- This and more coming up on the Whitney Reynolds show, - Our girls and boys come in off the street from a life of exploitation or at high risk of exploitation.

- I was kidnapped at the age of 15.

The highest misconception about human trafficking is that once you're out of the life, you know they're safe.

- Kids are being fed lies all day long to get behind a company, a organization that steps in and stops that and helps kids through, through that and families through that it, it was a no-brainer.

- The Whitney Reynolds Show was supported by 10 West Real Estate Group, a real estate investment partner specializing in multifamily apartment investing and long-term wealth growth.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs, and clean air for all.

Together at Peace Foundation, together at Peace creates hopeful spaces for grief and remembrance.

Through Comfort Club founder Christine Marlo shares her personal grief journey and faith, which has led to healing hearts, faith-based programs, supporting healing in communities.

Joe perillo.com where you can browse a selection of pre-owned vehicles.

Joe Perillo is based in Chicago and ships all over the country.

Children's learning Place, a school for our earliest learners dedicated to aiding every child with the power of learning center for beautiful living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by the Intrigue Yellow Chicago Lifestyle Foundation in Creative Lab.

BMO High Five Sports Club Chicago Girl, strong Empowerment Apparel, and XOMD.

- Hello - And welcome to the Whitney Reynolds Show.

Today we are talking reclaiming identity, finding our way back to who we truly are, awakening the soul of our stories.

Come for the stories, save for the heart.

Wear every journey.

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You'll see Whitney's here to share your dream.

It's the show I watching the Reynolds show, Lee Chapel - Voices Lives - Show.

Today's topic took us to San Diego, where I sat down with a survivor of sex trafficking.

Today's show looks at identity through three perspectives.

The survivor, a nonprofit working to restore lives and the community standing in the gap.

- My mother was deported when I was about three years old, and both of my parents battled with drug addiction and alcoholism.

Eventually at the age of 14, I ended up going into foster care.

So going in and out of group homes, foster homes led me to a lot of dangerous situations, which is how I ended up in human trafficking.

- So you went into foster care and you said dangerous situations.

Do you mind walking us back through some of those?

- How it really got started was I was trying to find ways to make money.

So I was offered a, a modeling gig through social media and it kind of just started from there.

From modeling, it went into like pornography.

- How fast was the grooming process from going from modeling into pornography into sex trafficking?

- I would say within - Weeks.

Weeks.

Oh my goodness.

And so here you are.

When you were in that situation, did you see this as potentially a way of life forever?

- I didn't, I couldn't see how there was a way out of it, at least until I became an adult or able to work at the age of 16.

- Was there a way out?

- Was there any way that you could even see out I the time?

No, because like I said, eventually it went from being promised a career to it becoming a lot more darker after the pornography and you know, being paid money for, I was kidnapped at the age of 15.

- Hmm.

- And at the time I was living in Orange County, I was kidnapped all the way to la I had no idea really where I was.

You know, we had made plans to meet at a park and they had put a trash bag over my head and basically threw me in the trunk.

And then from there I was held hostage for over a month.

Oh.

And the only way I was basically able to tell the pimp, like I was trying to look for ways to, you know, escape.

The way that I was able to do that was by telling the pimp that I was, I feared that I was pregnant.

I knew my period was coming soon.

So I just kept asking him if he could take me to Planned Parenthood.

Like I said, I was about 15 and in the span of a year, you know, I was getting sexually tested.

I was trying to do everything that I could to make sure that at least health wise I was gonna be okay because I was in these situations.

Right.

Going into the Planned Parenthood appointment, I just asked if I could use the phone and I called somebody that I trusted to pick me up and I snuck out the back door of the Planned Parenthood.

- So amazing.

That person you trusted, was that someone who else had been through what you were in?

- He was actually like a close cousin of mine who ended up, later on I found out that he was grooming me as well.

Oh.

So it really was just like a complete dark period of my life.

And you know, especially not being in school and you know, just really just trying to survive on the streets.

I had a really hard time trusting anybody.

How did you get out and stay out?

The highest misconception about human trafficking is that once you're out of the life, you know you're safe, you're good, you're out of, you know, that dynamic, but it doesn't leave you.

