Courageous trafficked survivors shared personal stories; American Airlines, Dr. Monique W. Morris and surprise honorees Jessica and Dirk Nowitzki received the 2021 ProtectHER Awards

Attendees of this year’s hybrid New Friends New Life luncheon not only benefited from the empowering words of Academy Award-Winner Lupita Nyong’o, but they also gained new perspective into the lives of those who are sex trafficked from the personal stories of five courageous graduates of the nonprofit’s program – each of whom was present at the luncheon. These women, now members of a new Alumni Circle, help ensure that survivors always have a voice while serving as mentors for the women and girls in NFNL’s program.

The a cappella voices of Kings Return opened the program, setting the tone for what was to be a powerful day. Luncheon Co-Chairs Jan Osborn and Trina Terrell-Andrews introduced the video of the sex trafficking survivors, followed by remarks from NFNL CEO Bianca Davis. Davis applauded each survivor for their courage, commitment, and successes while highlighting the importance of “community” and the organization’s transformational program. “This year, I listened to a member share that her first day at New Friends New Life was going to be the last day of her life,” shared Davis. “She had tried, and she was tired. But she didn’t end her life that day. In fact, she is about to enter Phase 4 of our program, and she is a star.”

Dr. Monique W. Morris, president and CEO of Grantmakers for Girls of Color, was honored with the first ProtectHER Award for her work as a transformative voice for girls of color impacted by sex trafficking. She is an award-winning author and social justice scholar with three decades of experience in the areas of education, civil rights, and juvenile and social justice. Unable to attend in person, Dr. Morris shared her remarks in a recorded video. “I am honored to be in community with New Friends New Life and proud of the work we do to impact the lives of others. New Friends New Life is about transformation and reclamation, and it is beautiful.”

Patrick Sanders, director and senior attorney at American Airlines, accepted his company’s ProtectHER Award for its work in the fight against sex trafficking. Since January 2020, the company has provided awareness training for their team to recognize how human trafficking intersects with the travel industry; provided care kits for women in the program; and most recently provided pro-bono legal services, in partnership with Jones Day, to expunge criminal records of women in the NFNL program. “We continue to be so impressed by the work of New Friends New Life and the lives that are saved every day, and are truly grateful for this honor,” said Sanders. “To hear the personal stories of survival today, and to know we played a role in the expungement of one of those survivors was an emotional moment for me and our team here today.”

Honorary Co-Chairs Tonya and Charlie McKinney were invited to the stage to help introduce a surprise awardee. Charlie began by sharing that he was going off script and stated how much of an impact the program of NFNL has made on them. He specifically recognized the table of survivors who had just shared their personal stories and successes.

Jessica and Dirk Nowitzki were announced as the recipients of the third ProtectHER Award for the work of their foundation which focuses on the well-being, health, and education of children; their donations to critical social service agencies during the pandemic; and their understanding that social ills – including sex trafficking – are often the result of vulnerabilities of early childhood.

“This is a great honor for our foundation,” said Nowitzki. He then shared a personal story of his arrival 20 years ago in Dallas. “Exiting the plane, I was greeted by hundreds of fans with Dirk signs. I thought, they are already embracing me, and they don’t even know me. It was at that moment I knew I was going to do my best to do my part to make this a better community. It was years later I learned those were all Mavs employees, but the seed was already planted! We started the foundation in 2001, and we have been doing amazing work collaborating with amazing people. I’m excited to continue the work of the foundation and look forward to the next 20 years.”

Jessica Nowitzki continued, “Collaboration and partnership are key and what we have tried to do all of these years. Without sponsors and collaborators, we can’t do what we do in the community. New Friends New Life is one of the key components making a change in our city. Your presence today is so important. To make a difference we all have to do this together.”

NBC 5’s Laura Harris introduced virtual guest Lupita Nyong’o, a Kenyan actress, producer and author, known for her Academy Award-winning performance in 12 Years a Slave. She starred in Jordan Peel’s Us and is soon reprising her role in Marvel’s Black Panther 2. She executive produces the YouTube Originals family program, Super Sema, which depicts Africa’s first kid superhero and features her voice in a two-part episode. She is also a New York Times Bestselling author for her children’s book, Sulwe, which recently won an Emmy Award.

