Honoring Black Women in the Anti-Trafficking Movement
In honor of Black History Month, we’re highlighting just a few of the remarkable Black women whose leadership has shaped the anti-trafficking movement.
This matters deeply—because Black girls are disproportionately impacted by trafficking, Black women’s contributions have too often been overlooked or erased, and policy solutions must thoughtfully address racial bias within the systems meant to protect children. When we listen, learn, and elevate these voices, we move closer to prevention, justice, and care that truly serve every child.
Source: Eyes Wide Shut Webinar
Dr. Tracey Nichole Sylvester, MD
Dr. Tracey Nichole Sylvester, MD is a board-certified OB/GYN and gynecologic surgeon who has spent decades caring for women and girls with expertise, compassion, and clinical excellence. In addition to her surgical practice, she has courageously spoken about the often unseen gynecologic consequences of sex trafficking—naming the profound physical toll exploitation can have on a survivor’s body and long-term health. By bringing a trauma-informed medical perspective to this work, Dr. Sylvester helps ensure survivors receive not only immediate care, but the long-term, survivor-centered support necessary for true healing. Listen to Dr. Sylvester share her expertise in “Eyes Wide Shut,” a webinar discussing the impact of sex trafficking on the black community.
Source: Georgetown Center for Youth Justice
Cyntoia Brown-Long
Cyntoia Brown-Long is an author and advocate whose story has helped reshape national conversations around trafficking and criminal justice reform. As a teenager, she was sentenced to life in prison while experiencing exploitation—her clemency case later becoming a catalyst for widespread dialogue about how survivors are often criminalized for acts tied to their abuse. Since her release in 2019, Brown-Long has used her voice to champion sentencing reform and push for a justice system that recognizes trauma, restores dignity, and creates pathways toward healing and hope. Check out Cyntoia’s memoir, Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System.
Source: WorldWe
Tina Frundt
Tina Frundt is a survivor-leader and the founder of Courtney’s House, an organization dedicated to identifying and supporting children experiencing sex trafficking in the United States, where she has spent years building trauma-informed outreach and restorative services for young people experiencing exploitation. Drawing from her own lived experience, she equips communities and law enforcement to recognize trafficking and respond with care that protects dignity and fosters safety. Through her testimony before Congress and her guidance on federal legislation tied to domestic minor sex trafficking and victim services funding, Frundt continues to advocate for policies that center survivors and strengthen the systems meant to support them. Read more about Tina.
Thank you to Voice & Choice Advocate, Jacie, for her research, insight, and dedication to elevating these voices.