It's unfortunate to say, you know, predators, you know, will continue to pray and it's all about, you know, making sure that you're taking the right precautionary, you know, steps to keep yourself safe.

- How did you work yourself out of the darkness?

- Well, I've been in therapy since I was 14 because of foster care.

- I love therapy.

I'm a big fan of therapy.

- Yeah, I am too.

But honestly, I would have to say the thing that changed my life was in 2020 4th of October I, I decided to professionally do an ayahuasca ceremony.

And it wasn't until I had that that I was really able to understand the true concept of, you know, letting go and healing.

- Mm.

- It was able to help me let go of a lot of the limiting beliefs that I had.

A lot of the, you know, trauma and baggage that I was carrying on my shoulders that I felt like I had a very hard time, you know, moving forward and, you know, seeing that a life is still possible after, you know, being told, you know, the most dis like, degrading things, my body being treated like as if I'm not even a human being.

- Mm.

- So yeah, I would say that.

And - You know, God and I think that is very natural with the human experience when you've experienced such trauma.

But your faith was a cornerstone for you.

- Yes, absolutely.

Because after every one of those situations I was still here.

Yeah.

I was still okay.

And so I just knew that God was protecting me the entire time.

And once I did leave the life and I came to Olive Crest when I was 17 and you know, I was really scared about what 18 looked like.

You know, I'm all, I'm my, I have my own responsibility now, you know.

But one night I was going through a crisis, you know, just being super triggered.

I had tore everything off my walls, but a staff had came into my room, her name was Hope mm Hope.

And I had a conversation and she asked me if I believed in God.

But at this point I was so confused on, you know, who God was.

If God and Jesus and his son are the same people.

And you know, she really explained it to me in, in simpler ways where it was like, God is the way that the sun shines on the trees.

God is the way that, you know, the air flows and watching God move through my life from that point and be able to create opportunities for me to grow.

- You are now using your story in so many ways.

Tell us about your current job.

- So right now I am working with the Cool Aunt series and right now I am an intern and the current project that I'm working on right now is to find three other foster youth between the ages of 16 and 24.

And really help them find purpose and what skills that they're good at and help them build living adult skills.

You know, it really hits deep for me because I missed out on a lot of moments like a mother brushing her daughter's hair or you know, getting her dressed for prom.

You know, having those deep conversations with a mother that, you know, a daughter should have, any child should have.

Really going through this new chapter in my life where I get to work with foster youth who may or may not be in the same experience as me, I can still inform them of human trafficking and prevent them from it.

Or if they are in the life, I can tell them, Hey, you have my hand here, whether you go in or out, I'm gonna be here If you need me in those situations late at night, I'm there.

Wow.

And to just truly be able to support them and be some, be somebody that I wish that I had.

- Mm.

And you are being just that.

Well, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your story.

Looking around this facility, not only is it welcoming, but you are meeting people in one of the most intense moments of their lives.

- Yeah.

Our girls and boys come in off the street from a life of exploitation or at high risk of exploitation.

So that means that they are quite literally sleeping on the park benches of San Diego, needing a safe place to go during the day for warmth, for food, for community, for a chance to charge their cell phone.

And while they're doing that, we are building relationship and rapport with them so that when they're ready to take the next step, they have a safe adult in their life to turn to.

But we're talking about kids who don't have relationship with their parents or they're in a grandparent setting.

Right.

And they feel like they're not loved or valued or worthy.

And so then they get lured by this Romeo, what we call a Romeo, a boyfriend who says, let me take care of you.

Let me get your nails done, let me get your hair done.

I love you so much.

And they love bomb them.

And then this 13-year-old is so enraptured with this new boyfriend that they want to do whatever they can.

Right.

Well then the boyfriend falls into money problems and Oh baby, if you just take these few pictures for me, I can make rent this month.

Mm.

And then it becomes this cycle that they have fallen into, not because they've chosen, but because they've been lured that way - And they're being groomed.

Do their families, have you seen this here at Olive Crest where their families go off the grid?

Or are their families like searching for them?

- I think it's both.

And, and I think that's the hard part about this work is that every child is so unique in their story.