In a recorded conversation with Harris, Nyong’o shared her story and what empowers and motivates her. She was raised by parents who were involved in the world – her dad, a politician, fighting for democracy, and her mother, a world class humanitarian who takes on other people’s issues with a big heart.

“I observed them put people first and sacrifice themselves for a larger idea – those examples affected me, giving me the blueprint of what life is about. You have a life to lead – do what you want to do and what enriches the world you live in. This sense of purpose is in all of us – if you listen close enough.” 

Nyong’o shared that she was not clear for a long time about what her purpose was but feels driven by a desire to change the narrative and offer a new perspective, especially in her role as an actor and storyteller. She continued by saying, “the pursuit of clarity is valid in and of itself.” After graduating with her undergraduate degree, she returned to Kenya to reflect, knew she wanted to act, and applied to graduate school.

“Reflection is such an important part of discovering what your purpose is,” Nyong’o added. “You can so easily get into the rut of living and just trying to survive that you forget to take a step back, take stock and design your life.”

She touched on her children’s book, Sulwe, which she referred to as an autobiography of her life with magic in it. “I grew up very uncomfortable with the color of my skin and experienced discrimination. I wrote a children’s book to affect the way children see themselves before the world tells them what their worth is. Ultimately, in our adult lives we are seeking to heal our childhood wounds, and this was one of the ways I went about healing my own.”

The actress also discussed her experience narrating Serengeti, a nature documentary shot in Kenya. She realized this was a watershed moment when she reflected on the fact that she had never heard a nature documentary done in an accent that was not British or American; she had never heard a female narrator; and she had never heard an African accent – even though filming was on that continent.

When asked about her workout videos, she shared she believes in a strong body, strong mind, and had a good role model as a child – her aunt played the Jane Fonda workout videos, and they exercised together every other day.

She described her Oscar moment, unsure if she heard her name called in her head or aloud, and then worried about falling as she walked up the stairs in 40 meters of fabric. “I was washed with gratitude – a girl from Kenya who had this dream that seemed so unattainable that my mother protected, and my father encouraged, and now it’s come to fruition.”

She emphasized that we don’t necessarily belong where we are from – that’s just a starting point. “The more we understand that, the more we can do with it. We belong on this earth the second we get here.”

For her final remarks, she shared she had been thinking about the gift of curiosity. “When people are oppressed, the first thing taken away from them is freedom to be curious. I want to impart on people to hold on to your curiosity – it’s what keeps you engaged in life, youthful and growing, and when you let it go, that’s when you start to die. I am grateful for my career which forces me to be curious. When I start a role, I know nothing, and that exercise in being uncomfortable in what you don’t know and seeking to know it, keeps my brain sharp and my heart beating – it keeps me looking forward to a new day.”

Luncheon attendees included Kimberly Clifton; Katherine Coker; Elizabeth Gambrell; Tracey Nash-Huntley; Ashlee and Chris Kleinert; Wendy Messmann; Pat Schenkel; Beth Thoele; Dr. Melissa Tonn; Gail and Dr. R. Gerald Turner; Jessica Turner-Waugh; and Katherine Wynne.

Media sponsors were NBC5, PaperCity, and The Dallas Morning News.

Visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org/luncheon.

About New Friends New Life:

Founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1998, New Friends New Life (NFNL) restores and empowers trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children, and drives awareness of the issue and its prevalence. By providing access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health, and spiritual support, New Friends New Life helps women and their children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction, poverty, and limited opportunities. In 2020, NFNL served 330 members (clients). NFNL also educates the community and works to eradicate the epidemic of human trafficking through advocacy, legislative reform and strategic partnerships that address systemic causes. In 2018, NFNL opened a drop-in Youth Resource Center (YRC) in partnership with the Office of the Governor to serve trafficked and high-risk teen girls. More than 100 girls visited the YRC during its first year. In 2015, NFNL organized its Men's Advocacy Group to engage men in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation. For more information, visit http://www.newfriendsnewlife.org.

