Ronny Marty and Bukola Oriola

00:05 My name is bukola oriola. I am 44 years old.

00:13 Today's date is Monday, May 10th, 2021. I am located in Ramsey, Minnesota USA. And my partner is Honorable. Ronnie. Maddie is my friend and my colleague.

00:35 My name is raw meat market on 45 years old. Today's date, Monday, May 10th 2021. I'm located in Florida. United States. My little corner partner is Bill Cola kiss my survival sister, my calling my girlfriend.

01:02 Yeah.

01:05 Thank you. Thank you so much for choosing me to be your recording partner today.

01:13 And you know, it'll be nice to talk about your childhood. How you grew up and where you were born.

01:25 Yeah, I was I was born in the Dominican Republic La Viga inspection. So we get up in the morning from one state to another from one city to another city is beautiful out there with my dad, when I was six, when my dad is the one that raised me. I'm so glad it happened. I had a great childhood.

02:22 I would love and in love with, my dad was great. To meeting all of you samples and guidance because of my dad and the man that I am today. So it was a really happy childhood that I hadn't and I wouldn't change anything out of it or how nice, you know, talking about your dad. I remember that evil meagre of my diet.

02:53 Was an inspiration for me. It was actually the one that made me to like books because a lot of books and wrote a lot even though I didn't have any published book for, he helped me to like books. So it's still nice to hear somebody talk about. Then that died in the positive way.

03:24 We?

03:45 Alright because I'm a Survivor sisters and brothers of Mason, the movement. You are only one that has that kind of like connection with kind of like a sibling, kind of relationship where, you know, you can do whatever you do with each other, each other.

04:15 I just hope that you're not telling that to everybody. I love you, honey.

04:23 I just hope. I'm the only one that you was saying that represent that to you. Nobody else would have the same pack to you. Because you are to me, like my sibling, like I just see you as one of my brother. I don't know, maybe he's also because I grew up a low boys and you know, I don't sound that sibling connection with you.

04:54 Which is.

04:56 MN does the same with me. That's what I'm feeling for you. You're my sister. And I, you know, it is a movement. I didn't really, you know, I have a really good relationship with a lot of it. But with you is a special relationship with each other. And that's what I like about you. And I always liked about you and your supporter. So I lied. You and my heart try and be there you and that's just great to me. That's that's the good things that give me more than I have about you since the moment that we met.

05:55 The right, right?

05:58 Yeah, I remember we were talking there at a table, good experiences. We've kind of grown together.

06:14 In walk and supporting each other. And just like, the way you felt about support from me. That's the same way. I feel about support from you to call you mother. Anybody to discuss things and hear your opinion about something that happened, or if we shared good news Coronavirus.

06:42 Good music. Good food.

06:48 You know.

06:52 Childhood.

06:55 You know, we all have like goals and dreams, so

07:00 What would you say was Lonnie matches dream, when he was growing up? And what is this now, sitting in my dream was to be your finger, like a family finger and actually play the roles in movies, that's in my dream, my whole life, really growing up having change of that much. But now, you know, I'm a father of two and I have other priorities but I still dream if he eats. Like I don't want to die without doing, you know, that like saying you're not acting a movie and you know about you because I Only Have Nothing karaoke.

07:52 That is right by Michael Buble.

07:58 Well, sorry, I'm I kidding, nothing change. I want to do something that will not ship in the future. And I want to really be an example to my kids that is never late for what you, what, you have inside. Dream, that goal that you will not shave. Like, if you work for that, you can, you can make it happen since that's what I want to show them. And believe me. It's never late. So I would do it. First. You are not giving up on that dream. You know, there are so many people ahead of us who had a dream, but they never achieved via Monte Del Webb.

08:48 Oh. Like, it was. Some people have clogged like 70. I'm trying to think of different examples that can't think of any specific one right now. And the one that comes to mind was an author who was a lady I think in his sixties or seventies that he became a best-selling author and just never too late.

09:15 We don't have to give up on that dream. So I'm really glad that you know, and I'm really looking forward to one day. I will be watching a movie on Netflix or in the theater at Broad and Performing so

09:42 How to give up? You have my trust me.

09:50 I know, I know that, I know that made you because you said that.

09:58 You're you know, your life has kind of changed because now you have kids you have a family but then you're also doing and to trafficking work. What made you to join the fight against human trafficking?