- Right.

- We have some that they have family members and maybe there was broken relationship, whether that was because of substance use or I say substance use, but drugs.

Right.

Or a mom who had a work three jobs Right.

And couldn't be around.

Or there's kids that are running away from really bad situations.

- And when I think about that as a mom of nine year olds - Yeah.

- It's terrifying.

Terrifying to think that kids need this kind of help.

- Yeah, I know.

It's, it's terrifying and it's sad and it's the reality.

We've served kids here as young as 11 who are living a really hard life and lives that you would never dream of or imagine.

But we say it only takes one caring adult to change a child's life.

And we really do mean that.

So this is where our youth would arrive.

So when they walk in off the streets, they first come here where they give their first name, their last name, their pronouns, and if they have a safe place to sleep tonight - When people step right in here, this is the first interaction - Yeah.

- Of almost that safety.

- Exactly.

So our team is trained on being kind and warm and hospitable so that the kids know that this is a safe place for them and this truly is their space.

I think what's unique about this in particular is that we're not telling kids what they should do.

I mean, I was a relatively a good kid at 16, but I still didn't wanna be told what to do.

Right, right.

Let alone these kids that have had some semblance of independence.

Right.

So we're not telling them, Hey, you need to come here and then you need to work this program and then you're gonna get off the streets and you're gonna go live with the family.

We're just saying, Hey, come in.

Rest your body, rest your mind.

Mm.

Fill your soul.

And when you are ready and when we feel like we've had a relationship or because we've done art together or we've watched a movie together, or we've built bracelets together, after building that relationship, we get to offer them.

Have you ever thought of stepping into a family setting?

Like do you wanna try, do you wanna try that?

And then, or for others we'll say, Hey, do you wanna try a therapeutic setting?

We have a space up in Santa Barbara called Hope Refuge, where girls can go for a year, two year and a half to two years if they need that intensive therapeutic setting to really dig in and to get into those core woundings and heal from what, from the life they've experienced.

But we're not telling the kids what to do.

We're giving them an option and an opportunity to take.

- So when people come here, it's also placed in a very neutral ground.

- Yeah.

- There's a gang on one side and a gang on the other.

But this is a safety space.

- Yeah.

So what's really neat about this location is that there's essentially a triangle that overlays this building and it is in a gang neutral territory.

So a lot of exploitation in San Diego happens through gangs and not all, but a lot of activity.

And so when a girl or boy arrives, they know that they aren't in a rival gang territory.

Oh, that's so, so it's also an additional layer of safety for them.

And they don't have to worry about, you know, being on another gang.

- You know, you have this beautiful city I've been touring around getting ready for this interview, and you're on the water.

It's, you can see the sunset, you see palm trees and you have this huge convention center right by the waterfront.

- Yeah.

- Is that one of the main locations?

- It is one of the main locations.

There's quite a few large locations right here in downtown that unfortunately are known for exploiting youth or places that attract the exploiters and convention centers.

Many people don't know, super Bowl Sunday is the number one day for trafficking because, I hate to say, but people are purchasing children, they're purchasing adults for sex.

And it is an atrocious reality.

And I have so many thoughts of how we can change that.

And we are blessed here in San Diego to have a phenomenal district attorney that has decided to take this on and really crack down on laws and legislation to get these people who purchase people behind bars.

The miracles that have happened here are incredible.

And in fact, just yesterday, well I should, excuse me, A few days ago was our first time that a youth that has access to this center regularly said yes to a family.

Wow.

Yeah.

So we are in the middle of that.

That is amazing.

It's incredible.

- Said Yes.

Said - Yes to a family.

To a family.

- Yep.

I got chill bumps.

- Yep.

And it's the first time we've been open just in September and we're already seeing that what we're doing is working.

So we're so grateful.

Ah, love it.

- Yeah.

Some of our viewers might be safe where they are and feel safe and not wanna open their eyes to what's going on.

You keep saying it's a backyard problem.

Well here we are in the States and it's a real - Issue.

Yeah.

I think I, the reason I say that over and over in time and time again is because I think it's easy when we put distance between the issue and ourselves, it makes it easy for us not to have to respond.