“A Conversation with Nyong’o” will be presented virtually at this year’s hybrid event

New Friends New Life (NFNL) announces Lupita Nyong’o, Academy Award® winner, executive producer, New York Times best-selling author, and advocate for women and girls around the world, will headline the New Friends New Life Annual Luncheon that will be held on Friday, October 8 at 11:30 a.m., at the OMNI Dallas Hotel, 555 S. Lamar St. A hybrid event giving guests the opportunity to attend in-person or online, the luncheon will feature an in-person program, along with “A Conversation with Nyong’o,” presented virtually.  Luncheon co-chairs are Jan Osborn, founder of Dallas Doing Good, and Trina Terrell-Andrews, CEO of the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center.

Lupita Nyong’o is a Kenyan actress, producer and author. For her role in 12 Years a Slave, Nyong’o received the Academy Award® as well as the Screen Actors Guild® Award, the Critics’ Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award, and the NAACP Award. For her starring role in Jordan Peele’s Us, Nyong’o received a Screen Actors Guild nomination, the NY Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress, and an NAACP Award. Upcoming, she will star in Marvel’s Black Panther 2 and Universal’s thriller The 355.

“New Friends New Life is both honored and excited to bring our supporters and friends together once again to celebrate the triumph of women and girls, and there are few voices more triumphant than that of Lupita Nyong’o,” said Bianca Jackson, CEO, New Friends New Life. “Exuding beauty, strength and courage, Lupita’s passion and message perfectly aligns with our mission to help restore and empower those who have been marginalized and minimized. By being her authentic self, she gives voice to the hopes and dreams of women and girls everywhere.”

Currently, Nyong’o executive produces the YouTube Originals family program, Super Sema. The animated series depicts Africa’s first kid superhero and features Nyong’o’s voice in a two-part episode. She is also currently filming Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever.  Additionally, she will co-produce and feature in Born a Crime, as well as executive produce and star in Apple TV’s Lady in the Lake. Past credits include Black Panther, Little Monsters, Queen of?Katwe, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Recently, she played “Julieta” in The Public Theater’s bilingual audio adaptation of Romeo y Julieta alongside Juan Castano. Nyong’o earned a Tony® nomination for her Broadway performance in Eclipsed. Her debut children's book, Sulwe, is a?New York Times?#1 Best Seller.

Underwriting sponsorship opportunities begin at $2,500, and individual tickets are available for $250. A limited number of virtual access-only tickets can be purchased for $100. To reserve your sponsorship or seats, please visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org/luncheon, email events@newfriendsnewlife.org or contact Senior Development Director Priya Murphy at 214-217-8652.

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About New Friends New Life:
Founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1998, New Friends New Life (NFNL) restores and empowers trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women and their children, and drives awareness of the issue and its prevalence. By providing access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health, and spiritual support, New Friends New Life helps women and their children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction, poverty, and limited opportunities. In 2020, NFNL served 330 members (clients). NFNL also educates the community and works to eradicate the epidemic of human trafficking through advocacy, legislative reform and strategic partnerships that address systemic causes. In 2018, NFNL opened a drop-in Youth Resource Center (YRC) in partnership with the Office of the Governor to serve trafficked and high-risk teen girls. More than 100 girls visited the YRC during its first year. In 2015, NFNL organized its Men's Advocacy Group to engage men in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation. For more information, visit http://www.newfriendsnewlife.org.

New Friends New Life Announces 2020 ProtectHER Award Recipients and Decision to Pivot to Virtual Event Format Amidst COVID-19 

New Friends New Life (NFNL) announces the 2020 ProtectHER Award Recipients:  Natalie Nanasi, director of the Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women and assistant professor of law, Southern Methodist University, and Brittany K. Barnett, author, entrepreneur, and attorney committed to pro bono work and reform of the criminal justice system. The award recipients will be honored at the Friday, September 18 New Friends New Life Annual Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., which will now be held in a virtual format to ensure the safety of supporters during COVID-19.

Cyntoia Brown-Long, a sex trafficking survivor and advocate for criminal justice reform, will headline the luncheon, co-chaired by NFNL Board of Directors Members Jane A. Rose and Jessica Turner Waugh and honorary co-chairs and community advocates Elizabeth and Eric Gambrell.

