Voices of Freedom

This week on the Voices of Freedom podcast, our guest Kwami shares his lived experience of child labor trafficking. Kwami’s parents were promised their child would receive a proper education if he came to the U.S., and while he did attend school, it came at a great cost. Join us as Kwami opens up about his journey and discusses the impactful work he's now doing to support male survivors of trafficking. It's a story of resilience and dedication that you won't want to miss.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Khalila didn’t even know her real name until 2020, her story will shock you! Tune in to this week's episode of Voices of Freedom to hear Khalila’s story, and get an inside look at the gray market and the impact this had on Khalila’s life. Purchase Khalila’s book here.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

In this episode, we chatted with Nick and Tiera from We Amplify Voices about using art as a tool to help process trauma. Learn more about the impactful work WAV does and how you can incorporate art into your day by tuning in!Also, a special shout out to WAV for providing us with our intro music on our podcast!Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Did you know traffickers are typically NOT STRANGERS to their victims? This is a startling reality – most victims know, and often trust and love, their trafficker. We are kicking off season 4 of the Voices of Freedom podcast with Yvonne from PACT. In this episode, we explore the red flags of human trafficking, providing guidance on identifying signs in potential victims. Discover PACT's educational opportunities by visiting their website here. Enhance your knowledge further with the Polaris Project Human Trafficking 101 training here.Find more human trafficking educational resources here.Put the NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE number in your phone contacts: 888-373-7888Text a message, INFO, or HELP to: 233733For your safety, please never approach a trafficker. Report suspicions to the hotline or call 911.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Amy Flowers, an attorney with Ice Miller, shares the importance of record expungement for human trafficking survivors and gives us an inside look at what the expungement process looks like. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

This week on Voices of Freedom we chatted with Survivor Leader Teonna, who shared her holistic approach to recovery and how she has adapted a holistic approach to other areas of her life. Tune in to hear how you can start implementing a more natural approach to supporting your daily life! 🌿Here are a few resources provided by Teonna: Herbs to keep on hand:+ Ginger: great for tummy+ Mullein leaf: for mucus+ Turmeric: helps with cuts and burns+ Cumin: helps aid weight loss+ Elderberry:  great for immunity+ Lions Mane:  is great for brain health+ Maca: great for Reproductive healthSources:+ Emlahnaturals.com is a local pharmacy that offers holistic options+ Just.ingredients: instagram handle for healthy alternativesBooks for beginners:+ The Modern Herbal Dispensary by Thomas Easley+ Complete Wellness by Neals Yard Remedies+ 500 time tested home remedies and the science behind them by Linda B White M.D.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

On today's episode, we give you an inside scoop of our Workforce Development Program featuring, Vanessa and special co-host Dorie. Vanessa takes us on a journey of how our program developed, what the phases look like within the program, and shares how YOU can help serve our participants. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

This week's episode is unique and exciting because we had a male survivor join us and share an inside look at his lived experience. John-Michael Lander is a former Olympic diving contender and sexual abuse survivor. As a 14-year-old Olympic-bound athlete, the adults entrusted in John-Michael’s training groomed and trafficked him into silence. Through writing, speaking, and consulting, he helps individuals and organizations identify the PredatoryGrooming Trifecta©. He also openly talks about Male Trauma Bonding, Locker Room Talk, How to Talk to Male Survivors, and the Reluctancy of Reporting. He is a certified Trainer and Life coach for the Self-Talk Institute and is helping survivors find their voice.In this episode, John-Michael shares what parents should look for in their children that may be signs of grooming, what to do if you suspect grooming, and shares what impact grooming had on his life. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Reducing the demand for sex starts with understanding why people solicit sex in the first place. Chris Stollar, author + educator, joins us on this week's episode to share an inside look at what he has learned from participants who go through She Has A Name's Solicitor Education Program. Chris also shares a story from Ryan, a Solicitor Education Program graduate, and tells how the program helped Ryan find a new desire to help fight human trafficking.  We hope this episode leaves you thinking about demand reduction in a different light. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Paula Lybrook joins us this week and shares an inside look at her journey of being a mom to a survivor of sex trafficking. Paula's story is real and vulnerable and we hope her words leave you looking inward on how you can take her lived experience and apply it to your own family. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

This week Survivor Expert, Alicia Ley, joins us and educates on Familial Trafficking through her lived experience and expertise. She shares how trust is built to normalize trafficking within a family, what grooming may look like, and the power of family secrets. Alicia shares a couple of powerful quotes that we encourage you to take with you after listening to this episode: "We can't own what other people pass on to us but we can own ourselves" and "We can all be family tree changers". Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Have you heard the term re-exploitation? On today’s episode, we dive into a conversation about the work Freedom a la Cart has been doing around re-exploitation within our organization. Guests Paula Haines, Freedom a la Cart CEO, and Jomel Spurlock, Director of Victim Services for the Human Trafficking Initiative + Freedom a la Cart board member share what changes have been made in our organization to better combat re-exploitation and share tips on what you can do within your organization. Keep the conversation going in the comments and let us know what you think of today’s episode! Learn more about empowHER and purchase tickets here!Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

