Last week came with a lot of internal processing and frustration, as creating a non-profit is not an easy task. I had an emotional night and wanted to share some of the more emotional thoughts and feelings that came up, because this is personal and I can't forget that piece. The video is long, so be warned. It also is a bit scattered, but that's the reality of this world. It isn't something that fits into a pretty box. Recovering from experiencing sex-trafficking is messy and I am not ashamed of the mess that can come up when thinking about how painful it has been to go through it myself, and to remember the beautiful people that I have lost along the way. This video is not directed at anyone specific, so please don't take anything in the video personally. I just needed to get it off of my chest and the community has a right to know. I also started a Go Fund Me, as I have been covering all of the costs associated with starting the organization up until this point. Anything helps and I really truly do appreciate the support that I have received. Here's a link to the fundraising page: https://gofund.me/b3fd446e
Founder/Executive Director of The B.L.U.E. House | YMCA Youth Support Specialist- Enough. Program | Certified Sexual Assault Advocate | Not a Number Facilitator
This is me (Nyki) being vulnerable. Late night ramblings of a sex-trafficking survivor in the video linked. This video isn't directed at anyone specific, so please don't take my frustration personally. It is just representative of the overall pain felt by those in the survivor community who have historically been ignored because it is uncomfortable to acknowledge that trafficking/exploitation happen within the communities that we live in. I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has already stepped up to help in the ways that they are able. I am currently working with Mitchell Hamline Law School to get the organization filed as a 501c3 with tax exempt status, but we are not quite there yet. After funding everything for the organization out-of-pocket up until this point, I am reaching out to see if I can get some support with some of the remaining start up costs/fees. Any funds will go toward costs such as 501c3 federal filing fee, Quickbooks monthly subscription fee, website development costs (domain and hosting fees), and initial program supplies. I started a Go Fund Me, which can be found by following this link: https://gofund.me/b3fd446e Thank you to anyone who is willing/able to donate. I am also seeking out volunteers who would be willing to help with the start-up process, as well as connections to funding sources within the community that I may not know about. This is not my organization, it is OUR organization, and I appreciate you partnering with me for the benefit of the survivors who deserve love and support. https://lnkd.in/gfhsHC3v