10:17 It is actually because of what happened to me. What happened to me? I don't want anybody going to the same crime that I that I fell a victim of human trafficking and I'm evicting. I was a victim of Labor trafficking and what I've been through. I've been learning a lot, so I know the pain that you go through and open to all this trouble and I don't want that for anybody and that's why I joined the movement. And actually it it was everything happening when I was in the Dominican Republic back in 2009, the word recruiters for the United States. They went to the Dominican Republic to offer jobs.

11:17 You know how they are. The offer jobs. They were saying it was. Good job. Good pay with benefits and it was worth hotels. I've been working. The hospitality industry for a really long time and he's one of my passion. So when they went to the Dominican Republic and I hear about that, I went for the interviews and I actually passed all the interviews and good at the interview process. They offer, you know, you got to have a job. There could pay you will have, you will get a Visa first, like a work, visa that going to be for 9 months. So they provide me with the amount of the fee that I have to pay for Theresa and for the whole process, which was a lot of money for me. And at that time and I didn't have it. But I have a Lucian, you know, how they got dreaming. That it is. It's a great job is a great Fortune. Answer me. I'm a good fix on that, so I can leave all the lies and false promises.

12:17 Guy brought To Us by that time what was what was? So I went to all the crosses and apply for these. Got the pizza. So the recruiter was the one actually hardly the passport cuz it was still a company and the embassy American Embassy, send my passport in other people's passport to them. So I received my passport. I remember at the airport today that was coming to United States, was coming to Kansas City and I noticed, you know, they have to give you your passport at that time. Cuz if you are individual identification to travel the states of the definition for 3 months, when he was supposed to be for 9 months. So from there, everything is. It's like, I mean why you you you said it's going to be for 9 months and is 3 months.

13:17 One of the recruiter said that to know what about that. We going to extend the artifact me. You don't have to worry about the ones we arrived. We were received by other people working, without any station with the recruiters, and they went to pick up his of the airport. And really nice cars in a fancy car was very nice. So when we went to the location, it was a hotel that we're going to stay for one night first so I can cancel. One of the managers are the company says, I have to use for you guys. Have a good new. What do you want to hear first? So there's no jobs in Kansas City, as we sat in hotels, what's going to happen? We have jobs in Huntsville, Alabama.

14:14 Angel, I wish one of the woman started complaining. You know, why if you have jobs here, why you didn't tell off so that we can postpone the trip and and come when you got the job. So that the guy got mad at me and said, you take care of you, leave it at that point. We have to take it. I had to take money out of friends and family and I just to collect the money to pay for the seafood for the program. And on top of that. I also all part of the travel expenses to recruiters because I didn't have the money paid, they offered in a kind way in a very friendly to help us with that. So but what we didn't know and I say we because we were a group of other people. I'm with, you know, that we were falling into that bandage. Something that I didn't know it was that because the guy was just offering money, we were taking us.

15:14 Received his help. But at the end, he wanted his money back. So and sad. So we had to go to Huntsville, Alabama. We went to home sweet Alabama in minivan, which is built for six to eight people and we were 12 people with. I would love it. You try to imagine how tight we were there. We arrived home. Sweet Alabama. Will it to your apartment rented for us that we have to pay $300 monthly?

15:58 And and I will tell you later what they did with that. So, but is that one better apartment? It was four and sometimes five people in one bedroom apartment. It was not a big deal. You know, what's my Taxman been out of my country and stayed in another country and it was not like a big deal.

16:19 But eventually, one will start when we started working. And I see my first paycheck that was $40 to call her. I can tell you, it's it was heartbreaking, because I thought I was working 12 hours a day. You could make more money. So, but if it is, when I check my pay stubs, it's states. That there was no deduction of $50 for the trip. From Kansas City to Huntsville, Alabama. When they told me to be, so I had to be. Okay, so it was production for the range.

17:00 Apartment rental saw that that Weekly. Can we get paid weekly? We have to pay that the rent around $40 left and imagine just have to pay that money back to my Samsung family back home. How if you can even have money to eat yourself and what we went through there, when we were working. It was hard with $40. There were times that I I saw from Hungry hunger.

17:36 Some of the people we work with me to eat some of that they were in a better financial position at me. So I remember it was one of them. Call me back. If you don't really kopporate buy more food. You cannot eat. And I broke my heart and not in the point that I was like, and I got day.

17:59 I couldn't eat, I didn't we used to get together in one of the apartment and cook. I was the one cooking most of the time because I couldn't put much money. I was cooking. And I remember I need apartment in crime, in one of the lady, one of the, of the group, she came to me and said, don't listen to him. He doesn't represent the whole group and eat. And I, and I cracked and start crying again. She was crying with me. It was a lady is just my sister name is avania, and she's helped me out a lot. She was a big support.

