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

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...

"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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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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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...

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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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...

Megan Lundstrom & Angie Henderson, FreedomVoices

Survivor Megan Lundstrom talks with her close friend Angie Henderson about her experiences in commercial sexual exploitation, and her journey to healing. They both share their experiences in fighting commercial sexual exploitation, in particular how meaningful it has been for...

Aria Flood and Daniella Alvarado Perez

Aria Flood, 34, and Daniella Alvarado Perez, 28, co-workers at Love146, spoke about what brought them to the work, their passion for public health and prevention, and the ways in which they approach their work with joy.

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41:36
Michelle Sauve and Katherine Chon

Michelle Sauve [no age given] talks with her colleague Katherine Chon [no age given] about her childhood, her family, and how her childhood memories and family roots in Native American communities led her to pursue a career supporting Native American...

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49:23
Helen Taylor and Katherine Chon

Katherine Chon [no age given] interviews her friend and colleague, Helen Wong Taylor [no age given], about how she arrived to the anti-trafficking field, what she has learned from her work, and how parenthood has impacted her work.

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01:02:55
James Dold and Karen Stauss

Friends and colleagues James Dold (37) and Karen Stauss (46) discuss how they met, their respective work at Polaris, and the progress of the anti-trafficking movement in the United States and internationally.

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43:12
Sherri Harris and Sharon Becker

Colleagues Sherri Harris [no age given] and Sharon Becker [no age given] reminisce on their collaborative effort assisting victims of human trafficking.

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43:35
Gonzalo Martinez de Vedia and Kathleen Sexsmith

Gonzalo Martinez de Vedia (33) talks with his friend and colleague Kathleen Sexsmith (36) about his work advocating for farmers' rights and immigrant rights as it relates to human trafficking work. He talks about how he came to the work,...

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37:46
Madeline Hehir and Nina Aledort

Colleagues Madeline Hehir (33) and Nina Aledort (55) discuss how they started working in anti-trafficking, share how the work has developed over time, and reflect on what changes they hope to see in the future.

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37:09
Melanie Thompson and Taina Bien-Aime

Colleagues and friends Melanie Thompson (24) and Taina Bien-Aime (62) talk about Melanie's lived experience in sex trade. They discuss the systems -- racism and misogyny -- that influence the sex trafficking industry and talk about how partial decriminalization offers...