Rising Safe and Sound is a child trafficking prevention education program. It was created by a survivor and is led and facilitated by a group of six survivors / subject matter experts. Just two weeks ago, all six survivor-educators came together to film a new 7-part human trafficking prevention course. 

Why this matters: AB 1227 requires CA schools to provide human trafficking prevention training. Through Rising Safe and Sound, we ensure this education reaches students at no cost to schools. 

Jess Torres, Rising’s director of programs, and survivor-educator reflects on the deeper intentions of the course.  

We Were Never Meant to Survive, and Yet Here We Are
A bimonthly blog by Jess Torres (they/them) 

Rising Worldwide experienced a profoundly transformative gathering a couple of  weeks ago – all six dynamic, captivating, brilliant and passionate Rising Safe and Sound workshop facilitators united in person for the first time, after years of hybrid style collaboration. 

These survivor-educators are the wisdom, the warriors and warmth that make Rising the most innovative, vibrant and visionary space we could have ever imagined possible. 

Our work is so valuable because it reminds and teaches us to appreciate the amazing fact that what we choose to do today, will echo past our own short lifespan.That we are a part of a thread that spans both before and ahead of us: and we owe it to our past present and future generations to generate meaningful work that creates a world where all children are Safe & Sound. 


PHOTO: RISING SAFE AND SOUND SURVIVOR-EDUCATORS TAKE A MOMENT IN
BETWEEN FILMING TO CELEBRATE THEIR TIME TOGETHER

Amongst our laughter and sharing we also had the opportunity to film content for Rising Safe and Sound’s new trafficking prevention education course. I had the honor of contributing to the course content with information about: 

  • Child labor trafficking
  • Trauma bonding
  • Power dynamics 
  • Tips on how to establish, maintain and protect personal boundaries in relationships of all forms including familial, friendships, with educators, service providers, faith based leaders, communal or intimate partners. 
  • Red and green flags when it comes to what is healthy, unhealthy and abuse
  • Destigmatizing violence as something that happens to someone, not s omething that is wrong with them, something they did, deserved, asked for, or didn’t do enough to prevent or stop. 
  • Staying safe online, how to support a friend or survivor, along with a list of local resources. 

Through this work we once again found the portal to the magic we somehow always manage to summon.The possibilities we have been conditioned to limit are abolished by our unwavering belief that anything is possible, that our potential is expansive and that this potential can be realized by anyone. 

It is our hope that this new course and framework for our prevention program will be the spark of light that fuels the fire of social change. 

We hope to serve youth and their families in ways that provide the insight, knowledge, tools, empathy, and power to change culture, make our world healthier, and our communities more informed and connected. 

We can’t wait to share our new work. We appreciate our supporters so much for sharing this moment of collective joy and exciting progress. 

Much love, 

Jess