someone like me.

For our last episode of season 2, we share never before heard clips from conversations this season. Each guest was asked the question, “Do you remember a moment of light that changed the way you see the issue of human trafficking?” The answers are as diverse as the guests we had a part of this season.  

We began this season talking about trauma-informed care, and how End Slavery Tennessee infuses this approach in all they do–including this podcast. We have a unique ability to share sex trafficking survivor stories directly from the survivors themselves, but not every survivor is ready or able to share their story in a way that's empowering or healthy. Sometimes, the sharing of their stories can cause more harm. This is why direct care staff at ESTN have a carefully regimented process to determine who may be a good fit for a survivor interview on this show. Although we are working with survivors daily, not every episode of Someone Like Me features an interview with a survivor.  But, we empower survivors by finding other ways for their voices to be heard. Today's episode is incredibly special, as it's entirely made up of survivor-submitted content, centered on the idea of HOPE. These stories and submissions from survivors were shared willingly, shared in their own voice, and actors read the juvenile stories for this episode.

Nicole's story has been referenced several times this season, so it's important we replay this survivor story, especially in Episode 23 with CEO Margie Quin and TBI Agent Jason Wilkerson. This podcast is named after a phrase Nicole said on a call with Tennessee law enforcement learning about the anatomy of a domestic human trafficking transaction. It is our hope that these stories are empowering to those to tell them and to those who hear them. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

The second of two episodes about shifts in law enforcement leading to major changes in trafficking so officers are better prepared to respond to victims with referrals for assistance. Today's episode is with Adrian Breedlove, a detective in an affluent suburb of Nashville. You might be challenged in your understanding of sex trafficking, where it's happening, who's doing it, and who's participating. Please use discretion while listening, as adult subject matter is discussed and may be triggering for some.

Law enforcement is key in trafficking prevention. Officers have direct contact with women and men who are being exploited as it's happening. Today we begin a 2-part series talking with officers and agents working to fight human trafficking in Tennessee. These folks work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of survivors. End Slavery Tennessee CEO, Margie Quin, is a retired TBI agent who originated the state's human trafficking unit, and led the charge to change laws and systems related to trafficking. Hear TBI agent Jason Wilkerson join producer Stacy Elliott and Leslie Eiler Thompason to share how trafficking is handled in the state of Tennessee.

Many court systems in the US have treatment courts to identify those who may need help with underlying issues like mental health, veterans needs, addiction, and trafficking. Nashville's is a two year program involving hands-on communication with the presiding judge, assistant district attorney, and a host of local community service providers that assist with managing the various needs of a survivor. The grace-empowered program provides women charged with prostitution an opportunity to removed those charges through a day-long program addressing trafficking, addiction, and trauma. This is an important part of the End Slavery Tennessee referral process. In today's episode, producer Stacy Elliot and I talked to Judge Ana Escobar and Assistant District Attorney Sarah Wolfson about how the court system can help victims of human trafficking.

This survivor story episode covers manipulation, grooming, societal pressures, and broken expectations. Cyntoia Brown is a name you may have heard in 2019 when social media hashtag #freecyntoiabrown was shared by Kerry Washington and Kim Kardashian while Cyntoia served a life sentence for killing a man who had purchased her for sex when she was 16. Cyntoia has been on 20/20, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, The Today Show, her story has been featured in a Netflix documentary, and she even wrote an autobiography. You can learn all of the details about her case and trial with a Google search. Cyntoia will share about • Her transition out of prison • How trafficking became a part of her story • How she didn't identify as a trafficking victim at first • How she came to realize she was trafficked while in prison. There are so many parts of her teenage experience that are incredibly important when we seek to understand how youth vulnerability plays a huge role in trafficking and how to work to prevent it. As always, we want to hear from survivors about hope and what's next for them. Since 2019, Cyntoia has gotten married, has started the JFAM Foundation, which has spurred The G.L.I.T.T.E.R. Project and The Y.E.S. Council, both of which you'll hear more about in this episode. We were blown away by Cyntoia's strong faith in God, despite all the difficult parts of her personal history, and the ways in which her completely unique experience has so many parallels to those of the youth Marissa works with daily.

