Community Champion Spotlight: Laura Murphy and Nadia Lee

To honor Human Trafficking Awareness Month, each week in January we will be highlighting 2 individuals who have gone above and beyond in the Greater New Orleans community to serve victims and survivors of human trafficking. This highlight is the “Community Champion Spotlight”. Each individual was nominated by Task Force members. Community champions represent a variety of different disciplines and perspectives from the anti-trafficking movement. 

Our fourth highlight features two community members who are sharing the truth about trafficking experiences in unique ways. Dr. Laura Murphy conducts research on human trafficking, highlighting survivor experiences and leading the community through evidence-based understandings of the crime. Nadia Lee is a Survivor Leader and Eden House employee who shares her lived experience to provide prevention education to at-risk youth.

Thank you Nadia and Dr. Murphy for all you do for our community! We're so lucky to have you in the Greater New Orleans community. 

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Laura Murphy

Associate Professor and Director, Modern Slavery Research Project, Loyola University New Orleans

"The responsibility for addressing trafficking is on all our shoulders as a society because it only exists because we do not provide adequate resources and jobs for our citizens."

What is your role in the Greater New Orleans community?
I serve as the Evaluator and training consultant for the task force. Through the Modern Slavery Research Project, I provide research and training for organizations that address human trafficking.

What has been your most successful experience working in the anti-trafficking movement?
The work that has been most meaningful has been conducting the study of trafficking among homeless youth in the city. The young people we interviewed for that project provided invaluable insight into the economic roots of trafficking in our community and the vulnerabilities young people in our community face. That study provided the groundwork for our extension of that study across the United States and Canada, leading to a blueprint for addressing trafficking among homeless youth.

What has been your favorite aspect of collaborating among task force partners?
It has been encouraging to see collaboration across sectors increase in the eight years I’ve been working on this issue in the city. I believe that everyone can agree that no one should be exploited or unpaid at work. The responsibility for addressing trafficking is on all our shoulders as a society because it only exists because we do not provide adequate resources and jobs for our citizens. I am heartened by the increased commitment of people across all industries and communities to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to protect themselves against forced labor situations.

What are Task Force members saying about Laura?

"Dr. Murphy leads the community with her commitment to truth-telling. Her contributions to the community have illuminated the needs of vulnerable populations like homeless youth.”

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Nadia Lee

Prevention Program Coordinator, Eden House NOLA

“The more we as a community equip our youth with the knowledge, tools, and resources that are needed, hopefully we’ll start to see a decline in the number of teens being forced into that life.”

What is your role in the Greater New Orleans community?
I provide prevention education and outreach throughout the Greater New Orleans Area. As a Survivor Leader, I leverage my story to educate at-risk youth on the issue of human trafficking. Gearing them with necessary tools to identify, resist, and prevent human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation, and gender-based violence.

What has been your favorite aspect of collaborating among task force partners?
My favorite part is, and always has been, working with the youth of our community. Clearing up misconceptions and myths that are associated with and around human trafficking, really opens their eyes in a way that they begin to understand the importance of being aware of harmful people and their surroundings at all times

Anything else you'd like to share?
We cannot overlook our youth. The average age that a teen is forced into sex trafficking is 12 – 14 years old. This movement starts with these boys and girls. The more we as a community equip them with the knowledge, tools, and resources that are needed, hopefully we’ll start to see a decline in the number of teens being forced into that life.

What are Task Force members saying about Nadia?

“Nadia is a warrior who is sharing her truth to help others. Her leadership and strength shows everyone how powerful survivors are!”

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