion for justice. From the classy modern outdoor setting with its still pools, canopy tents, fragmented mirrors, walls covered in ceramic plates, and a non-hosted bar to the heart of the evening with a short documentary, powerful spoken word performance, and presentation and launch of this incredible organization. People from various backrounds, various industries (artists, hollywood actors [spotted Sarah Foret], fashion designers, human justice advocates, family members, representatives of organizations fighting to abolish slavery in the US and the world).
We spoke with a young woman who is transititioning from being a fashion designer for Forever 21 to opening a venue created specifically for non-profits to host their soirées and publicity events to better raise awareness for causes. She envisions a quality, aesthetically poignant venue that will serve to draw people in, allow them to network and connect, to teach and learn- for the purpose of furthering and prioritizing justice.
We spent the majority of the time speaking with D'lita Miller, a child survivor of sex trafficking and now mother of five, including a daughter who was also a sex trafficking victim and is currently in the court process to get her trafficker prosecuted and convicted. We had heard her speak once before at a anti-human trafficking walk in downtown Los Angeles. Her story is tragic, and yet her resilience and her passion for justice, so beautiful. Only 38 years old and she has already experienced so much- life amongst a gang on the streets, the daily torture of being rent out and sold every day to countless service men, fighting for healing and advocacy, raising her five children and helping out with three grandchildren, fighting for her daughter's case in court, and living so beautifully with the strength and bravery to do everything in her power to abolish slavery and fight for those whose voices, dignity, self-esteem, and childhood have been tortured and brainwashed away.
D'lita is beautiful and so entirely delightful and we enjoyed chatting, laughing together, and discussing the darkness of trafficking. She is so inspiringly strong and now works for Saving Innocence as the Family Support and Outreach Director, advocating for and supporting women and children who have been tortured and oppressed in the rapidly growing trafficking industry.
A truly hope-instilling launch for Saving Innocence. I look forward to seeing their beautiful affect on Los Angeles and aim to see how I can become involved.
canon powershot: saving innocence | © kimberly k taylor, all rights reserved
2 comments:
That place looks SOO awesome! That bookshelf was incredible. I wish, I wish I could have been there to tkae it all in with you and B. :/ Next time!
I was also at this event, but only by chance. I was staying at the hotel that night and asked someone what was going on that evening. I walked in just in time to hear the spoken word. Must say, I can't remember the last time something moved me like that. Definitely getting involved...even though I'm half a world away.
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