Most of our survivors tell stories of being vulnerable as children, which led to a trafficker taking advantage. This is in stark contrast to the myth that children are being kidnapped and sold into sex slavery, and it's just simply not the truth. Today, we break this down even more, we talk with Stasia Freeman, founder of Epic Girl, who works with the court system to screen runaways and youth for signs of trafficking and exploitation, and then works with direct service providers like End Slavery Tennessee to rehabilitate these kids. When we talk about risk factors for trafficking, you'll hear us refer to a temperature tool that Marissa uses with the youth she works with his tools available for download on the End Slavery Tennessee website, you can see what sorts of things leave children vulnerable to being exploited.

Introducing End Slavery Tennessee's brand new socially-distanced-friendly awareness event! Dine at one of the on-site food trucks, check out our special partner booths, and settle in for a screening of I Am Jane Doe. Tickets available now: endslaverytn.org/drivein

Our first survivor interview of the season is a profound and powerful story of hope. Trish's story is a great example of how direct service organizations work together in Middle Tennessee, as she spent time in the Thistle Farms program in tandem with End Slavery Tennessee on her healing journey. You'll hear about familial drug use, late-in-life trafficking, the loss of guardianship of children (and regaining that guardianship), and what it looks like to heal and thrive after trauma.

The National Foster Youth Institute reported 60% of child trafficking victims recovered through FBI raids in 2013 were from foster care or group homes. When we look at vulnerability and its role in trafficking, talking about prevention is to consider foster care and the kids who are in it. So today's episode features a conversation with Bethany Christian Services in Middle Tennessee, a private foster care agency who works with the Department of Child Services here in Tennessee to recruit and train foster families. Their partnership with End Slavery Tennessee has brought an idea for a new program specifically for training families to care for trafficked youth.

Trafficking survivors may not have had opportunities to build work experience, so offering ways to gain this experience is essential to their healing and thriving. In this episode, Stacy and Leslie talk with Lauren Carpenter, co-founder of Branded Collective, an employer of many survivors from End Slavery Tennessee. Branded Collective not only sold jewelry that helped fund survivors and their healing journey, but provided jobs for survivors, to ready them for the workforce. If you're a business owner, or looking for creative ways to help in the rehabilitation of survivors, listen closely to this episode, it'll give you some important takeaways for developing opportunity for these women. Then stick around after our conversation with Lauren to hear from previous employees of Branded Collective who have special messages from their time there. As a content warning, this conversation has references to subjects that may be triggering or difficult for some, so please use your discretion when listening.

When we talk about serving survivors, even if you aren't working directly with them, it's important that we know why Trauma Informed Care is essential in fighting human trafficking. You'll hear about the principles of Trauma-Informed Care and specific examples of how ESTN utilizes them in the organization. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

Season 2 kickoff for Someone Like Me with this live launch originally broadcast March 12, 2021 on Facebook Live. Leslie Eiler Thompson hosts with executive producers Marissa Brownell and Stacy Elliott and producer Gregory Byerline, including live Q&A. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

This is a special bonus episode where we honor the legacy of our founder ... Derri Smith. She tells her own story and also how the plot developed into what we now know as End Slavery Tennessee, going beyond sound byte answers and taking us on a grand journey – from Derri's personal trauma to her dedication to serve the survivor community to organizing strategically and intentionally as a faith-based organization to the trauma-informed care staff and safe house currently in full operation – all contributing to Tennessee's ranking as the #1 state in the nation for fighting trafficking of minors. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

Here's the full recording of live Q&A from August 28 with Derri Smith (founder of End Slavery Tennessee), Margie Quin (CEO), Leslie Eiler Thompson (host), and Gregory Byerline (producer). We wrap season Season 1 with this live finale discussing impactful moments and answering listener questions to continue educating supporters and busting common myths about human trafficking. Survivor stories. Busted myths. Lives changed. Resource links: • Know the Red Flags • Ways to give • Volunteer opportunities Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

We've reached the Season 1 Finale episode, and there are still so many stories left to tell and myths to bust. To wrap our first season, we want to first thank you, the listener and supporter, for lending your ear and heart to the important work done at End Slavery Tennessee. Keep listening for even more. Today we have another special myth busting episode with submissions from several staff members of End Slavery. It's exciting to hear from this strong group of staffers focused on trauma-informed care, education, and understanding the actual realities of human trafficking right here, serving survivors. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.  

