Dear Friend,
Why is collaboration half the battle in anti-human trafficking efforts?
When you consider what individuals who have been trafficked need to rebuild their lives, help from different areas probably come to mind. Employment. Housing. Legal services. Even where resources exist, the challenge remains to link together the resources to create a strategic path to survivorhood.
For a trafficking survivor, it is difficult to focus on pursuing an education or job training when you don’t have a safe place to live. But finding safe and stable housing can be almost impossible if you have unresolved legal issues from your trafficking experience (e.g. clearing criminal records or discharging debt forced to accrue by the trafficker).
Colorado and many other states have organizations dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking and providing immediate services, like shelter and therapeutic care. At the same time, many lawyers want to contribute to anti-trafficking efforts, if given a meaningful way to lend their skills.
Recognizing that existing community services need an easier way to collaborate with new talent from the legal community, ALIGHT bridges the two sides. We are building a powerful community to more fully serve the needs of trafficking survivors, and invite you to join us. Learn how you can get involved by meeting the team at our next Happy Hour on June 27th at Two22, or email us at connect@alightnet.org!
In Full Light,
The ALIGHT Team
ALIGHT exists to unlock a fresh start for survivors. We ENVISION a world where every human trafficking survivor connects to a mobilized legal network to rebuild and thrive.
UPCOMING 2018 ALIGHT EVENTS
MAY 19, 2018 THE COLORADO WOMEN’S BAR ASSOCIATION (CWBA) WONDER WOMAN CONFERENCE, VAIL, CO: Attorneys who represent traumatized clients are at increased risk of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma and burnout. At “Be a Superhero while Avoiding Kryptonite: Trauma-Informed Legal Services and Avoiding Compassion Fatigue,” presenters Magistrate Judge Lisa Teesch-Maguire of the 18th Judicial District of CO, Sarah Myers of Colorado Lawyer Assistance Program, Dr. Kristy Eldredge of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Marianna Kosharovsky of ALIGHT will address this unique type of stress and offer tools and communication strategies for more trauma-informed legal services. Register for the conference here.
JUNE 5, 2018 COLORADO ADVOCACY IN ACTION CONFERENCE, VAIL, CO: Human trafficking survivors present with different circumstances and sets of needs at the doors of organizations serving domestic violence, sexual assault, LGBTQI, immigrant and other communities. ALIGHT will offer a workshop entitled “Human Trafficking: Spot the Signs, Identify Legal Needs and Take Next Steps” at this conference co-hosted by Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) and Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA). Register for the conference here.
JUNE 27, 2018 HAPPY HOUR AT TWO22, CENTENNIAL, CO: Come meet ALIGHT and our anti-trafficking community at the ALIGHT Happy Hour, from 5 to 7PM at Two22 Brew, 4550 S Reservoir Rd in Centennial. Thank you to Two22 Brew for choosing us as your charity of the month for June!
OCTOBER 7, 2018 THE JUSTICE RUN, LITTLETON, CO: Be part of anti-human trafficking efforts while enjoying this family-friendly event with professionally-timed 10K, 5K and 1K races. Register early and start training! Remember to enter “ALIGHT” to ensure all proceeds go to benefit our mission.
ALIGHT INTRODUCES NEW BOARD OF DIRECTOR
ALIGHT is pleased to welcome a new member to the Board of Directors.
Kaylene Alvarez (MBA, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business, MA, Johns Hopkins) is a global specialist in impact investing, access to finance and risk management with work experience in nearly 40 countries spanning a 20+ year career. Ms. Alvarez has worked for international nonprofits, in finance on Wall Street and with the World Bank Group (IFC), and has founded 2 small businesses.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
2018 Freedom Network USA Conference co-panelists KB White of Legal Aid NYC, Cate Carbonaro of Legal Aid NYC, Marianna Kosharovsky of ALIGHT, Yvonne Chen of SFF and Aisha Lewis-McCoy of Legal Aid NYC
APRIL 27, 2018 UNICEF NEXTGEN SPRING SOIREE, DENVER, CO: UNICEF NextGen Denver devoted an evening to discussing the link between labor trafficking, fair trade and conscious consumerism at their Vino in Spring, A Fair Trade Wine Soiree. Many thanks to this group of leaders dedicated to children’s rights for the invitation to share ALIGHT’s solutions alongside presenters from UNICEF USA and Generous Coffee.
APRIL 4, 2018 FREEDOM NETWORK USA CONFERENCE, DENVER, CO: ALIGHT was honored to present on the “Advocating for Potential Human Trafficking Survivors Experiencing Police Misconduct” along with lawyers and advocates from The Exploitation Intervention Project of The Legal Aid Society of NYC (Legal Aid NYC) and Sanctuary for Families (SFF). As trafficking survivors often experience in society, including at time of arrest, ALIGHT shared strategies for providing professional legal support to shift the power imbalance at these critical moments.
AMBASSADORS OF LIGHT
Thank you Teddi Bryant for being ALIGHT’s Ambassador of Light! The Ambassador of Light Program is an opportunity for individuals, teams, community groups, professional services firms and other organizations to step into leadership in the anti-trafficking movement. By helping grow ALIGHT’s impact through fundraising events, Ambassadors of Light are an active part of the effort to ensure that our community works together to unlock a fresh start for survivors of human trafficking.
AMBASSADOR OF LIGHT TEDDI BRYANT
Teddi Bryant credits her daughter for keeping her informed about social issues such as human trafficking.
This Ambassador of Light always had a soft place in her heart for people who feel stuck or trapped, and so she wanted to support ALIGHT to help trafficking survivors become “un-stuck” in life. She believes that it is our job as humans to take care of each other, as we are all part of one big community. So Teddi donated a workout class, hosting about 25 people to support ALIGHT’s mission. As the owner of Hot Mamas Workout, Teddi motivates her clients daily by reminding them of their bodies’ ability to move and their minds’ ability to make choices. “They have the privilege to go to the gym and workout, I want people to appreciate their position in life. They are at the gym because of choice, and so many people don’t have that choice,” shares Teddi.
INTERESTED IN BEING AN AMBASSADOR OF LIGHT?
You, too, can participate. Learn about the different ways Ambassadors of Light support ALIGHT here, then email our Development Associate.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT ALIGHT!
Click on AmazonSmile and sign up ALIGHT as your charity of choice, and Amazon will donate 0.5 percent of the price of your eligible purchases.
