A Princess and Her Castle: A Mother's Day Post

GREAT MOTHER'S DAY BUYS!

While sitting on a folding chair on the beach, I watched my girls jumping the waves on their boogie boards with my littlest next to me, digging scoops of perfectly wet sand into her red bucket. When the pail was almost full, Sarah put aside her yellow plastic shovel, lifted the red container to eye level, and tipped it over in her first attempt to make a sand castle. 

Whimpering from disappointment, she asked, "Why didn't it work Mommy?"

"Let's try it again." I got off my chair and sat with her and together we refilled two pails and packed the sand down firmly and hubby and I coached her how to tip closer to the ground, quickly. Speed was key. And to her giggling delight, it worked! She had already collected several seashells to decorate her castle. Cuz that's what a girl loves to do. Once she has her castle, she has to furnish it. And make it her own. 

As we walk across the sand to make our trek back to the hotel room, I think about another little girl whose story I heard during Nomi Network’s Mother’s Day Luncheon from Laura Lederer, J.D., board member and Vice President of Policy and Planning for Global Centurion. Her name is “Rosa,” and when she was thirteen, she walked across the sandy deserts of the Rio Grande, a journey that unveiled surprises that no little girl dreams of.  

You see, Rosa's story is one that will break your heart if your heart beats. She came to cross the border from Mexico to Texas in hopes to work at a restaurant and make enough money to bring back to her family of nine, hoping to save her younger siblings from having to drop out of school to help feed the family. The opportunity to work in America offered wages and Rosa came to the designated location only to find herself among hundreds of girls of similar ages and told to pick up a backpack and a water bottle and to start walking. 

When we drove through Manhattan Saturday morning, we saw plenty of New Yorkers walking, biking, and jogging along the Battery Park walkway, backpack in tow and water bottles everywhere, they were free to enjoy an exercise filled start to their days. Rosa didn't choose her backpack or the size of her water bottle. Or her destination.

When they walked across the desert on foot to illegally cross into Texas, they were shuttled to a town in North Florida, packed into trucks like sardines, and when the driver dumped them in front a trailer park neighborhood, a burly man stood in front of them and announced, 

"I bought each of you girls for ten thousand dollars. You will now work for me to pay off the debt. And how will you do that?" He pointed to the trailers behind him. "Back there. That's how you'll pay off the debts."

"What about the restaurant job?" Rosa protested, unwilling to believe that she had been duped. 

"There's no restaurant job here. This is the only way. And don't even think about running."

Rosa ran. She was immediately caught, and taken to one of the trailer parks, where she was gang-raped and physically reminded the painful price of disobeying this new boss of hers. For three years, she was trafficked to various visitors of the trailer parks until she escaped out of second story window with another girl and the ring of illegal traffickers were busted and prosecuted and the remainder of the girls were set free.

Most of the girls and young women being trafficked around the globe do not get this lucky. The only castle they will ever build will be of the clouds above their heads. Which will dissipate into nothing the moment reality reminds them that they are trapped. The only time they are called princess is by liars who use the word to get what they want and treat these girls nothing like princesses.

I could cry an ocean thinking about how so many little girls are shuttled into such sadness.

But the world has enough oceans. And the girls, I'm sure, cry oceans every night that they are not rescued and lie in wait for someone. A real prince. A soldier. A hero. To come and fight for them.  For their broken hearts. For their whole selves. 

Dr. Laura Lederer presenting at Nomi Network's 2012 Mother's Day Brunch

Listening to Dr. Lederer this past Friday, I heard one of the strongest voices fighting against the injustice of human trafficking. When she shared how she speaks to U.S. Troops overseas about the issue, I was acutely aware that she stood in front of our armed forces and the tables were turned. Here she was the front line soldier educating the Troops about the battle that they needed to help her fight. The battle for the voiceless. 

Dr. Lederer shared a powerful slide show with a lot of stats and stories, reminding the room of fifty or so attendees who attended the Nomi Network Mother’s Day Luncheon that the turmoil of human trafficking continues to spread with the power of the Web and only second to drugs, humans are the second largest item illegally sold. In fact the online traffickers often speak in code such as “180 roses for half time or 800 roses for full time.” The roses symbolize dollars and the “time” represents they type of services offered by trafficked women and girls. The estimated 19 billion dollar revenue produced by sexually trafficked victims doesn't include all the undisclosed cases.