This episode features a survivor story from Crystal whose experience with trafficking involves contracting HIV as a juvenile from a John. There are many complications for survivors during recovery, if HIV or AIDS as part of their story, perhaps most profound is their labeling as a sexual predator if diagnosed with the virus, and convicted of prostitution. This creates a number of issues when these survivors seek help. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

Special myth busting episode with myths presented by several staff members of End Slavery Tennessee. There's a strong group of staffers focused on trauma-informed care, education, and understanding the actual realities of human trafficking right here, serving survivors. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

Grooming is the process of luring a targeted victim into trafficking. We've touched on grooming in previous episodes, but we haven't focused on it in detail. Today's guest, Callie, wanted to get specific about grooming, this part of human trafficking that's often overlooked. Getting a new perspective on this issue will help us all have a better understanding of how complex human trafficking is. Callie's experience was a little different. She wasn't trafficked as a teenager or young adult. She was 33. When she and her ex-fiance broke up that she was financially vulnerable. In this moment of vulnerability a trafficker found her and began readying Callie for his purposes. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

We hear from male voices in this episode as we dive into the world of demand for this crime, and what is called the “John School.” The John School is a day-long session of classes for men arrested, for the first time, for soliciting prostitutes. End Slavery Tennessee volunteer A.T. Branch lead the session on human trafficking and how the choice to buy sex feeds the demand that fuels human trafficking.  Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

The young woman you get to meet today uttered a phrase years ago that impacts you - the listener, right now. Nicole was a juvenile trafficking victim, which means she was under 18 when she was being trafficked.  After she was released from her exploiter on a trafficking bust in West Tennessee, Nicole was brought to Child Protective Services, and later introduced to us at End Slavery Tennessee. Nicole was paired with a mentor who had also been trafficked, as is often the case with our organization, so she felt comfortable with the people who were trying to support her. It was this mentor who called Nicole one morning with a task that seems to have been meant for her.  Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

With a background in law enforcement, End Slavery Tennessee CEO Margie Quin offers thoughts on “rescue” and domestic human trafficking. If we want to better understand this problem, it's important that we pay close attention to what survivors and experts are telling us. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode

Today's survivor interview is with Sarah, a graduate of the End Slavery Tennessee program. Instead of doing an interview first, she wrote her story and read it aloud to share it with us that way. After her story, Derri & Leslie have a brief conversation with Sarah about themes and more things that she's experienced. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

In episode 3, Joan told us her story, which included a history of domestic violence and being trafficked by her husband. Today's myth busting episode with Marissa Miciotto refers to this conversation, be sure to listen to Joan's episode before continuing.  Marissa Miciotto is the statewide Training Specialist for the Sexual Assault Center. The SAC provides services for survivors of sexual violence in Middle Tennessee. She trains people who are caring for survivors of interpersonal violence. Marissa brings us a wealth of knowledge on how to recognize domestic violence and provides several resources for how you can help. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

This episode introduces you to Joan, a graduate of End Slavery Tennessee. It's not unusual for people to view those involved in drugs and prostitution with disdain, just as they view human trafficking survivors with great sympathy. As Joan tells her story, we see how being trafficked at a young age can easily lead to addictions and sometimes a form of prostitution that is more a trap than a rational choice. Plus, how she's used her past experiences to build a business that makes products crafted with hope in mind. Thanks to Jones Legacy Group for their exclusive sponsorship of our first season. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

End Slavery Tennessee founder Derri Smith shares an audio blog she wrote after episode 1 was recorded with Stephanie, a trafficking survivor and ESTN graduate. So, for full context, you'll need to be sure you listen to that episode first. End Slavery Tennessee thanks Jones Legacy Group for their continued support and exclusive sponsorship of this first season of Someone Like Me. If you like what you're hearing, please tell a friend and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Stephanie is a graduate of the End Slavery Tennessee program, and we'll hear about her experience of being trafficked, how it all began, and where she is now. End Slavery Tennessee thanks Jones Legacy Group for their continued support and exclusive sponsorship of this first season of Someone Like Me. If you like what you're hearing, please tell a friend and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Over the last three years, the state of Tennessee has ranked number one for its collaborative work to address human trafficking, and End Slavery Tennessee has been key to that success. In this new podcast, Someone Like Me, you'll gain a deepened understanding of how people become human trafficking victims and the many obstacles in their recovery. You'll also hear updates from End Slavery Tennessee program leaders about initiatives in this vital work and educate yourself as we dissolve common myths around Human Trafficking.