When Zona approached me with the idea of doing a podcast featuring people with lived experience of injustice, I was somewhat hesitant because I honestly hadn’t even listened to many podcasts. I hate talking on the phone, and this felt like talking on the phone with strangers for an hour. However, I trust her and understood the value of hearing their stories and making them available for an audience to experience through this medium. After the first interview, I was hooked. Each individual was engaging, and I was drawn in to their personal stories of tragedy, overcoming, and healing.
Our first episode of the podcast, Persons with Lived Experience: Inspiring Stories for Unprecedented Times, came out on Monday. What seemed like a herculean task was finally accomplished, and we released Alina Donahue’s story. On the surface, she is a strong, inspiring woman dedicated to ending human trafficking. She is so much more. I hope you’ve had a chance to listen! If not, it’s available on Spotify, Anchor, Amazon Music, Audible, and soon on other outlets.
Some things I learned from Alina’s story, as shared on the podcast, were eye-opening even as a long time advocate in the field of anti-trafficking. It’s important to keep these things in mind in regards to romantic relationships because boyfriends and husbands can become traffickers.
• Having mutual friends doesn’t mean he is a safe person.
• If he pressures you to do something against your personal beliefs, or before you’re comfortable, that’s a red flag of manipulation.
• Giving lots of attention, loving words, presents, or “treating you like a queen” doesn’t mean he has earned anything from you.
• A man being okay with sharing you with another man, or encouraging it, means that he has ulterior motives.
There is so much more to Alina’s journey, but I wanted to share these things that I am still processing. It’s important to keep learning, stay curious, and not turn away from hard truths.
Your fellow abolitionist,
Dixie Canuso, Co-Founder Bring Freedom
