Please join us in this conversation this evening where we will be honoring Asian American Leaders in Anti Human Trafficking. This webinar was brought about by lack of representation of Asian Americans in Anti Trafficking and how we can change that together, collectively and united. Our speakers are incredible individuals who have poured their lives into assisting survivors of human trafficking. We will be discussing their work, their impact and how they navigate being Asian Americans in the anti trafficking movement. In lieu of commemorating their work, cookie artist, Jasmine Cho has made each of our speakers a one of kind cookie portrait!

Panelists

Anna Friendt

Anna is an artist and graphic designer who finished attending UNWSP for a B.S. in Graphic Design in 2012. She is a dreamer with a story, an explorer craving adventure, and a creative entrepreneur. Creating has always been at the very foundation of her being and has always known she has wanted to be an artist. As she grew, she discovered her creativity would grow with her. Just as it is with achieving any goal, there is always hardships, resistance, and obstacles. Hers came in the form of clinical depression and severe anxiety, which stemmed from a traumatic childhood and unstable young adult life; sexual abuse, foster care to adoption, and commercial sexual exploitation – all of which she overcame.

She sincerely cares for those marginalized and vulnerable and is passionate about using her gifts and her voice to make an impacting difference; helping people discover healing. Her life story, career path, and her personal faith walk eventually led her to the vision and mission of Anchor 13 Studio of creatively pointing hearts towards healing and restoration where she speaks and leads art healing workshops.

Anna also volunteers for Action169’s strip club outreach, Bella Daughter.

Shandra Woworuntu

Shandra Woworuntu is the founder and the CEO of Mentari, a non-government organization based in New York to help Human Trafficking survivors in their reintegration back into society independently. She is a survivor of human trafficking and domestic violence, she eradicates human trafficking and Modern-day slavery globally through raising awareness, education, advocacy, legislation lobbying, mentorship, leadership, and empowerment.

In 2001, Shandra came to The United States with a temporary work visa for an employment opportunity in the hotel in Chicago. The fact, she was kidnapped, illegally sold and forced into the underground sex business in New York and surrounded areas. She was sold to the traffickers and sex buyers. She managed to escape and collaborated with the New York Police Department to prosecute her traffickers, and Safe Horizon-New York assisted her to stay legally in the United States. She found healing after being a victim and began her advocacy work against human trafficking and violation of women and children rights.

In 2015 Shandra has appointed by former President Barack Obama to be a member of the first United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.

Most recently, Shandra has been inaugurated into the first International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council launched by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Jaimee Johnson

Jaimee Johnson is the CEO of Sisters of the Streets. She also holds the title of a motivational speaker, mentor, advocate, first responded, consultant, social media marketer, and curriculum creator. She is also an advocate for those who survived the industry and/or have been victims of sexual exploitation. Her passion is preventing exploitation within communities.

In addition to personal experience, Jaimee has logged over 500 hours of training and educating individuals on the realities of sexual exploitation and how to identify and prevent it. She is intrinsically driven to influence society to dig deeper within their hearts to reveal how even the smallest amount of effort and empathy for all parties involved in exploitation, can truly lead to surmounting, life-changing results.

Jaimee engages within the community to encourage them to dig deep and look within themselves at their own stigmatization and actions to reduce their participation in the lack of success these individuals face.

Jasmine Cho

Jasmine M. Cho is a Pittsburgh-based artist, author, and cookie activist most known for using portrait cookies to elevate representation for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders. She is also a Food Network Champion (“Christmas Cookie Challenge” Season 3, Episode 8) and the Founder of Yummyholic.Her cookie activism has been featured internationally on various media outlets that include NPR, HuffPost, CBS This Morning, and The Korea Daily. In 2019, Jasmine gave a TEDx talk on her work that immediately went viral and has since reached over 47K views. Jasmine has received numerous accolades including CREATOR of the Year by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, the Small Business Community Champion Award by Citizens Bank, and was also awarded a Mayor’s Proclamation declaring Jan. 28th, 2020 as “Jasmine Cho Day” by the City of Pittsburgh. Expanding to traditional fine art while pursuing art therapy studies, Jasmine wrote, illustrated, and published her first children’s book, Role Models Who Look Like Me: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Made History.

While managing the stressors of owning a small business, Jasmine became more aware of the therapeutic impacts of baking. Believing that mental health services should be as diverse as the communities they serve, she is now exploring the frontiers of research-based bake therapy with hopes to make the kitchen a more accessible and empowering space for creativity and healing for all people.

Annalisa Gibbs

Lisa is the founder and chief executive officer of Eden’s Farm in Pittsburgh, PA. Lisa has had a passion for helping women and youth since the age of twelve. She grew up in Bangkok, Thailand then later in Chiang Mai and was made aware at a young age how sex trafficking and sex tourism can impact community. That seed was planted which led to her founding Eden’s Farm in early 2019. Lisa has been working in the anti trafficking movement for the past ten years and is committed to loving and assisting survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. She was trained by Rachel Lylod, founder of Gems Girls and a survivor leader in the anti trafficking movement that lobbied New York State legislators to pass the 2008 Safe Harbor for Exploited Youth Act. 

Lisa is currently working on creating safe housing for survivors of sexual exploitation. She is building a justice and social enterprise aspect to Eden’s Farm to provide employment opportunities as well as to provide financial sustainability to further the mission of Eden’s Farm. Lisa is a wife and mom to five exuberant boys.