This week on Voices of Freedom, Liz with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) joins us and shares a little bit about her journey as a survivor leader, what TAT is, and what human trafficking training can do for our communities.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Have you heard of the term “trauma bond”? On this week’s episode of Voices of Freedom, Kaitlin Casassa, LISW-S, MSW, a PhD candidate in the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University, joins us and helps educate us on what a trauma bond is, who it affects, and how we can help those affected. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

This week on Voices of Freedom, our friend Kelly joins us from the anti-human trafficking organization Her Song. Their mission is to engage survivors of sex trafficking in building a new life by providing safe relationships, a healthy community of support, mental health care, life skills, and preparing them for work, education and achieving new goals. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Find out what burns Caroline's biscuits on this week's episode of Voices of Freedom! Caroline shares the transformation she sees in women who were once living on the streets that are now ready to graduate CATCH Court. She also sheds light on the stigma of relapse and mental health and what we can do as community members to help end the stigma. We had quite a few laughs throughout this episode and we hope that you not only learn something but also laugh along with us! Let us know what you think of this episode in the comments!----Caroline Moore, LSW, MSW, has worked in the Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) field for several years. Her professional path began as an AHT Case Manager, before being promoted to Victim Advocate with the Central Ohio HT Task Force. After returning to school to receive her Master’s in Social Work from OSU, Caroline became CATCH Court Coordinator, where she manages client and partner relations for the specialized docket. Caroline has volunteered with Sanctuary Night since its inception in 2017 as a link between women in ‘the life’ and the court system. She additionally began providing counseling through Porchlight in the beginning of 2022.P.S. should we do a bloopers episode? Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

What does life look like after living on the streets for years? It’s hard to imagine the level of strength it takes to leave a lifestyle of prostitution and substance use – but it is achievable. Our friend Nancy joined us for this week’s Voices of Freedom podcast and shares about the life she left and where she is now. Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

Curious how you can help combat the opioid epidemic right here in Central Ohio? On this week’s episode of Voices of Freedom Mandie  + Devin chatted with two RREACT team members, Amy and Rachel,  who shared about what their team does, what impact Narcan has on our community, and how to help end the stigma around substance use. Learn more about RREACT here.Order Narcan here.Watch Mandie + RREACT team member on the news here!---We'd like to thank MGF Sourcing and the MGF Touch Foundation for their sponsorship of Eat Up Columbus- Freedom a la Cart's annual fundraiser, taking place Saturday, July 30th at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in downtown Columbus. Making Great Fashion Sourcing has historically been a passionate advocate of Freedom a la Cart and our mission to empower survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to lead new lives of freedom, and we are truly grateful for their partnership. Visit MGF Sourcing's website today at https://www.mgfsourcing.com/, and purchase tickets to attend this year's Eat Up at www.eatupcolumbus.org.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

How does one begin their mindful consumerism journey? Don’t freight! Mindful Consumerism Coach, Melanie, joins us on this week's episode of Voices of Freedom to share how she began her journey and shares a few tips to help you start yours! Melanie also shares the correlation between consumerism and labor trafficking. Sponsor:We'd like to thank MGF Sourcing and the MGF Touch Foundation for their sponsorship of Eat Up Columbus- Freedom a la Cart's annual fundraiser, taking place Saturday, July 30th at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in downtown Columbus. Making Great Fashion Sourcing has historically been a passionate advocate of Freedom a la Cart and our mission to empower survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to lead new lives of freedom, and we are truly grateful for their partnership. Visit MGF Sourcing's website today at https://www.mgfsourcing.com/, and purchase tickets to attend this year's Eat Up at www.eatupcolumbus.org.Resources: Melanie's email: themindfulconsumercoach@gmail.comMelanie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanie_lillich_conover/Labor Trafficking: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/type-trafficking/labor-traffickingRemake: http://remake.world/take_action/Awaj Foundation: http://awajfoundation.org/Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.

In this episode of Voices of Freedom, Jess shares what it's like being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community while sex trafficked. She explains how important it is to have a community of support around you and how even though you may be sober, you will still face daily life challenges. --------We'd like to thank MGF Sourcing and the MGF Touch Foundation for their sponsorship of Eat Up Columbus- Freedom a la Cart's annual fundraiser, taking place Saturday, July 30th at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in downtown Columbus. Making Great Fashion Sourcing has historically been a passionate advocate of Freedom a la Cart and our mission to empower survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation to lead new lives of freedom, and we are truly grateful for their partnership. Visit MGF Sourcing's website today at https://www.mgfsourcing.com/, and purchase tickets to attend this year's Eat Up at www.eatupcolumbus.org.Thank you for listening today! Be sure to follow us on social to stay up to date on all episode releases, events happening at Freedom a la Cart, and more.