Thank you! & ABC 30 Local News!
March 29, 2008 Saturday — Baseball practice, rest, and showing my appreciation for community.
I am so happy to announce the correction on ABC Ch 30 11 o’clock news last night! I can’t tell you how much it helps me to move forward with the fight against the sexual exploitation — the prostitution — of children.
Most of you understood exactly what I was getting at, especially Dr. Lois Lee with Children of the Night, a tireless advocate for children that have been involved in prostitution. (Please refer anyone you know who has been involved in prostitution as a child to Children of the Night, they give children hope for normalcy — an actual childhood — after the trauma. 800-551-1300. www.childrenofthenight.org)
I met Dr. Lois Lee towards the beginning of filming the documentary. I had already returned to the Villa Motel on Parkway Drive, where the nightmare began, and we had put together a few minutes of footage to share with the kids at Children of the Night. I sat in the living room with a dozen kids who were just like me. We all cried, first as I watched the Children of the Night video, and heard their stories, and then as they watched mine. Afterwards we didn’t talk about the trauma, we just talked about normal stuff. We had some lunch and I heard about their school days, their interests, and their outings.
That was the first day I met Lois. I remember so clearly that when we sat in her office at the end of the day she said to me, “the painful part was just starting. It is going to get worse.”
She knew what I did not…that there would be countless misunderstandings with the media, and with friends, and with family.
I get it now. And I can see why she does not recommend or encourage kids (or adults) to talk about what they have been through with the public. There are still too many misconceptions in the media, and in our own hearts.
I am so grateful to be in a community that has stood up for what was right. It truly does give me the courage and the determination to keep this fight up until we break down the barriers of misconception to get help to kids that are alone and afraid — and trapped — first by those that exploit them and then later by the public and their peers.
Thank you to all those that called and emailed, and thank you to ABC 30 Local for standing up for what is right!
***************
Yesterday I spoke at Lemoore’s West Hills Community College Leadership Conference! It was amazing. There was a great turnout and I enjoyed questions and comments following my presentation. I am encouraged by the number of people in the Central Valley that are survivors — keep up the fight!
And besides having to write this entry (to give you & ABC credit) I had a completely normal day today that included baseball practice, bbq, and rest! It’s taking time to settle in to the fact that life is so good, especially when you’re doing what you love! That said…I did make the big decision to take the bar exam this July. I’ll keep everyone posted. Expect that you might be getting some law review on these blogs as I plow through the thousands of pages and dozens of law books over the next two months!