The stats are powerful, don’t get me wrong. But not until you think of how that little girl could be your best friend, your sister, your daughter. Because she’s somebody’s daughter. And when I look at Sarah playing freely in the sand, and my other three princesses jumping in the waves, I swallow the awful thoughts of what life would be like if I was forced to put a price tag on any one of my daughters, knowing that their sold bodies might be the only way we eat dinner tonight. The Catch-22 that pierces deeper than any dagger is one that so many poverty stricken families face daily. Life’s not fair. That’s a given.

So what can any of us do, apart from shedding a few tears and saying a prayer for these girls who never chose to be born into the life of desperation that found them? I know one thing for sure. We can all do our part. Even if we can’t do everything. We can all do something. Mother’s Day is as good a day as any to purchase one of the really cool items that survivors and women at high risk for human trafficking have produced overseas. And buy the special women in your life something lovely and useful in the process.

That’s what I love about Nomi Network and all the women present at the Mother’s Day Luncheon. Great food and visionary company peppered the entire event. Ava Chen also shared about Nomi's progress in India thus far. Every guest present has a heart for the issue of human trafficking and wants to do something about it. No one claims to save everyone, but we are all dedicated to helping some. And for each of the women in Cambodia and India that is rescued from a life of trafficking and given the opportunity to express their creativity and make Nomi’s products, the non-profit organization offers them a chance out of the desert. Across the line of hopelessness to a future where they are valued. Nomi says it well with their totes reading, “Buy her bag, Not her body.” The price tag should read “Priceless,” because humans are not for sale in a perfect economy where life is valued and each life is equally precious.

A Film on Human Trafficking: Sex+Money

When you mention the words "human trafficking," many people immediately think of underdeveloped countries on the other side of the world. What most people do not realize is the extent to which trafficking happens right here in the United States. Last month Nomi Network had the opportunity to attend the screening of Sex+Money at Hunter College. Sex+Money is a documentary chronicling the cross-country journey of a group of young adults seeking to discover the face of human trafficking in the U.S. Through interviews with government officials, journalists, heads of organizations, former trafficked girls, and even pimps and buyers themselves, the filmmakers discovered the shocking reality of sex trafficking in our country: an estimated 100,000 children are trafficked into the commercial sex trade in the U.S.

However, even if a victim is rescued, their pain does not end there. These young girls have been forced to endure violence and abuse from the pimps who sell them and the johns who buy them. The extent of their physical and psychological trauma is unimaginable. Intensive treatment is needed to provide these survivors with healing and hope for a brighter future. Sadly, there are few facilities in the U.S. equipped to provide the kind of therapy these girls need. All the shelters in the U.S. that specifically serve victims of child trafficking have less than 100 beds combined available to treat these survivors. The Sex+Money filmmakers highlighted one of the few facilities available: Streetlight in Arizona. The filmmakers are dedicated to raising money for this shelter so that more survivors of trafficking in the United States can receive aftercare services. If you want to learn more about Streetlight, you can visit their website at www.streetlightphx.org.

- Amanda Champman

When's Your Birthday FUNdraiser?

It’s that time of year again! You see the date marked on your calendar and whether you like it or not your Birthday is coming. It's an opportunity to gather friends and family and spend some quality time celebrating YOU!

So this year, let’s say that you want to do something special, something different. Let’s pretend that there's not much on your wish list and that you'd really love to give back for a change. Why not partner with Nomi Network to turn yet another birthday into an extraordinary act of generosity and impact?

This year you can help support Nomi Network through our new birthday fundraising initiative! Anyone can help us eradicate slavery by leveraging their special day to raise awareness and funds to empower survivors and women at risk of human trafficking.

With the new fundrasing platform, Crowdrise, this can be a fun experience for everyone involved as you personalize your campaign and find creative ways to encourage your network to get engaged in your efforts all month long. Crowdrise is an easy to use, highly rated website that gives back by supplying donors with tools to help facilitate online fundraising campaigns.

To start your Birthday FUNdraiser:

1) Create a Crowdrise page: http://www.crowdrise.com/nominetwork
2) Share with your friends and family
3) Follow up with your network in creative ways
4) Say thank you!

