I am just returning to the office following our incredible Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Summit. Although, it was nearly three weeks ago, I am still feeling incredibly hopeful. There is a movement to end exploitation and our efforts to bring leaders together and engage them on united efforts have undoubtedly galvanized this shift. We have had the opportunity to speak in a number of places since the Summit, and I am thankfully running out of the office today to participate in a really important meeting, but I wanted to get a note to you about my incredible experience this weekend in Trinidad and Tobago.
About three years ago, we had this idea we couldn’t shake! We needed to have a meeting to bring together all who want to unify more on the issue of pornography and more broadly, on sexual exploitation in general. We hosted our first Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Summit. A group from the Archdiocese in Port of Spain came to our first event and told us they thought they should do the same in the Caribbean. This weekend, it happened!
Over 600 influential leaders from all the islands came together to start something BIG! There were top leaders from many different fields gathered to learn about the public health impacts of pornography, its connection to other forms of exploitation, and to discuss SOLUTIONS!
Thankfully, I was invited to speak, together with other giants in the movement.
Their passion and drive are formidable and I am feeling optimistic as it becomes more and more clear that this fight for dignity has turned a corner. We are uniting and victory after victory is unfolding. It is becoming easier for individuals to speak up about exploitation in all forms and as we find each other, our voices are deafening!
I hope you are feeling as encouraged as I am!
Two things I ask you to do now:
1) Please give $25, $50, or whatever you can to help us utilize the energy and support now swelling to our side. We have quite a lot of things we hope to implement in follow up to the Summit, and we need your help to make it happen.
2) What will you do during White Ribbon Against Pornography Week coming up this Oct 30 – Nov 6? Email and let us know at public@ncose.com.
Thank you so much for your support, faith, action, and encouragement!