“As we navigate the production of a virtual luncheon experience, our team embraces this new format with creativity and excitement for the new opportunities it presents, including an expanded reach of our mission,” said Kim Robinson, CEO, New Friends New Life. “We are excited to welcome our speaker and honor our award recipients, who together shine a light on the importance of criminal justice reform and the many injustices faced by those who are trafficked. 

ProtectHER Award Recipient Natalie Nanasi, an assistant professor of law and the director of the Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women at Southern Methodist University, supervises law school students’ representation of survivors of gender-based violence in a broad range of legal matters as well as systemic advocacy and policy work. Prior to arriving at SMU, she was a practitioner-in-residence and the director of the Domestic Violence Clinic at American University, Washington College of Law (WCL). Before joining the faculty at WCL, she was the senior immigration attorney and pro bono coordinator at the Tahirih Justice Center, where she represented immigrant women and girls fleeing human rights abuses such as female genital cutting, domestic and sexual violence, forced marriage, and honor crimes. Nanasi also served as counsel in the landmark asylum case of Matter of A-T- and as an Equal Justice Works Fellow from 2007-2009, with a focus on the U visa. Prior to her work at Tahirih, she was a law clerk to the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz of the District of Columbia Superior Court. Nanasi researches and writes at the intersection of immigration, gender, and feminist legal theory. She received her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where she earned an Equal Justice Foundation fellowship for her work at the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Center in New Delhi, India, and assisted in representation of HIV-positive immigrants at Whitman Walker Clinic Legal Services. Prior to her legal career, Nanasi was a rape crisis counselor and supported single teenage mothers at a transitional residence facility in Boston. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas and the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center.

“As a community partner with the legal center, New Friends New Life has referred many survivors to Natalie and her team, who have provided the assistance they so desperately needed,” added Robinson. “In 2019, 75 percent of our members had a criminal record of some kind – a formidable barrier for them to finding conventional employment, housing, and building a new life. We are thrilled to honor Natalie, who is making a critical difference in their ability to make a fresh start.”

“The criminal records that New Friends New Life’s clients carry are a direct result of the trafficking they have endured. From theft to drug and prostitution convictions, none of their interactions with the criminal justice system have occurred outside of the context of their victimization,” said Nanasi. “It is an honor to help survivors navigate the legal system and work with them to clear their records, and I am humbled to be recognized for standing beside these brave women.”

ProtectHER Award Recipient Brittany K. Barnett is an attorney, author, and entrepreneur dedicated to reform of the criminal justice system. Her memoir, A Knock at Midnight, will be published on September 8. While working several years as a corporate attorney, Barnett was committed to pro bono representation of clients in federal prison under draconian drug laws. Her dedication resulted in freedom for many with federal drug offenses, including seven clients who received executive clemency from President Barack Obama.

As the daughter of a formerly incarcerated mother, Barnett knows firsthand the impact of mass incarceration is far reaching, devastating families and entire communities. Barnett founded two nonprofits: the Buried Alive Project, which works to dismantle life without parole sentences handed down under federal drug laws and Girls Embracing Mothers, dedicated to empowering girls with mothers in prison. Barnett is also the founder of XVI Capital Partners and Milena Reign, social enterprises devoted to shifting the paradigm to show the world-changing impact that formerly incarcerated people can have when they have access to resources.

She is a graduate of SMU’s Dedman School of Law and previously served as the associate general counsel at ORIX USA Corporation focusing on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. Prior to her legal career, Barnett earned her license as a Certified Public Accountant and worked for international accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. She has been featured nationally on multiple news platforms, including television and print and has earned many honors, including being named one of America’s most Outstanding Young Lawyers by the American Bar Association.

“It is inspiring to see Brittany challenging systems at every turn,” shared Robinson. “Her resilience and determination have helped her overcome obstacles that could have easily made her a product of her environment.  Instead, she is breaking through barriers on behalf of others, changing lives in the process. We are delighted to be able to celebrate her achievements.”

