When I think of the movement of women’s rights and how we have paved
the way for change from bias gender situations to equality on all levels
of humanity, even through entities like the National Domestic Violence
Organization or RAINN are also recognizing same sex abuse that includes
men to fall victims. With National Human Trafficking Day coming close,
we still struggle with segregation of terminology; Labor Trafficking vs. Sex
Traffickings, American vs. Undocumented Persons, American Adults vs.
Domestic Minor and whether male victims exist in the world of trafficking,
seriously? I’m not saying we are perfect, but we’ve made many strides
along the way and even in an imperfect country like the US, we have
encouraged other countries in Asia, India, Middle East and Europe to seek
out equality and open the forum for women’s rights, that’s why I admire so
much about GWEN (Global Women’s Empowerment Network), it’s one of
the few entities that I respect, honor and chose to collaborate in every front
of our battle to fight violence against all humans. They continue to utilize
survivors voices to allow legislative change, to be the forefront of ideas
of empowerment and to speak about those who are still disenfranchised
especially in the world of violence. I love that there’s an organization
that continues to strive for human rights on all levels, whether you’re a
Christian, Muslim, Hindi or even an Atheist you are welcome, I love the
freedom of choice that it allows for men, women, teens and even children
to gain back that power of choice.

For me being a survivor, empowerment is so essential to me and with
GWEN it is a welcoming hub of all persons involved whether you’re
faith base or not, straight or GLBT, male or female, adult or child;
GWEN welcomes ALL and if you know me I always strive to be as open
minded as possible, I personally believe EVERYONE has the right to
NONVIOLENCE no matter who you are and the sad reality is, there are
entities, government agencies and even ministries that still hang on to
gender bias, control and even use survivors as a model of “Poster Child
Syndrome”, Please refer to my blog: http://faceoftears.wordpress.com/
2010/12/07/poster-child/ I’ve written extensively of what it is to be a
“Poster Child” and that it’s nothing but a form of manipulation.

GWEN is an entity that recognizes strength, voice and most of all
empowerment, it strives to bring our voices not only to the forefront, but
to also remind us that we are not just a story, we are an INSPIRATION
and this entity is definitely NOT gender bias, which I LOVE about them. I
was first introduced to GWEN through a mutual friend that invited me

to a club that he DJ’s and invited Tess, who is the Executive Director in
Los Angeles, there I met Tess and we instantly clicked! We talked about
what empowerment meant to both of us, we listened to each other’s ideas
and before I knew it, I became the family of GWEN. What I love about
GWEN it allows you to share without showing your face, to articulate your
talents through music, arts, writing, spoken word; whatever your creativity
spirit you were meant to dazzle with. It won’t allow you to self-sabotage,
be a sound board or allow you to use your story for sympathy. GWEN
wants YOU to feel empowered, they want you to feel the wings of your
spirit to fly and to say, “I am free from slavery of abuse as well as my own
enslavement.” Ladies and gentlemen if that isn’t empowerment, then I
don’t know what is. Thank you!