On Tuesday, June 10th, 2025, we gathered together for a sold-out 2025 Freedom Awards! We are grateful for the generosity of our sponsors and this community for making the event possible.

We were excited to sit down with 2025 Freedom Awards honoree, Artists Athletes Activists (AAA) to learn more about their grassroots organization and their commitment to serve vulnerable groups across New York City.

We have the great honor of partnering with Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming, the Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 Freedom Awards. In this interview, we speak with Paul Pellizzari, Vice President, Global Social Responsibility, at Hard Rock and Vice Chair of PACT’s Board of Directors.

We have the great honor of partnering with Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming, the Presenting Sponsor of the 2025 Freedom Awards. In this interview, we speak with Durante Blais-Billie, Social Responsibility Specialist, to learn of their advocacy for human trafficking prevention and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).

We were excited to sit down with 2025 Freedom Awards honoree, David Peckinpaugh, on behalf of Maritz, to learn more about their commitment to implementing trafficking prevention into their business practices and support for organizations like PACT, on the frontline of their work.

We were excited to sit down with Bekah Charleston to learn more about her work as a Survivor Advocate, what drives her to continue to do this work, and so much more. 

Artists Athletes Activists (AAA) is a grassroots organization founded to address the widespread need for community support to vulnerable populations in New York City. Established in 2018 as a 501(c)3 non-profit, AAA works to ensure socio-economic disadvantages are not an obstacle to peoples’ sense of worth and belonging, and their ability to contribute to the community.

Bekah Charleston is a nationally recognized leader, public speaker, and advocate whose story of survival and triumph has been featured by NPR, USA Today, the New York Post, and more. After enduring a decade of exploitation, she dedicated her life to empowering survivors and fostering community collaboration. 

David Peckinpaugh started at Maritz in 2011 and became President & CEO in 2021. A 40+ year champion of the events industry, David provides strategic oversight for Maritz while ensuring the consistent design and delivery of engaging and inspiring program experiences that drive business results.

We had the opportunity to sit down with 2024 Freedom Awards Honoree, Patrick Pacious, Choice Hotels International President and CEO. Read his exclusive interview!

Donna Lynne Hubbard is the daughter of the late author and Community Activist Barbara “Nayo” Watkins and Charles “Charlie” Hubbard, graduates of Atlanta’s historic Booker T. Washington High School. Raised by her mother Nayo and Civil Rights Icon Hollis Watkins who took great pride in cultivating Donnas' social awareness and creative spirit, at 16 she married and became a wife and mother.

Patrick Pacious is President and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the world, with nearly 7,500 hotels, representing almost 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories as of September 30, 2023. Mr. Pacious’s nearly 20-year tenure at Choice has been marked by growth, innovation and effectively anticipating and capitalizing on industry trends.

Jackie Shapiro grew up in Greeley, Colorado and thought she wanted to be a diplomat. That didn’t happen. But, a bit unusual for “her time”, she did graduate from college with a triple major in history, East Asian area studies and Chinese language. With great idealism and enthusiasm, she joined the Peace Corps and was sent to teach as a volunteer in South Korea.

We had the opportunity to sit down with 2024 Freedom Awards Honoree, Jacqueline Shapiro, a passionate child protection and human rights advocate and philanthropist who now serves on PACT’s Emeritus Council.

Jess Dannhauser is the Commissioner of the NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS). Commissioner Dannhauser was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams in 2022 to help lead a more upstream approach to supporting New York families.

This year, as part of our Freedom Awards Benefit, we are proud to honor Saint Ignatius School (SIS) for their remarkable work and engagement in the anti-trafficking field. Please take a moment to read about the school.