“Many of the women of New Friends New Life have had to face the criminal justice system in some shape or form. It is critical that women and girls directly impacted by sex trafficking and incarceration are empowered and at the center of any movement and work surrounding them,” said Barnett. “Women and girls and their diverse stories and perspectives are too often ignored but are critical to drive impactful change. It is an honor to be a recipient of the ProtectHER Award and help amplify the voices of these amazing women.”

NFNL Luncheon speaker, Cyntoia Brown-Long, was arrested at the age of 16, a juvenile sentenced as an adult to life in prison for killing a man who solicited her for sex. She served 15 years before receiving a commuted sentence by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.  The author of Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System and the subject of a documentary about her life, Brown-Long is passionate about shining a light on the injustices faced by women and children in American prisons. (See attached document for more information on Ms. Brown-Long.)

“This year has presented additional challenges for our community. Survivors have endured a burden of emotional and economic loss. They have become more vulnerable to traffickers who are highly adept at capitalizing on their economic hardships for survival,” shared Robinson. “Additionally, a staggering increase in online sexual exploitation has been reported.  While we cannot physically be together on September 18, we can unite virtually, working together to serve as a catalyst for change. Please join us on September 18 to ‘stand for her’ and help us restore hope to so many trapped in this illegal industry.”

Underwriting sponsorship opportunities begin at $2,500, and individual tickets are available for $100 each. Guests will receive a link to view the luncheon, with sponsors also receiving sponsor gift boxes and digital package benefits.  To reserve your virtual seats please contact Bianca Jackson, chief development officer,  at 214-217-8650, visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org/luncheon or email events@newfriendsnewlife.org.

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About New Friends New Life:
Founded in Dallas, Texas in 1998, New Friends New Life (NFNL) restores and empowers formerly trafficked and sexually exploited women, teen girls, and children. By providing access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health and spiritual support, New Friends New Life helps women, teen girls and children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction, poverty, and limited opportunities. In 2019, NFNL served 372 members (clients). NFNL also educates the community and works to eradicate the epidemic of human trafficking through advocacy, legislative reform and strategic partnerships that address systemic causes. In 2018, NFNL opened a drop-in Youth Resource Center (YRC) in partnership with the Office of the Governor to serve trafficked and high-risk teen girls. More than 100 girls visited the YRC during its first year. In 2015, NFNL organized its Men's Advocacy Group to engage men in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation. For more information, visit http://www.newfriendsnewlife.org.

Hollywood Trailblazer and New Friends New Life Luncheon speaker Jada Pinkett Smith was first inspired to advocate for those impacted by sex trafficking in 2011 when her then pre-teen daughter Willow watched a documentary at school and told her there were children her age being sold for sex in the United States. Pinkett Smith did not believe it until completing her own research, making her an immediate advocate against the practice. Since then, she has remained passionate to fight what has become the “new age of slavery” and “an epidemic in our country.”

Interviewed on stage by NBC 5’s Laura Harris, Pinkett Smith captivated the New Friends New Life Annual Luncheon audience of nearly 1,000 on October 11 at the OMNI Dallas with personal stories, experiences on the streets with victims of sex trafficking, and advice on important ways to parent and educate our children.

Luncheon Co-Chair Couples Christa and Ketric Sanford and Shelly Slater and Clayton Huffstutter teamed with Honorary Chairs Amy and Joe Crafton as the leadership for this year’s event, demonstrating that sex trafficking is not a women’s issue, it’s a human issue that must be addressed by both men and women.

Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott and Methodist Health System were honored as the 2019 ProtectHER Award Recipients for their leadership in the fight against human trafficking. Mrs. Abbott was recognized as for her leadership and advocacy for the victims of human trafficking. Most recently, she partnered with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) as the voice of a public service announcement building upon the statewide “Be the One” anti-human trafficking campaign. The goal is to educate viewers on the most common signs of trafficking found in TABC-licensed establishments such as bars and restaurants. Methodist Health System was honored for the outstanding efforts of the medical staff of Methodist Dallas Medical Center’s emergency room and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program to combat human trafficking by recognizing and assisting patients who are victims.  In April 2018, an emergency room triage nurse’s training and intuition led to the arrest and prosecution of a human trafficking ringleader and the rescue of approximately 20 trafficking victims held captive in a house just a few miles from the hospital.

