Celebrating the 2026 Freedom Awards: A Decade of Freedom in Action
On June 3rd, 2026, survivors, advocates, and members of the PACT community gathered together for a sold-out Freedom Awards at the Prince George Ballroom in New York City.
This event was especially meaningful because it marked the 10th anniversary celebration of the Freedom Awards and 35 years of PACT in action. Together, we reflected on PACT’s legacy of survivor leadership and recognized the extraordinary advocates whose dedication has helped advance this mission for decades.
PACT was honored to recognize three extraordinary honorees: Audrey Morrissey, Executive Director of My Life My Choice - a pioneering survivor-advocate who has dedicated her life to empowering others, American Airlines - a renowned leader in air travel that has been a long-standing partner of PACT in child protection, and Carroll Gardens Association - a grassroots organization devoted to uplifting New York City’s most vulnerable communities.
We kicked the night off with an exciting live auction, which included items like an authentic electric guitar and getaway to South Florida, a desert escapade in Indian Wells, Southern California, the ultimate NYC stay, which included tickets to a Mets game and Seth Meyers, as well as a vacation in the Bahamas!
As attendees sat down for dinner, PACT presented an award to each Freedom Awards honoree.
Audrey Morrissey dedicated her award to Latasha, a 17-year old who was murdered while being commercially sexually exploited and who was living in a group home in Boston. Her story inspired the inception of My Life My Choice. “I accept this award for Latasha, who didn’t have the opportunity to be set free…It’s about the children who are still suffering. I understand this is not my story anymore – that I am free, and so with that said, my work is for our young people,” she said.
Ben Fuller-Googins and Wendy Guerrero came on stage and accepted the award on behalf of Carroll Gardens Association. “At CGA, the question that we think about everyday is how can we organize the end [of this] abuse and exploitation, and creating conditions so that all domestic workers have jobs that are rooted in dignity, safety, and perspective?,” he said.
Wendy went on to add, “...Today, I want to take this opportunity to say domestic workers are not invisible. We are professional. We are educators. We are our neighbors…and we deserve the respect, recognition, and fair working conditions.” Every single person deserves safety, dignity, and the right to a safe workplace!
PACT was grateful to have a powerhouse in the room! Patrick Sanders accepted the award on behalf of American Airlines, sharing: “Every day, millions of people trust us to move them safely across borders and communities…Combatting human trafficking is not a standalone initiative. It is embedded in how we operate. It is reflected in our standards and conduct in human rights…It shapes how we train our team members, and it drives how we partner with organizations,” he said.
PACT CEO, Lori Cohen, reminded everyone of the importance and urgency of PACT’s work, “Trafficking doesn’t just happen in headline-grabbing cases. It’s happening where no one is looking, and that’s where PACT will be: laser-focused on keeping our children safe,” she said.
We thank YOU for being part of our team. Because of your support, PACT can continue reaching vulnerable communities and building a future where every child is free from exploitation and trafficking.
A special thank you to the generous sponsors who make the Freedom Awards possible!
