group-pic          Human  Trafficking Awareness presentation at Houston Airport 10/25/2016.  

congressional-recognitionAirline Ambassadors International with the assistance of the Houston Airport System’s Director of International Relations, Zeljka Momirovic presented the Human Trafficking training for Houston George Bush Airport personnel on October 25, 2016.  Presenters were retired AA flight attendant Sandi Hodges, AA flight attendant and survivor Donna Hubbard, and AA flight attendant Leslie Power.  Roslyn Parker, with Travel to do Good, Cry Freedom members, Suzanne Pretti, Nicki Lamey, and Pat Weeks and United flight attendants Jess Reiss and Ginny Stogner McDavid were all instrumental in publicizing and helping facilitate this event. elijah-risingThe event wrapped up with a presentation by Elijah Rising , Kendleton Farms’ founder and director, Cat French.  She is a modern-day abolitionist who is passionate about seeing the end of human trafficking in Houston and around the world.  She is a former sociology professor and researcher in the social sciences, with an extensive background in outreach and ministry to prostituted women and children. 100 people attended representing law enforcement, TSA, DHS, pilots, flight attendants, agents, and others in the travel industry.  Media coverage was given by KHOU, Channel 11  

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee presented Airline Ambassadors with a proclamation that spoke to the work the organization is doing to educate the airline industry. She acknowledged the other agencies that were there including the State Department, Houston police Department, TSA, and airport management. She also spoke to the human trafficking issues in Houston, and that through legislation, she would continue to do her part. Other Houston area non-profit organizations that were represented included, Sheila Whittle with Free the Captives, Chris Horton with United Against Human Trafficking, Jenn Ahart with Rescue Houston, and Patrice Parker with The Landing.  They were available to answer questions about their organization and how individuals could get more involved locally in combating human trafficking in their area. Sponsors of the event were Three Strands Global, Cry Freedom, a small group of Grace Fellowship UMC, and Travel to Do Good. img_0552img_0596img_0576   2e73e2b9-82d7-4427-a354-1f1f3c3786b8f7fc1d07-7a42-4b9c-8f8e-abb487a6fd8d70d871c3-9e76-42ab-90c9-4e98ad3fbacc3ea278e3-847c-4e34-93e9-48f7ef812ed6114_rp_va_10_comstock_barbara        

                                                                                   This training followed our earlier training on October 14 at Dulles International Airport in Virginia where Representative Barbara Comstock joined us and mentioned the need for media coverage of our important work   See story HERE

Additional Congressional Endorsements from Representatives Titus, Speier, Yoho and Senator Klobuchar at this LINK

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Preparing for Super-Bowl - Houston is on a mission to stop human trafficking in its tracks!

"It is often said that Houston is the hub for sex trafficking," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner declared. "Let me just say that Houston will be the hub for the prevention and elimination of sex trafficking." So, local officials are joining the mayor in rolling out a new anti-human trafficking campaign to fight back. slide1"And we're not just doing it for the Super Bowl," Turner said. "We're doing it for everyday Houstonians and for people who visit our city." The Harris County District Attorney's office says it's handled over 1,700 human trafficking cases since February 2013 alone. "The reality is that human trafficking victims are subtly hidden in plain sight," Harris County D.A. Devon Anderson shared.   The D.A. says human trafficking does not just involve extreme cases where individuals are locked up in cellars. "Victims are not held in physical captivity, rather they are held by emotion and psychological restraints," she added. As Mayor Turner summed up, "If it's one person, it's one person too many-- especially when we are talking about our children."
Passage of the FAA Extension Bill in July 2016 requires every airline in the United States provide enhanced training to flight attendants “recognizing an responding to potential human trafficking victims.” This is an issue for airports as the perpetrators have been commonly found to be involved with drugs, arms and terrorism.
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