Awake and Bold Town Hall to Stop Child Trafficking

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO WEAR A CAPE TO BE A HERO” Burden

Join Awake and Bold (AwakeAndBold.org) in becoming a part of the solution to end child trafficking.

 Human Trafficking is the world's fastest-growing and second-largest criminal empire, second only to drugs. Predators abduct or recruit (under pretenses) 24.9 million people a year worldwide. Twenty-seven percent of those are children. Criminals sell them for sex, their organs, labor, or multiple uses. Eight-hundred thousand children a year in the United States become commodities. They lose their childhoods, and many lose their lives.

Awake and Bold, a North Carolina agency, is hosting a Town Hall on May 21, 2023,

1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, at the Doubletree Hotel, Biltmore Village, 115 Hendersonville RD, Asheville, NC, 28803.

Leigh Dundas, a human rights attorney, will be the keynote speaker.

Leigh Dundas' work is combatting global injustices, especially child slavery. Her career spans three decades, commencing with her representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-dollar courtroom battles in the early '90s to the last decade when her focus became human rights. Her passions shifted with her work with an anti-slavery NGO as their General Counsel.

Dundas's experiences include cooperating with foreign governments to allow undercover surveillance of child brothels by former US law enforcement assets and working closely with NGOs on a plan to have on-ground investigators amass evidence of money laundering by human traffickers. In recognition of her extensive knowledge of slavery matters, Leigh was appointed eight years ago to the Congressional Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking. Dundas states, “It is a 150-billion-dollar industry, and 40- million are currently enslaved worldwide. In comparison, it would be like all of California waking up tomorrow handcuffed to a bed, being raped 7, or 8, 9, 10 times a day for a profit. It is a very frightening topic. We must confront it, or nothing will get any better.”

Joining Dundas will be Bryan Prather from Veterans for Child Rescue (Vets4ChildRescue.org) and Awake and Bold co-founder Hara Taicher. Taicher states, “Four years ago, I became aware of the magnitude of child trafficking in Asheville and the United States. Since then, my passion has been bringing awareness and education to the community. Is there anything more important than our children's safety?”

Prather describes his experiences, "I went through a difficult time after my military service. Once I got on the right path, God began opening doors for me to impact lives. I wanted to get more involved in advocating for victims of trafficking. I heard an interview with Craig Sawyer, Veterans for Child Rescue, and Bazzel Baz, Association for Recovery of Children. Bazzel Baz offered certification training to equip others to combat human trafficking. I immediately took the training and am part of a network of incredible people. What we are up against is mind-blowing and disturbing. In Asheville, we have mainstream gangs and cartel presence. Human trafficking crosses every demographic there is worldwide. One misconception is that rescue or recovery is the only way to help victims, but raising awareness and knowledge is where we need warriors. You are the eyes and ears that can make a difference."

Awake and Bold is sponsoring the 2023 Town Hall. They work to increase awareness around child trafficking and support organizations that rescue child trafficking victims. They intend to change the statistics in neighborhoods by creating awareness in our communities.

Bryan Prather has strategic partnerships with Vets for Child Rescue and the Association for Recovery of Children. His primary role in North Carolina includes advocating for and protecting victims and survivors of human trafficking. He can provide safe housing resources, investigations, casework, and setting up rescues when necessary. He can do awareness training for your business, church, schools, and civic organizations. He served in the United States Navy from 1979-1985. Bryan was a youth minister and is a seminary graduate. He also works with homeless veterans at a long-term residential restoration program in Asheville, NC.

Veterans For Child Rescue (Vets4ChildRescue.org) is a 5O1C3 nonprofit organization. They expose child trafficking, rescue victims, and put predators behind bars. Military professionals, former and current law enforcement, senior intelligence community veterans, and child abuse and trafficking survivors make up their team.

A panel discussion will follow.

To arrange an interview with Leigh Dundas, Hara Talcher, Bryan Prather before May 21, please contact Melissa Weiner at 210-305-1994 or Straydogmedia@gmail.com.