18:40 Show us with the time working and going through the same thing every week. There was a time after two or three months, the the landlord of the apartment and we will leave. It came to me and said that we have to pay the rent that we haven't paid the rent and I told her that's impossible because we be, I will bring something to the doctor for an hour paycheck. And I show here, I will pay stub and something. She said, okay. I'm going to call your your your manager, your recruiter and talk to him because if you already paid him, he got to pay also, it looks like she called him and he got mad and he feels like he not going to pay and like we have to be kicked out of the apartment, something like that. So

19:26 She came back to me and I cuz I will stop by that time. It was the only one to speak. Even a little bit of English more than the others since you was communicating with me. And she said, Ronnie, I seen Carly Something Fishy. Here is something that is not right? And I want to help you. And you cheated on you feel about human trafficking, but that was the first person that actually help us. She said she asked me if I want to talk to the years and she put me in contact with the area and newspaper Huntsville, Alabama. So they were a journalist with Kim and interview me and there was with the guy and, you know, I tell I told journalists everything that happened, what happened. How did it happen? It so, my recruiter, so that in the news, and he called me and say, you better stop talking to the news because you got in trouble.

20:25 You better stop talking to me and he said, you know, I'm going to pay the apartment and put you better. Stop talking to the guy. He was calling me and threatening me because I was complaining also evolved this morning that we paid for the fuse expansion that lease extension. That was cancelled that was denied to us, but he never said he was benign and he kept just charging us for the sea and I was thinking that money. So give me the long story short. I was complaining really bad and he called me and he said that I better stop talkin to the news if he knows what I need information back home and, you know, I was scared because I didn't know what that guy was getting off and it was like, he'd been in a movie.

21:27 The apartment owner or landlord, they actually help us for a few days and provided food. Because we were out of job too because they really called the company where we were working. It was a manufactory DVD company and it's like he remove off on the job. So the landlord can be and the owners they gave us food and allowed us to stay for a few days. But looking into their page. Stop to. I just went back there. I saw that they were charging $300 per person per month and it was if you got delayed you say you're four people live in one bedroom apartment, $300 just $1,200 and they got was pain only I think it was four hundred something $500 a month. So he was making money out of us there, too.

22:26 Of course, as we ended up and that's how we have to pay the money back and that was no pretty, when he cleans his money cuz we didn't know it was hiding human interest of the money that we took from him and we were not allowed to wear for another company. So we didn't have a chance to make more money. Making no money weekly, are you cannot pay back? So that's what we, we were fixing up the advantage with that guy, but if we could escape and we went to, New Jersey,

23:09 I'll get one of the guys on the group. I got a friend to get Jersey. And before that, we were doing some arrangement with another company. Another recruiter. What's the newest? He said, because I wear these don't work or not send, it was about to expire, and we were standing by that recruiter to we paid. I feel like $650, each family.

23:44 Indians didn't get the job with her, just can bite by that company and you want to go out back in the deposit, the money into the Bank of America. Nothing could be done. It was horrible. So we went to New Jersey that was still the place of the recruiter and we paid too expensive to go. But when we get there, that's when we saw a friend so I can let them know. So, you know, somebody in the United States that have another company that can you was a job in helping with of except these extension. And I contacted that person is actually he helped us and we didn't have to pay anything of the beginning. Of course, the deductions going to come after we know, we get the job and we were six people total.

24:41 That we went to Biloxi Mississippi with a new recruiter. But this time it was it was for real so that we could have got us an apartment in a job. And you could see that it was that they were doing a Welfare League adoption. They said they rained and based on their visa fee. So they helped us to extend our visas and everything that was happening and we will skip you from the for the hour traffic and who actually was calling the right here watching the house cuz we were dropping one of the minivan, but they had it. But at the beginning I didn't say that. But we we how to put down $400 each as a deposit. This policy all of us. We would have 13 people. They use my money to purchase minivan used minivan.

25:41 We kept one of the video so he kept calling us and say I'm going to call and aggression is going to call the police because you stole my vehicle. So we were so scared and he's one of my friends from the group had another friend to New Jersey and want want one of those times that the traffic is called me and was threatening. Me. Friend said, let me talk to him and he talked to the traffic and say and it was telling the traffic. I'm a police officer scared, the guy if he was alone and you told him, you know, I'm a police officer. What happened? Tell me. And I already reported with the police and everyone that we can be gracious and the guy that are friends with my friend asked, so you gave me the key or did he actually took the key from?

