A STORYCORPS STUDIOS SPECIAL COLLECTION

As part of the Voices of Freedom initiative, the Office on Trafficking in Persons partnered with StoryCorps Studios to collect oral histories through conversations with those who have informed, shaped, and contributed to the successes of the anti-trafficking field over the past two decades.

To learn more contact: [email protected]

Creating social change on entrenched issues like human trafficking takes decades and often requires sustained vigilance across generations.  Our collaboration with StoryCorps provides a platform for survivors and allied professionals to pause, reflect, and share their personal journeys towards progress over the last 20 years.  Just as legacies of historical injustices contribute to human trafficking today, these stories reveal the influences and lessons learned from intergenerational struggles for justice.

— Katherine Chon, Director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons

All Voices of Freedom Interviews

"Truth and Love are the solution…" Suzanne Lewis-Johnson & Nichole Terrett discuss their work in the fight against human trafficking.

Nichole Terrett, 32, and Suzanne Lewis-Johnson, friends and colleagues at RAHAB Ministries discuss how their lives brought them into the work against human trafficking, truth & justice and how healthy relationships are one of the most important change-makers for victims...

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55:36
Christopher Bidorini, Erin Williamson, and Yvette Young

Colleagues Christopher Bidorini (33), Erin Williamson (40), and Yvette Young (44) discuss their anti-trafficking work and the role that race plays in the human trafficking space and the movement to end it.

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54:40
Marian Hatcher and Michael Shively

Friends and colleagues Rev. Marian Hatcher (59) and Dr. Michael Shively (59) talk about their work in the anti-trafficking field, the need of dealing with buyers, and the importance of having survivors on the front lines.

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40:17
Evelyn Chumbow and Martina Vandenberg

Evelyn Chumbow (35) talks with her friend and mentor, Martina Vandenberg [no age given], about her experience as a victim of human trafficking. She remembers how her lawyer encouraged her to share her testimony and fight for other victims, and...

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39:59
Jean Bruggeman and Beatrice Waldrop

Friends and former colleagues Jean Bruggeman (50) and Beatrice "Lindsay" Waldrop (43) talk about the work they shared as employees of Office for Victims of Crime, such as starting survivor forums where survivors could share feedback about responses to human...

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36:36
Stephany Powell and Eleanor Gaetan

Friends and colleagues Stephany Powell (64) and Eleanor Gaetan (60) talk about their respective roles in anti-trafficking work. Stephany reflects on how she came to understand trafficking during her time in the LAPD, and Eleanor discusses the increasing prevalence of...

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40:36
Shandra Woworuntu and Katie Ford

Shandra Woworuntu (44) talks with her friend and mentor, Katie Ford (65), about her decision to find work in the US so she could escape the violence in her home country of Indonesia. Shandra talks about how her new job...

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42:52
Staca Shehan and Melissa Snow

Friends and colleagues Staca Shehan (44) and Melissa Snow (42) talk about their work in the anti-trafficking field, reflecting on childhood memories that show where their interests in the work sparked. They remember first meeting each other, share their experiences...

Julie Cordua and Katherine Chon talk about Thorn’s use of technology to address child sexual abuse

In recognition of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Katherine Chon, Director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Julie Cordua, CEO of Thorn, spoke about the evolution of Thorn’s...

Ambassador Dr. Sharron J. Brown"How I found the power of my voice"

In this interview, conducted on June 15, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. LC Myles Jr. (73) interviews his wife Ambassador Dr. Sharron J. Brown (51) about her childhood in the city of Memphis and her journey though Human Trafficking. She...

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43:22
Alexandria Dean and Barbara Amaya

Friends Alexandria Dean (51) and Barbara Amaya [no age given] share their experiences as survivors of sexual trafficking, discuss their work writing about their stories and helping other survivors, and also discuss the importance of empathy.

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34:56
Santiago Perez Navarro and Estela De los rios

Estela De Los Ríos (66) entrevista a Santiago Pérez Navarro (54) sobre su experiencia como víctima de la trata de personas, cómo ha cambiado su vida, y lo que le gustaría que otros supieran sobre la trata de personas. [Estela...

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41:59
Lisa Williams and Sharon Cooper

Lisa Williams (56) talks with her colleague Sharon Cooper (68) about her work in the military and the federal government, and how that influenced her work at Living Water, which provides refuge and resources to women and girls who are...

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40:11
Maria Echaveste and Luis C.deBaca

Friends Luis C. deBaca (54) and Maria Echaveste (66) discuss their early careers and arrival to labor law, share about some specific cases of labor abuse they worked on, and reflect on the larger global factors that contribute to labor...

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49:51
Rachel Niemiec and Elizabeth Hopper

Colleagues Elizabeth "Elise" Hopper (48) and Rachel Niemiec (37) discuss their work in the anti-trafficking field. Elise talks about entering the field as psychologist and how she manages secondary trauma. Rachel shares about her work as a sexual assault nurse...

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45:39
Amy Richard and Alyse Nelson

Amy Richard (55) talks with her friend and colleague Alyse Nelson (47) about the evolution of her work in anti-trafficking. She recalls her work in the early 90s conducting interviews with human trafficking survivors through a fellowship, and explains how...

Steven Procopio and Kimberly Casey

Steven Procopio talks with his colleague, Kimberly Casey, about his journey as a licensed clinical social worker and how he came to work as an advocate for male survivors of sexual abuse and human trafficking. He discusses the barriers, successes,...

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43:54
Lauren Devine and Alexis Polen

Colleagues Lauren Devine (33) and Alexis Polen [no age given] come together to share their personal and professional experiences to analyze the field of Human Trafficking.

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41:20
Patricia Medige and Anlan Du

Patricia Medige (55) talks with her daughter Anlan Du (20) about her path from college to law school to becoming a civil lawyer for immigrant survivors of human trafficking. Pat remembers some of the cases she has worked on and...

Stories from 3Strands Global Foundation’s Employ + Empower Program – Empowering Survivors of Human Trafficking

Ashlie Bryant (54 years), Co-Founder and CEO of 3Strands Global Foundation, sits down to interview Kaitlyn DiCicco (30 years), National Director of Social Services Programs, about the Employ + Empower program. Through the program’s 4 years of operation, over 300...

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42:00
Neha Misra, Janie Chuang, and Anne Gallagher

Colleagues in the anti-trafficking field, Neha Misra (51), Janie Chuang (47), and Anne Gallagher (57), all share their "lightbulb moments" of memories that shifted their perspectives in their work. They discuss the complexities of human trafficking and how it's understood...

Sophia Eftimiades and Nicholas Kuyers

Co–workers Sophia Eftimiades (28) and Nicholas Kuyers (24) discuss the anti human trafficking movement and their roles as advocates on the National Human Trafficking Hotline.