Hmm.

And when we are closer, when we are proximate to people who have lived a hard life, and when we are proximate to understanding that the issue is in our backyard, we are compelled to do something.

And so that is why we tried to minimize the gap between us and them.

That's not helpful.

It never is.

Mm.

But when we become a community, when we become a, we then we have to do something, we have to respond, we have to know that by getting involved we can change children's lives.

- Lives.

And now we turn to the MLBA Padres player is speaking out on today's topic.

So today we've taken on a very heavy topic one that when you move to San Diego, you learned about the mission of Olive Crest.

Yeah.

And you had to get behind it.

'cause you realize this is happening in my own backyard.

- Yeah.

- Tell me about how that hit you.

- Yeah, so we just, we were at church, a church with a friend recommended when we got traded over here.

And Missy was speaking and telling the stories of just about these kids that, I mean, they're, they essentially told they have no worth or value.

And whether it's via child abuse that like you think of typical child abuse or sex trafficking or anything in between.

And you know, you go home to your kids and we're by no means perfect parents, but they have, they have a safe life for the most part.

And you think, you know, like, these kids don't deserve that.

And it just, I think the more kids you have, the more you, it wrecks you.

'cause you realize these kids are being fed lies all day long and just berated for whatever reason, to get behind a company, a organization that steps in and stops that and helps kids through, through that and families through that.

It, it was a no brainer.

- I can see the conviction when you talk about it.

Yeah.

And it's one of those realities as a parent you do when you hear stories - Yeah.

- Like lilies and you're thinking, how could this happen?

And then you realize it is when you found them out about the mission and you wanted to get behind it, what were some of the efforts that you're like, is it my platform?

I'm gonna raise awareness?

- Yeah.

I think, yeah, just by the nature of playing a sport for a living, there's people that will listen to you.

So you want to use your platform finances.

I think obviously every organization that they, the reality is it costs money to step in and help these kids.

So you wanna help in any way you can and, and it's time.

We wanna put our time towards it.

We wanna put our finances toward it, and we wanna put our platform, whether that's doing things like this, speaking about it, and making people aware, because it's easy to pretend that that's just in the movies.

That doesn't actually happen.

But then you hear stories from Lily and other survivors and you're like, no, this is real.

And not only is it real, it's real that we can step in and, and stop it and protect somebody from that.

- Before moving to San Diego, had you heard anything, any rumbles about sex trafficking?

- I mean, yes, but not to the depth in the, and as personal of stories as we got to hear, it's, it's, it's one of those things that, like you hear a story and we've been involved with International Justice Mission that does it on a global scale outside of America.

And so it was, which was huge and we love our work with them, but that almost feels removed.

It's, it's outside your neighborhood.

Oh, it's just going on in other countries.

So I'd heard about it, but it hadn't felt as personal and physically and emotionally close.

- You are a hundred percent right, because I was flying in from Chicago for this interview, and I think you kind of nailed it is sometimes you think when it's far away and we still need to help organizations Yeah.

- All alive.

Yeah.

All - Kids.

Yeah.

But when you realize, 'cause here I am pulling into San Diego and I'm like, this is beautiful.

And they're like, there's, this is where the Padres play.

Yeah.

And this is where the convention center is, and this is where a lot of the activity is.

It hits you on a different level.

- Yeah.

It's literally walking distance from the field.

Oh, we're, we're playing baseball, especially here in San Diego in Paradise.

We think it's easy to sit there and think, wow, this is, this is perfect everywhere.

But if you open your eyes, you see the reality is it's not, this is a paradise for us, but it's a hell for these kids.

- Well, and now that you have been made aware, is it different walking around the city?

- Yes.

Oh my gosh.

Yeah.

I think so.

We were at an event with Olive Crest and I, I can't remember if it was Lily or another family that said this.

They're like, man, if we just would've known if I would've seen it.

They're like, you drove by me on Rosecrans every, every day.

You know?

And it's like, if you just open your eyes to it, you see, you see it everywhere.

And the more you see it, the more you want to do something - To the viewer at home that wants to be able to channel their gift to make change.

What would you recommend?