26:41 Do you supposed to keep? No. No, I just saw a few case in the key. They didn't steal your vehicle. So you was very nice helping out with that and make her a few days. He'll have the traffic and left out like a loan. So we were in Biloxi Mississippi. As we didn't have money, will start looking for help. So we went to places like church or day when we heard from the neighbors, are they were providing food to people. So we ended up going to a Catholic church with an organization's. Indictment name is Mary Mary and she just spoke Spanish and she helped us a lot. I told her I was sorry and she said, you might you might make you feel human trafficking. At that moment is when I when I listened the first time the volume traffic, so she asked me if I'm willing to go to eyes and the police until

27:41 Tell them what happened. I was so like this Troy internally.

27:48 That I didn't care about anything. Cuz some of my friends were here with me to say no. No, don't go there. Is that what they going to do to go to take away formation and they going to keep, cuz I'll be going to treat it like a piece of me. That's one of my friends and say, you know, I don't have anything to lose already. Be going through so many things and I don't care anymore. So I told her that some of us went to one of her name is Julie to the gray. And I know I never going to forget her name because she was one of the Angels during this whole process. She was the one, the first agent that I spoke to Jim was kind of. Looks like she was really well trained on how to approach victims of human trafficking.

28:48 And the way that you treated all of us was incredible. I didn't trust anybody at that time, but when she actually spoke to me, it was totally different, everything changed. She took our statement and, and had to communicate about 2. I told you her about this case in the actually.

29:16 Arrested the traffickers. It was a big case, what happened? I think it's the one of the biggest case of Labor trafficking in United States. Say something. You said it was around 500 people from different nationalities in Jamaica, Dominican Republic. And I was like, oh my God, I didn't know the magnitude of what we went through with those guys and what they did. So the egg help us in everything every way.

29:52 They took our statements. So the Attorney General came from Kansas City to Florida, to Biloxi, Mississippi, actually in a how many of you were lost in the game, going through the whole process? Because, you know, we got to go to court but we all know our testimony. That was not necessary to go to court at the beginning of the judge said that. Yeah, we have to testify but after he review all the evidence, we didn't have to do that. Sell to Jenny. Process. Julie, actually Julie great. She referred us with an ugly face chat me, what is the name of it? Because he likes in Mississippi. There was no resources for survivors of human trafficking, so they were not able to help us.

30:54 It was another state,, but I want you all in that was the closest state. So they she refers are there that they were able to transfer light to help us. If it was great. It was great. We got a sister now on counseling and housing and food. I will. It was really, I mean, it was amazing. All the help that we received in also, Julie gray was the one helping out with the first, our first work for me. She was the one that gave all the information at the paperwork to apply for the first work for me. After that. It was that they have a like a pro bono lawyer, who the process of all TV's us and expand his work for me.

31:53 I said I've been checking my story so many times but I all I always want to highlight that what Julie great did. It was amazing. They did a great job the way they treated me.

32:10 Actually was was amazing and I cannot complain and kiss one of my angels to Sol Market difference in in, in, in my whole process. Oh my goodness, you know, that was a very powerful story you shared and

32:32 It's so helpful to see the different burner abilities that people have as immigrants. Especially that made them could become victims of trafficking because for myself and also a survivor of Labor trafficking just like you, but time is running out.

32:56 You've been doing this at the trafficking walk. Could you measure briefly your highlight in sense of what was the most uncomfortable for you or awkward in the movement? And you know, what is tired? Dude, that keeps you going?

33:21 Yeah, I live. I'll be really awkward,, but one of the most difficult and uncomfortable moments in. And I don't know if you remember that when we were part of the first Survivor. Remember when we went to the White House just five days a week, when we have a session with all the

33:47 There are various federal agencies and you're stuck there. I remember, I remember your tears because you cried and I got, you got your touch with my heart. When I saw you, you know, telling me about story and your struggles and it was, it was heartbreaking to me. But, you know, the hardest moments is when everybody's telling this story and, and give you like a suggestion, what to do in the movement. That was my experience. I never had any survivors before. And I start, I start speaking about my story.

