365 Inspirational People, 1-5

Introduction - 

In the spirit of the new year, I have decided that I am going to write about 365 people that inspire me throughout 2019.  Since I know I will not be able to remember to post to this blog each and every day, I am going to write them in groups. I also want to include awareness days, history months, and things of that nature. 

January –

Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Stalking Awareness Month, and National Mentoring Month

January 4 – World Braille Day

FOR JANUARY 1-5

Blythe Hill – founder of the organization Dressember. 

(Human Trafficking Prevention Month)

            Blythe personally challenged herself to wear a dress every day in the month of December in 2009.  That idea has blossomed into the Dressember organization, with advocates that pledge to wear a dress or a tie/bow tie every day in December to raise awareness and money for human trafficking.  She first partnered with the International Justice Mission in 2013, when they raised $165,000.  Blythe particularly inspires me because she had been molested as a young girl, and found a way to do something and not feel helpless anymore.

On the Dressember website, it shows exactly how the donations are spent:

-        $20: Aftercare Kit for a survivor

-        $105: Trail Fees so survivors can testify in court

-        $150: Training and Education for survivors to prevent re-exploitation

-        $320: Aftercare Services; 8 hours of therapy for one survivor

-        $3,000: Case Management for a full year for a survivor to assist and nurture them

-        $6,719: Full Rescue Operation, initial investigations through immediate aftercare

For more information about Dressember and to donate (donations for the 2018 campaign go through the month of January 2019 for Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month): https://dressember-2018.funraise.org/

Kubikki Pride – mother of a trafficking survivor (pictured on the left, with daughter on the right).

(Human Trafficking Prevention Month)

 

            I first heard Kubikki’s story after I watched the documentary I Am Jane Doe on Netflix.  She’s a mother from Atlanta who had to go through a horror I cannot even begin to imagine. Her daughter went missing in April of 2009, when the daughter snuck out of the house to go to a party but ended up with a female trafficker. Her trafficker was eventually caught, however, her advertisement on Backpage.com is online, and Kubikki has sued Backpage.com over their facilitation of trafficking.  The documentary explains more of the legalities, but Kubikki is a strong woman for going through 9 months of having her daughter missing, and having to look through sites like Craigslist and Backpage to find her daughter, and purchased her off of the site to save her. Her strength and her fight against human trafficking are incredible.

Mary Mazzio – writer (and director/producer) of I Am Jane Doe. 

(Human Trafficking Prevention Month)

            On top of writing this incredibly eye-opening and important documentary (which you should watch sometime, but just remember it’s no light, comedic film), Mary also has her law degree from Georgetown Law and studied graduate film production at Boston University. She also rowed for the US 1992 Olympic team.  Overall, Mary inspires me for her desire to find the truth in her documentaries, which she definitely did in her work on I Am Jane Doe.  

Scott MacIntyre – former American Idol contestant, blind.

(World Braille Day)

 

            I first watched Scott on American Idol in 2009.  He was born blind.  His piano playing stunned me from a young age, and his abilities have inspired me for years (I guess about a decade now).  He’s still making music, and although I can’t hear it for long, I’m sure it is wonderful. Apart from being blind, he has also had 2 kidney transplants, and was diagnosed with kidney failure at age 19.  He is a wonderful reminder of the power of organ donation, as well as being an inspiration of hope in tough times.  His story is filled with things that inspire me. 

Lea Grover – stalking survivor and inspiring writer. (Stalking Awareness Month) 

 

            I have recently discovered Lea’s writing.  I haven’t gone in-depth into everything she has ever written, so I don’t know how much I agree with, but from what I have read, she is incredibly strong.  Her story about stalking is important for Stalking Awareness Month.

Here is Lea’s story about stalking: https://www.sabrered.com/blog/stalking-awareness-month-you-didnt-ask

She also has a blog; http://www.chicagonow.com/becoming-supermommy/ which I haven’t read in-depth, but she makes some good points about being a sexual assault survivor, especially in this current phase of American politics.

I'll continue posting, hopefully about 5 at a time, throughout the year - so look for more people that inspire me -- maybe they will inspire you, too!