LA County Office of Education Hosts Town Hall on Human Trafficking

Leaders convene an expert panel to offer insight, strategies to help end the rampant abuse of vulnerable populations

Downey, CA (January 24) - The ongoing pandemic has interrupted a myriad of transactions in the United States with several unconscionable exceptions-human trafficking. Approximately 800,000 victims per year continue to be trafficked across international borders worldwide, and between 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the United States (Source: U.S. Dept. Of State). Many of those victims pass through California, which is consistently ranked among states with the highest rates of human trafficking followed by Texas, Florida, and New York (Source: World Population Review). It is a tragic reality that has social and criminal justice leaders continuously identifying ways to eliminate the crime which tends to target vulnerable populations-particularly foster and LGBTQ+ youth, and students experiencing homelessness or poverty.

Among the most effective measures for raising awareness and protecting children in LA County from human trafficking is prevention education. On January 27 at 6 p.m. LACOE (in partnership with the LA County Department of Child and Family Services) will host a virtual Town Hall with local experts on the topic of human trafficking in Los Angeles County and what parents and caregivers can do to prevent youth from being exploited. This is a prime opportunity to increase the dialogue on this international scourge.

Register for "Strategies to Keep Your Kids Safe From Today's Hidden Dangers" by clicking here. SPANISH translation will be provided.

We invite you to share this information with your communities, networks, and social platforms. Content will be provided so you may also include it in school newsletters and on social media. With January designated as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, this presentation is being presented so communities can renew their efforts to raise awareness and educate people about the different forms of human trafficking.

LACOE is uniquely positioned to spearhead such an effort in LA County where trafficking has been particularly challenging for law enforcement agencies. Last year, LACOE was selected to implement a new program to prevent human trafficking victimization. The Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Education (HTYPE) Demonstration Program was among the first federal programs specifically designed to build resiliency to human trafficking in children and youth (read more on this three-year initiative here).

Townhall panelists are being convened from across the state to provide their insight and expertise on human trafficking in California and the U.S.

Holly Priebe Sotelo

Clinical Associate Professor, Field Education
University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Sotelo has 33 years of social work experience including 18 years in K-12 public education. In 2014, Priebe Sotelo established and chaired the first Los Angeles Unified School District Task Force to Prevent the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, which led to the 2016 LAUSD Board Resolution "Not in Our Schools, Not in Our Communities: Address, Prevent, and Eliminate Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in the Los Angeles Unified School District" (Res026-15/16). Other experiences include L.A. County Departments of Children & Family Services, Mental Health, and Probation. Areas of expertise include human trafficking, interpersonal and inter-group mediation, school-based violence, crisis response, diversity and equity, child abuse, and family violence.

Adela Estrada

Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Program Administrator
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

Ms. Estrada is responsible for the development of contracts and programs for youth and families impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation as well as Human Trafficking policy development for the Department of Children and Family Services and manages human trafficking training contracts for Los Angeles County.

Amber Davies, MSW, LCSW

Senior Director of Clinical Programs
Saving Innocence
Amber has worked at Saving Innocence for 7 years. She oversees programs for a team of advocates who support about 150 youth currently, who respond to crisis calls, provide advocacy and case management, prevention and intervention workshops, as well as empowerment programs for youth and families impacted by Commercial Sexual Exploitation.

Mario Gallegos

Detective II, LAPD Human Trafficking Coordinator
Los Angeles Police Department
Detective Mario Gallegos is a 22-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department. He has been assigned to Detective Support and Vice Division, Human Trafficking Unit for 6 years. Detective Gallegos has worked a variety of assignments such as Patrol, Gang Officer, Gang Investigator, Cold Case Homicide Investigator, Element Member at Metropolitan Division, Major Crimes Surveillance Squad, Mayoral Protection Detail, Detective assigned to Sexual Assault Unit and Federal Taskforce Officer assigned to an FBI Child Exploitation Unit. He is recognized as a subject-matter expert in the areas of human trafficking, sexual assault crimes and gang investigations. He has trained patrol officers, firefighters, paramedics, healthcare providers and various community organizations on recognizing the signs of human trafficking.

Sylvia Lacy-Miller

Parent Advocate, Certified Anti-Trafficking Consultant
Zoe International

Sylvia is a mother and a parent of a child who was a victim of human trafficking she is L.A.County's first Parent Advocate who supports parents and caregivers of Commercial Sexual Exploited Children who find themselves in this situation and is currently ZOE's International Parent Advocate, coaching her fellow colleagues on best practices for engaging with parents. Her expertise lies in supporting and helping families identify solutions and strategies for addressing the effect of human trafficking on their families, she coaches parents on how to engage with their children in a more empathetic and trauma-informed way, as well as co-facilitating the Parent Empowerment Program and workshops in human trafficking prevention and intervention, participating in community speaking engagements that raise awareness around human trafficking.

Rachel Thomas, M.Ed.

Director
Sowers Education Group
Rachel Thomas is a former Los Angeles Unified School District teacher with a Master's in Education. She is a survivor-leader with a passion for human trafficking prevention. She currently serves on the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.

Myla Lampkin MSW, LCSW

Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Program Supervisor
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Ms. Lampkin is the Program Supervisor for the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Program under the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health and is currently working on Commercially Sexually Exploited Children initiatives and efforts throughout LA County. This program strives to provide victims of sex trafficking with an understanding environment, tools, supports, and options they need to restore their lives.

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