During the luncheon, a special video highlighted the partnership of fashion designer Abi Ferrin, who is employing women from New Friends New Life to design and make scarves for her scarf project – using remnant products from the fashion industry. A pop-up shop at the luncheon provided an opportunity for guests to shop for scarves and support this new, successful endeavor.

“Investing in women unseen is the best thing you can do,” said Ferrin. “This project has given me more joy and inspiration than I’ve had in years.”

New Friends New Life CEO Kim Robinson shared, “While we may want to dismiss this as an issue that only happens in other countries, we know in fact that it’s happening right here in our own backyard. Today our economic empowerment initiative has a 90 percent enrollment increase, and there have been over 1,400 drop-in visits to our Youth Resource Center. Additionally, 125 new women were welcomed into the program this year. And now we have a waiting list of women who need our services.”

As Pinkett Smith took the stage, she told the audience, “I applaud each of you as this is a beautiful turnout for this important cause.  New Friends New Life is doing phenomenal work. Trafficking is becoming a very sophisticated crime, so it is crucial to have conversations such as this.”

“We are all vulnerable, and it’s a big mistake to think trafficking happens to certain type of girl,” she continued. Pinkett Smith talked about being 11 or 12 and running the streets while her mother, a nurse, was working. She also recounted a trip she took to Italy at the age of 20 and the hotel valet trying to lure her to spend the day on a boat with him. Her instincts kicked in, she called her mother, and her mother told her not to go.

She stressed that parents need to keep their children close, mentor them in the ups and downs of growing up, educate them about the dangers of online conversations and use open communication.

“I am very open with my daughter and want her to know there is nothing she will experience that I haven’t already.  There is no judgement here, and we can get through this together.” She added that how we love our children is very important. “Traffickers’ language isn’t really very different to what we use at home, and we must create a distinct difference in what love looks like.”

At one point during the conversation Pinkett Smith became emotional recounting conversations she has had with young girls on the streets and what they endure. “A lot of girls don’t make it,” added Pinkett Smith. “When I look out into this audience and see this many people, it fills me with joy. These young women need our help. We can heal our own souls by helping women have a second chance.”

Media sponsors were NBC5, PaperCity, and The Dallas Morning News.

Visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org/luncheon.

www.newfriendsnewlife.org/scarf

Employment partnership program:  www.newfriendsnewlife.org/partnership

About New Friends New Life:

New Friends New Life, founded in 1998, restores and empowers formerly trafficked and sexually exploited women, teen girls and children.  By providing access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health and spiritual support, New Friends New Life helps women, teenage girls and children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction, poverty and limited opportunities.  For more information about New Friends New Life, visit  www.newfriendsnewlife.org or call (214) 965-0935.

PHOTOS BY TAMYTHA CAMERON

New Friends New Life (NFNL), a Dallas-based nonprofit that restores and empowers formerly trafficked teen girls and sexually exploited women and their children, announces leadership for the 2019 Annual Luncheon on October 11 featuring Jada Pinkett Smith as keynote speaker. Luncheon Co-Chairs Shelly Slater & Clayton Huffstutter and Christa & Ketric Sanford are teaming up to lead what supporters hope will be one the most successful luncheons to date. Amy & Joe Crafton will serve as honorary co-chairs for the event that is expected to draw 1,000 attendees.

“This year we are excited to have couples chair the New Friends New Life Luncheon together because we know that sex trafficking is not a women’s issue, it’s a human issue that must be addressed by both men and women,” said Kim Robinson, CEO, New Friends New Life. “Survivors of trafficking and those living under the threat of falling victim at any moment need to know that there are men and women who are willing to stand on their behalf, helping them craft a future for themselves that they couldn’t otherwise imagine.”

Co-Chairs Shelly Slater and Clayton Huffstutter have been advocates for the work of New Friends New Life for several years. Shelly has been on the NFNL Board of Directors since 2016 and has served as emcee of multiple NFNL luncheons. Clayton is a member of the NFNL Men’s Advocacy Group that mobilizes men through education, awareness and volunteerism.

