Youth ask San Diego Gang Commission to stay the course on human and sex trafficking issues

(left to right; Youth Voice Co-Facilitator Talitha Thompson, Mentor Stephanie Linderman, Youth Leaders Jessica Rivera, Tatiana Sanchez, Lizette Diego, and Katherine Rodriguez.)

Four student leaders from Youth Voice told twelve Commissioners of San Diego’s Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention last month how important it is that they raise awareness, educate the community, and encourage other youth and adults to become involved in eliminating human and sex trafficking in San Diego.

The FBI states that among children and teens living on the streets in the United States, involvement in commercial sex activity is a problem of epidemic proportion. California harbors 3 of FBI's 13 highest sex trafficking areas in the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. The youth leaders are devoted to advocating for the children and youth who do not have a voice.

Dana Brown, a commissioner on the Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention and who co-founded Youth Voice, inner city youth, ages 11 to 20, who meet weekly at the Mid-City Police Division in partnership with the Juvenile Services Team, introduced the student leaders at Second Chance, a re-entry organization empowering their clients to make sustainable changes in their lives that positively impact society through reducing recidivism, unemployment, and homelessness

With underage sex trafficking in San Diego the second largest economy, Youth leader Jessica Rivera gave a call to action to the commissioners: to ensure that human and sex trafficking stays on the forefront of their work as city leaders. Jessica reflected, "Presenting at the Gang Commission was such an important step in spreading the voice of the youth, therefore, I felt so empowered and such proudness in being able to speak in front of important people. I also felt pride in the work we did because I know we put hard work into it, and the fact that they accepted us to present was a huge honor."

"As a youth leader, I felt powerful because important people of the city took their time to listen to our presentation, and that people actually listen to us even though we are youth,” said Lizette Diego after the presentation.

"I felt as if we, as youth, are making a difference,” said Youth Voice leader Katherine Rodriguez.

(left to right; Youth Voice Co-Facilitator Talitha Thompson, Mentor Stephanie Linderman, Youth Leaders Jessica Rivera, Tatiana Sanchez, Lizette Diego, and Katherine Rodriguez.)

Throughout the meeting, several commissioners said how inspired they were by the students, and said they learned more about sex and human trafficking. Commissioner Joyce Abrams suggested that data about sex and human trafficking in the San Diego region should be included at every meeting of the Gang Commission.

"Presenting in front of the gang commission was a big moment for me. I felt as if they genuinely cared about what I said and I will make a difference,” said youth leader Tatiana Sanchez. Tatiana shared how perpetrators can be gang members, pimps, and family members with the key element the vulnerability of the children and youth. With only 54% of recruiters who are strangers, 46% are known to the victim.

Youth Voice is developing a menu of social justice presentations over the summer months. Katherine has chosen suicide awareness and prevention; Jessica and LIzette plan to do a presentation on animal rights and abuse; Sienna will do a presentation about healthy relationships (teenage relationship violence/domestic violence); and Tatiana has chosen connecting ACEs & trauma-informed strategies to prevention.