Email Caroline Hughes at caroline@nominetwork.org  for more information! What a great way to celebrate!

- Caroline Hughes

Nomi Network Fashion Corner: Earth Day Chic

Environmentally friendly fashion has come to the spotlight recently, making many consumers question how and where our clothes are made. Conscious consumers demand not only clothes made with eco-friendly materials, but chic clothes made with more sustainable production practices, too. According to Earth Day Network, more than one billion people in 192 countries took part in the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day. Many celebrated Earth Day by pledging “Acts of Green.” Fashion enthusiasts and prominent leaders in the fashion industry celebrated Earth Day by celebrating the growing trend of eco-friendly garments. Environmentally conscious models and designers reminded us that being green is always stylish. Leading designers, including Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney, continue to create cruelty-free collections by refusing to use fur. Model Miranda Kerr served as an ambassador for Earth Hour, an event that encouraged people to turn-off non-essential lights to an hour to raise awareness about climate change.

While these fashion icons promoted sustainable style, other leaders in the fashion industry launched eco-conscious lines. H&M launched a Conscious Collection with glamorous looks made from organic cotton, organic hemp, and recycled polyester. H&M is one of the biggest users of organic cotton. According to a Huffington Post article, H&M head designer Anne-Sofie Johansson expressed H&M’s vision to “make more sustainable fashion affordable and accessible to more and more people around the world.” Many celebrities, including Michelle Williams, Kristin Davis, Viola Davis and Amanda Seyfried, have supported H&M’s Conscious collection by wearing pieces from the collection on the red carpet. From high-fashion icons sharing their passion for eco-conscious style to affordable looks at H&M made with organic materials, Earth Day offers a chance for fashionistas to express their environmental concerns and encourage others to celebrate Earth Day, and every day, with eco-friendly style. With more consumers requesting sustainable items, the fashion industry must follow the growing demand for environmentally-conscious garments and sustainable production practices. It’s small step, but it’s a start.

For more on Earth Day fashion:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/earth-day-2012-fashion_n_1441308.html#s890523&title=Miranda_Kerr

http://www.refinery29.com/sustainable-eco-friendly-clothing

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/hms-conscious-collection-_n_1441917.html

- Sachi Pettit

Reporting Out on Networking for Peace

On a quiet Tuesday night in April in the Upper East Side, women from many different walks came together to discuss international, national, and local issues surrounding “Confronting Modern Slavery: Prosecuting Sex Traffickers.” Young and old alike heard from three well-versed panelists on the legal systems in place in each of these levels to address the issue of human trafficking in today’s world.

The conversation was organized by Network for Peace through Dialogue and co-sponsored by a number of organizations, each active in educating the general public on modern day slavery. Nomi Network was privileged to participate in the post-panel small group discussions in which groups of 5-8 people discussed action steps that could be taken immediately to raise awareness on this issue as well as to pressure legislatures and private corporations alike to stop funding groups that support human trafficking. Many things were learned learned throughout this evening, including the fact that everyone, no matter where life has taken him or her, can do a small part to eradicate modern day slavery!

Further concrete actions steps will be posted on Network for Peace's website. Check back frequently to learn how you can continue integrate this dialogue in your own life.

- Suzy Gaber

Bringing Rainbows to India: Weeks Four and Five

How can we help? What do we do? Where do we start? I’m wondering if I’m the only one asking these questions when I think of how a young non-profit like Nomi Network (“Nomi”) enters a densely populated country like India and attempts to make a change. In a place where traditions and history are rooted much deeper than the mango trees, change is not easy and not easily embraced. One thing is for sure: the first step is always the hardest.

As Supei continues the initial process of selecting the women who will participate in Nomi’s program in India, challenges have arisen, but thus far, none that cannot be overcome. Surveys need to be redistributed, some messages and expectations still get lost in translation. Even her toilet malfunctioned one day, which made Supei appreciate all the women in the world who carry buckets of water for several miles for their daily needs when she felt exhausted from her journey of carrying water a few blocks up a flight of stairs.

And a train fiasco reminds Supei that India will never tire of giving her an adventure. This time, when she purchased her ticket and was assured that her seat was  “confirmed,” she arrived on board to find someone occupying her seat. After making her best sad face and begging for help from locals, she secured a seat in the three tier bunks of the non-air conditioned section. Not the most comfortable of accommodations, but she was thankful she had a seat. And there, her compartment companions adjusted to her “mother load suitcase.” Once again.