- I, there's no step too small.

There's it, it doesn't, A dollar would help Olive Crest.

Just stepping in, seeing somebody on the side of the road and looking at 'em.

Hey are a question of, are you okay?

Do you need help?

Whatever that may be.

Look into the organizations in your area.

There's nothing too small.

There's obviously nothing too big and just use whatever.

Everyone has a platform of some sort.

It doesn't matter if it's sports or whatever, just use it.

Look outside of your own little bubble.

And it, and you'll also, I I've found, and I think it's true for everyone, the more you kind of look outside your own little bubble, there's a lot more joy to be had and joy to be in your life.

- And as a parent raising, how many girls did you see?

- Four.

And then another baby on the way.

That's surely another - Girl.

I thought you were making your own team.

You're making your own team.

You're, but with that, are you bringing your kids in on the mission?

Like how do we educate the next generation?

Because this is a delicate topic, - Very, - We don't, you know, it's, it's hard to explain that this is happening, but how do you, how do we bring that next generation in?

- Yeah, I think it's, I think it is important to have those conversations.

Our oldest is seven, so it's not, you know, we're not sharing the full weight, - The full of things.

The full Yeah.

- But we can get into, yeah, we're going, we're going to an Olive Crest event.

And they're like, well, what's that?

And it's, and it's, oh, there's just some kids that are in harder situations than you and it's not their fault.

So we want to help them, you know, it can be that simple.

Then as they get older, we can hopefully pull them along a little bit more and help them.

See, it's not bad to be raised in a healthy and be given these perks of life, but you also don't want to just consume, consume, consume these perks of your life and realize with gratitude, oh, I've been given much.

Let me give to those around us.

- You know, I can tell just by your words that you are a man of faith.

I don't wanna put, but you are a man of faith.

- Yeah, very much.

Yeah.

- Has that been part of how you stayed mission centric?

- Yeah, I think a hundred percent.

It's the driving force really behind everything in our life.

Specific to this.

It's, I'm, I have a whole like a, I wholeheartedly believe that every one of us, every human on this earth, man, woman, child is made in the image of God and therefore has inherent value.

Mm.

And when kids or even adults are put into these situations, they're fed the, that they don't have worth or that their worth is in whatever evil thing that they're, that they're being fed.

What I love about Olive Crest is they pull people from that situation, they pull 'em out of the evil, but they don't just leave that void.

They fill that void and they share them with them that, hey, no, you have worth, you have value.

You are important.

You can contribute.

And I think that's why you see success stories like Lily, where she's, she's thriving now and it's, I mean, that's the hope.

It's a dark, dark subject.

It's heartbreaking.

But you see success and you see that impact can be made and that, so there's hope in that.

And we can, we can put it into this in San Diego and then take that wherever else.

- Well, thank you so much for coming on.

Reclaiming who we are isn't about becoming someone new.

It's remembering who we truly are.

We hope today's show reminded you of that.

Remember, your story matters.

- The Whitney Reynolds show is supported by 10 West Real Estate Group, a real estate investment partner specializing in multifamily apartment investing and long-term wealth growth.

Kevin O'Connor Law Firm, when it comes to your injuries, we take it personally.

Respiratory Health Association, healthy lungs, and clean air for all.

Together at Peace Foundation, together at Peace creates hopeful spaces for grief and remembrance.

Through Comfort Club founder Christine Marlo shares her personal grief Journey and Faith, which has led to healing Hearts, faith-based programs, supporting healing in communities.

Joe perillo.com where you can browse a selection of pre-owned vehicles.

Joe Perillo is based in Chicago and ships all over the country.

Children's Learning Place, A school for our earliest learners dedicated to aiding every child with the power of learning center for beautiful living, empowering people to live rich, robust, and beautiful lives.

Additional funding provided by the Intrigue Yellow Chicago Lifestyle Foundation in Creative Lab FE MO High Five Sports Club Chicago Girl, strong Empowerment Apparel, and XOMD.

- Want to stay connected to all things.

Whitney Reynolds will follow us on social media and you'll get exclusive content and updates from the show.

All episodes are available for streaming anytime.

Hi, mommy.