This past summer, I had the opportunity to work as an intern for PACT’s Educational Initiatives department. As someone who had little knowledge of human trafficking prior to this experience, I learned a lot about the hold this industry has within both the United States and across the globe. 

Last month, I was privileged to represent PACT at the White House bill signing ceremony for the Take It Down ACT. This groundbreaking law seeks to prevent online exploitation and abuse by imposing criminal penalties for those who distribute or threaten to distribute sexually explicit images without consent.

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.

I hope that you are all able to consume, but not be consumed by online and social media content. It’s normal to have insecurities at our age, but we are capable of finding our own narratives and we do not have to let our lives be dictated by those external influences. 

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 are excited to share that we have transitioned from X to Bluesky, joining our peer organizations, including ECPAT International, on this growing platform. 

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.

Anora has garnered national attention, winning several awards it was nominated for at The Oscars, including Best Picture. Despite being praised for destigmatizing the commercial sex trade, it has glossed over the experiences of survivors of human trafficking. 

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. 

Safer Internet Day serves as an important reminder that staying informed about the evolving digital landscape is a responsibility that we all share. By understanding online risks, both children and parents can stay empowered, take control of their digital presence, and strengthen their own privacy.  

We are honored to have contributed to the content of a historic treaty. Having a seat at the table at the United Nations allows us to contribute to strengthening protections for children from sexual exploitation and trafficking.

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.

On this International Migrants Day, we honor the strength, resilience, and contributions of migrants in our communities.

There is continuous research that reaffirms that boys are an underserved population and often fall through the cracks of child protection systems because of biases against their victimization.

Founded as ECPAT-USA in 1991, we helped to spearhead the child protection movement when child trafficking was not widely recognized…

There exists a prevailing ideology that refuses to acknowledge that boys can be and are victims of sexual exploitation. As an underserved population, they often do not seek out or receive support due to stigmas surrounding boys’ masculinity.