OCHTTF and Vanguard University’s Know More, Do Better 2.0 Conference

On Wednesday, Jan.31, Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force came together with Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice for “Know More, Do Better,” a student conference. 

The conference welcomed over 500 middle school students and their chaperones to Vanguard University and featured a variety of presentations, including keynote speakers and student-led organization presentations.

Of these was a keynote speaker with lived experience, Martha Trujillo, who was trafficked at 15 years old. Martha Trujillo spoke about her experience and the work she does with Orangewood Foundation, a non profit organization that serves vulnerable youth in Orange County. A group of speakers with lived experiences, spoke about the work they’ve done in policy, using their stories to help pass SB14 which legally defines the Human Trafficking of a Minor as a serious crime under California law and makes it eligible under the “Three Strikes Law” for repeat offenders. 

Know More, Do Better also took a peer to peer approach to educate students on the resources available to them and how to identify them. Higher Ground, a nonprofit based out of Anaheim, presented on the different forms of trafficking and how to be aware of them. Then, students from Vanguard’s Live2Free club gave a presentation about identifying trusted adults, spreading awareness about labor trafficking and sugar dating, and advocacy. 

Ruthi Hanchett, an anti-human trafficking teacher and Liver2Free’s advisor said, “The purpose was to create awareness and teach young people the skills they need to recognize and prevent human trafficking, to know that there is support for them…” 

Know More, Do Better 2.0 Student Conference created a space in which youth was provided with the necessary tools to identify and prevent trafficking.