After laughing with her over the mishaps of daily life in India, I asked Supei the question that has occupied my mind since the beginning. How do you enter a country, trust people, start something from scratch, and make it succeed? Her answer was not what I expected.

“You start with a plan. We [the founding members of Nomi] sat together and brainstormed as to how we could create a selection process using surveys, write a manual to document the process, and then train the chosen women to complete one project at a time. Always leaving plenty of room for revisions of the process as we troubleshoot along the way.”

This made sense, but I still didn’t understand how you go about convincing women to do something different from what they’re familiar with, even if the familiar has been the devastating life of being trafficked. Because Supei confirmed that many of the challenges they face stem from a deeper cause than the lack of supplies or finances or space. The biggest challenge in Nomi’s quest to empower these women has been building their confidence and affirming their worth. Even the simple choice of riding a bicycle to a manufacturing facility in order to create Nomi products seems tangible if the women accept this option and believe they can do it. 

“We always begin our meetings with the groups of women the same way. We tell the women three things:

You are beautiful.

You are talented. 

And we see potential in you.”

Reminds me of that powerful line in the book and blockbuster movie hit The Help. I personally cannot think of any girl or woman on this earth that doesn’t need to hear the words:

“You is kind.

You is smart. 

You is important.”

And that’s how Nomi does it. Bringing rainbows to India. One step at a time. One woman at a time.

And that’s the first step to change. To tell these women the truth. That they count. And  someone cares. And they are worth it. And then love them until they believe it.

-Rajdeep Paulus

Change Begins in the Heart

An avid international traveler, Nomi Network’s Ava Chen avoided jetlag by staying awake for twenty-four hours and sleeping on her flight. Brilliant! Ava arrived in India to join Supei for the initial phase of Nomi’s new home in India, ready to meet the faces behind the plan. You see, when you come up with a plan, you theoretically determine the aspects, steps and people. But until you give breath to the words on the paper, the plan seems ideal, possible and foolproof.  

Ava, as the Director of Programs for Nomi, came to see the plan unfold in real time. In real India. With the women in urban and rural India. The groundwork involves surveying potential women for their program and upon the initial run, Ava and Supei determined that the surveys were too long including several culturally irrelevant choices. This is all part of the process. To revise and rewrite the questions in order to select the 120 women who will best thrive under the structure of a Nomi-implemented business. 

 All this is necessary to analyze the plans, triage operational issues and write reports. Any well run business requires these basics, and someone with Ava’s background handles these aspects systematically and professionally. But when you ask Ava what she recalls about her time in India and the images that remain with her, the women and children she met remind her why she joined Nomi in the first place. 

While visiting one of the hostels where the children of at-risk and red light district women are schooled, an eight-year old girl full of curiosity and energy took the time to show Ava a book and teach her some Hindi words. This little girl has a chance to escape the treacherous road her mother might have been forced to travel.

A woman sitting quietly across from her in a blue faded sari lowered her head when the other women explained to Ava how the season of trafficking has changed. In the past families often sold their girls into the industry, but today girls are often kidnapped by traffickers and the women all fear for their children. 

All in all, Ava found the majority of the women she encountered anxious to participate in Nomi programs, willing to learn and do anything if it means a way to earn a living and choose an alternative life to the one they are predicted to be stuck in. 

The minor inconveniences of heavy traffic, mosquitoes, cold showers and no toilet paper paled in comparison to the hope alive in the eyes of each woman Ava met. Sure, communication could be better, transportation could be easier, and an ice cold beer would take the edge off the coming summer heat. After only a week in India, Ava knows clearly that Nomi is here for a reason. Nomi belongs. Nomi will change lives.

“Something that really shocked me was the impact of the enormity of poverty in India. As I was driving out of the city during the day on the way to the airport, the poverty is so pervasive, I was not prepared for the way it knocked the wind out of me, leaving me with such a heavy heart as I departed India.”  

Heavy hearts. Aching hearts. Broken hearts. This is where change begins. Inside our hearts. And out of the overflow of our heartaches, hope comes alive through our actions. Ava, alongside Nomi Network are making it happen, and the women in India will be forever changed.


-Rajdeep Paulus