The Second Annual MISSSEY GALA this Saturday, June 15th at 5 PM at The Oakland Rotunda (300 Frank H Ogawa Plaza Downtown Oakland, CA), is an event I’m personally asking that you attend, and not just because it will be fun – the program will include dinner, a no-host cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception during the silent auction, and a lot of fantastic people – but it will be informative and perhaps life-changing for you. Get your tickets here, first – http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/334595 – then please read below.
MISSSEY GALA: An Important Event To Inspire Change
The reason for my request that you attend the MISSSEY GALA rests in this video you’re about to see. It’s one that I made to report on a rally against Child Trafficking held on Wednesday, April 20th, 2011.
Oakland’s faced with an enormous problem: human trafficking. Human trafficking is where children, girls, are literally bought and sold for sex. According to the FBI, Oakland has been a hotbed for this activity, and has maintained this distinction since 2003.
The rally, organized by Nola Brantley and Emily Hamman, the Executive Director and the Chief Operating Officer of Misssey.org, respectively, met at 19th and International Boulevard on that day, and they drew a crowd of about 200 people, which then marched down the street, some carrying signs of protest against the activity.
How bad is it? It was so bad that a prostitute was seen on that corner at about 10:30 AM that morning, and one onlooker said he could not talk about it with me on camera because his friend talked and got shot. Not kidding. Here’s the video:
One of my frequent YouTube Commenters, Oakland latinosunited, offered the following after the video:
The Strip of prostitution runs from about 15th ave and International Blvd to about 46th ave and Zennie even in broaddaylight you will see about 10 or so girls walking the strip many of them are under age it is so obvious . part of the problem is that Oakland has a Long Facination and Obbssesion with Pimps and Prostitutes going back to the Movie the Mack in the 70s and unfortunatly many Youth and Men of Color get caught up in this sick Lifestyle of Exploitation . what is the solution i asked …I’m in the Fruitvale district and Melrose area a lot and i see may girls and there pimps usually not far behind in broaddaylight in front of Kids and Familys picking up Johns . and this is something that has to be stopped enough is enough.
The MISSSEY GALA is to raise awareness and money for the organization started by Nola Brantley and Emily Hamman. The Gala will feature two keynote speakers, Minh Dang, Executive Director of Don’t Sell Bodies and Jessica Midkiff recognized by Los Angeles County Probation Department and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her work as a youth advocate.
Dang was once in the trade because of her own parents, and before turning her life around and nearly a decade after that starting Don’t Sell Bodies. Midkiff, also a survivor of sex trafficking, works as a mentor for some of the nonprofit groups that are helping her recover, like MISSSEY.
The MISSSEY Documentary Video
Finally, please watch this documentary video on MISSSEY called S.A.C.E.Y./S.P.A., M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. Inc. (Child Trafficking) and by Melody C. Miller.
S.A.C.E.Y./S.P.A., M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. Inc. (Child Trafficking) from Melody C. Miller on Vimeo.
Come to the MISSSEY GALA this Saturday! Did you get that ticket? Here’s the link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/334595
Stay tuned.