ALIVE takes a critical look and addresses obstacles that historically have impacted sex trafficking in the Black community.

We must include the truth of how we got here and what happened to men and women when they arrived. Stripped of Kingship and Queenship status, to be used as chattel slavery for house and field labor, sex acts and hidden reproductive mechanisms.

There has systematically been a lack of inclusivity in history books and school curriculums on the Black journey to this country and others. We strive to weave our history into our today, so a Juneteenth signed to law as a Federal Holiday in 2021, is welcomed as a victory and seen as a part of more to come, and not referred to as not enough, or too little too late.

ALIVE wants to ensure the Black community truly embraces and feels the sting of the Survivor Leader, Rev. Dr. Marian Hatcher’s quote; “Master freed me, only to buy me for a dollar.”

Sexual access to Black and Brown bodies has been normalized, so much so, that organizations representing the “progressive” Black platform support legalization or full decriminalization of prostitution. We deserve options that do not perpetuate the harm, the degradation, violence, lack of dignity and respect that forever shackle prostitution and sex trafficking.

The journey to freedom and liberty for the African American community has either eluded us, been delayed or proven to be deadly. Healthy choices should be new and improved, not a reboot of what was normalized by the oppressors.

We will work with organizations, legislators, and most importantly survivor leaders and other lived experience experts, to pass laws that make sense. Making victims whole while holding bad actors accountable. We do not have to look at countries like Germany or the Netherlands to know this human rights violation should not be legalized or fully decriminalized.

The United States has had its own failed science experiment in legal brothels in Nevada for more than half a century. The result, increased sex trafficking to meet increased demand (including commercial sexual exploitation of minors), increased organized crime, and violence.

We support the Equality Model, which does not hold victims accountable for their exploitation and offers exit services and strategies, however, criminalizes the buyer, pimp/trafficker and brothel owner.

No longer will juvenile detention, jails and prisons be full of Black and Brown women and girls, bodies used and abused and then criminalized for their degradation. Help will be available when they are ready and they can take some comfort in knowing those who benefited from the sale of their bodies, their soul, and their very humanity, are being held accountable.