“We have a vested interest in supporting New Friends New Life, an organization that, for 20 years, has served as a lifeline for women who have been trafficked and exploited in our community,” said Shelly Slater. “To know that there are 400 trafficked teens on the street every night in Dallas, and that the average age of a girl entering the sex trade is anywhere between 13 and 15, we believe that it is our civic duty and responsibility to help end to this form of modern-day slavery.”

“New Friends New Life is doing an amazing job creating awareness of a problem that many people still don’t realize is happening in our own backyard,” added Clayton Huffstutter. “This luncheon inspires more people to get involved, which is critical for change to happen. We simply cannot stand by and let this continue.”

Clayton is a principal at Park Cities Asset Management, where he focuses on investor relations and capital markets. Shelly is a multi-Emmy-Award-winning journalist and a recipient of the National Edward R. Murrow Award. After ten years on the anchor desk at WFAA, she runs her own company to help corporations win business and trust through carefully crafted messaging. Additionally, Shelly and her sister are co-owners of The Slate, a new co-working space in the Design District that provides offices as well as a large studio, podcast room, and team-building room. The couple lives in the Park Cities with their three young boys.

Co-Chairs Christa and Ketric Sanford have been involved with New Friends New Life since 2011. Christa is a new member of the NFNL Board of Directors and past president of the agency’s Circle of Friends Board. Ketric is a member of the NFNL Men’s Advocacy Group.

“With three young kids, Ketric and I believe that our work with New Friends New Life is instrumental in helping keep children from becoming trapped in the sex trafficking industry,” said Christa Sanford. “By understanding and addressing factors like childhood sexual abuse, poverty and other complex trauma that make children, particularly young girls, more susceptible to being victimized by traffickers, New Friends New Life is breaking the cycle by creating a community where teen girls can overcome their backgrounds and thrive.”

“We are encouraged by the comprehensive work of New Friends New Life to address the issue from all angles,” added Ketric Sanford. “From advocacy and prevention to restoration and empowerment, we are disrupting the trafficking industry at its very core.”

Christa serves on the First Baptist Academy Board of Trustees and the Emerging Leader Board for SMU Dedman School of Law. She is a founding officer of The Village Giving Circle and an active member of the Junior League of Dallas. A partner at Baker Botts, Christa practices patent law, and Ketric is managing director of Corsica Capital Partners. Additionally, Ketric serves as treasurer on the Big Thought Board of Directors. The Sanford family resides in East Dallas.

Honorary Co-Chair Amy Simmons Crafton is a longtime supporter of NFNL. She and her husband, Joe Crafton, are committed to creating a society that is safe for women and girls. “NFNL not only brings hope to the women, it also changes their lives – and they experience the love of Christ while in the program. This is the kind of organization we like to stand behind,” said Amy Crafton.  The couple resides in Preston Hollow.

The October 11 luncheon, featuring Jada Pinkett Smith, will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the OMNI Dallas Hotel, 555 S. Lamar St.  Pinkett-Smith, a successful actress, producer, director, humanitarian and activist, is passionate about fighting human trafficking, advocating for survivors and creating awareness in communities.

“When I realized it was such a huge problem for women and children all over the world, I really wanted to be a voice to let people know that human trafficking exists,” said Pinkett Smith. “Every last one of us has a job to do regarding combatting human trafficking – whether it’s looking at our own attitudes toward young women and men who get into these circumstances, how we label things, or how we love our children. Just making sure we are educating our own children about human trafficking helps this effort.”

Underwriting sponsorship opportunities begin at $2,500.  A very limited number of individual tickets at $250 each and above will be made available in September. To reserve your table, please contact Bianca Jackson, 214-217-8650, visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org/luncheon or email events@newfriendsnewlife.org.

About New Friends New Life:

New Friends New Life, founded in 1998, restores and empowers formerly trafficked and sexually exploited women, teen girls and children.  By providing access to education, job training, interim financial assistance, mental health and spiritual support, New Friends New Life helps women, teenage girls and children overcome backgrounds of abuse, addiction, poverty and limited opportunities.  For more information about New Friends New Life, visit  www.newfriendsnewlife.org or call (214) 965-0935.