34:35 Like everybody was saying, you was back to them and they never get the results of the never getting help. Everybody was there was not a single case that didn't complain about their resources and there was no, you know, what you did for everybody out there and that they lack of resources everywhere. And when I started take my story and my said it was the opposite. When I actually get help right away and I am in all the way, you know, with the know only comes to live and food housing. Also with integration process that this attorney generals and Be a Gangsta by the were very kind to bravado. Can you show me, show me to get its first vehicle to bring my family to get rid of the green car, you know, this is hard the whole process that I went through and they were so good and I mention I highlighted how good they were. They should be taken as they can.

35:35 Some examples of like the best practices because what happened to me with that was actually very good, and it was one of the survivors after the meeting came to me. I'm not going to say that she came to me and say, or what you said was wrong. Everybody's hurt by. You still want. Yeah, you shouldn't say that, but that's what happened to me. Why should I hide? When having it to me? It does my story, like you said your story and I'm sorry cuz I didn't know this, my first. I didn't know that was happening, you know, to my work is what happened to me. I didn't know about other stuff. So I thought that was the worst moment of my life in the in this woman.

36:23 I'm really so sorry about that. And I know you share this with me before to privately and I am with you one hundred percent because I believe that everybody should tell the truth of their story always helpful. When that I die by story. So someone has a bad experience at the goodest play. What did they do differently that made it to be good that the bad experience. Folks can learn from victims, come in contact with them. They can also have good experience, highlighted. The first is how to treat how to draw a survival of human trafficking, you know, how, you know, how it was. When we first started by going.

37:23 Chucky two, different agencies and organizations. And if, you know, the reaction of some people that they didn't know how to treat it with no survival informed. So they didn't know how to treat. Survival. Put in my case, and I always say, it's it looks like she was very available are very trained. Well trained in how to treat survival. So be confident that a Hot in Herre be cutting hair because of the way she treated me and which is better with it opens everything for me, of course, to cooperate with the law enforcement out, because of the way that you treated me. It was all the benefits of taking have and also just doing the referral she didn't stop. There. Are there any Section 8 in New Orleans and help us? This is the extra Maya that you can see the people. They care about people and that's just something different.

38:23 All the cases that I hurt before so and if that's what I highlighted, you know, no only because of the house and the counseling which is so important and so important to have it because of my case, the first months and maybe two, I was just having nightmares just dreaming of all and thinking about the traffic, there is chasing me and Heath and everybody's like coordinated with him to get me. It was bad. So you have me know, if those resources are with you, make it back there. And if that's what the difference in my life. I'm going to be asking the last question. Do you have any advice for people wishing to make a difference?

39:08 Of course.

39:11 I know a lot of people out there that they want to help if they want to help. They're all the people they want to just be part of God. I must maintain. You know, how did the exposure to the table game and fame and since I got but generally, they don't want to get involved with. Because what I can give advice to anybody who want to help.

39:41 Be honest, when you help, I'm help out and help others. Honestly do things because you lost to do it and you want to do it. You want to help someone know because of your arm benefits. That is something that I, I think with a war out there that it does, the situation that I can give in and that I'm willing to to receive any kind of help and people need to be aware of. The human trafficking is a reality, and that if we came together, we can fight back. We can a boy from a lot of people to become a victim of human trafficking, is worth to a boy from one person to become a victim. Play me off. I'm able to pay me off. And within the Survivor Community, what I could advise. It's like we need to be more united.

40:40 When I have seen in all those years sometimes because we are survival leaders. We know we're going to spend with no weapon doing, sometimes we forget about. We are somebody who were there for our promises to help us. So we cannot be held in hand for someone who is actually growing. So one might know how to send a skill that you have and it's okay, but don't denigrate that person, you know, any State Health ESO Porter. Don't try to just Brad Brock eating in front of that person. That you can do this. That more, that you, you know, I think that we have to come with more united. So if you need to do what we have to do is to come with and that's just part of why we're here, you know, when we have to each other a survivor benefits part of us being a survival leader and we support each other. So,

41:40 That's why I slice.

41:42 And I and I have a hope that, you know, things are always changing for for the good song.

41:51 I believe that God has a reason for everything that happens. So yeah, it is, it's it's right for allowing things to happen and just to believe in God, I made that stuff. That's the best thing that we can do, first. I not believing in. Love again. You going to do the rest of the team? Because you can always look at someone's for each one of us.

42:18 Wow, nice. Thank you. Thank you so much for just time with you. I really, really appreciate it, and I cherish you too. Thank you. Thanks so much. Thank you so much, and I really appreciate you, you know how much you're my sister, and, and I thank God for you. And then you saw me in your life and all the things that you're doing. Thank you so much.

42:49 Bye-bye.