What will be at the auction?

I am so glad you asked!

* Harvey Seatbelt Bag (Fireworks)
* Citizen Ladies Eco Watch (World Lux)
* Cardamom Chai Cake (The Flying Apron)
* Gift certificate for suntanning (Seattle Sun Tan)
* Mehndi Henna Party for Four
* Wine Gift Basket
* Home baked Pumpkin Bread
* Two 3-hour cleaning services (New Leaf Services)
* Five Velvet Scarves (P2V Productions)
* Wild Flower Bouquet (New Leaf Gardens)
* Self-Renewal 90 min. Facial (Aveda)
* Vegan Truffles (Cafe Flora)
* SIX 1-hour Tattoo services (Lucky Devil Tattoo)
* Self-defense class for group of 2-15 (Strategic Living)
* Coffee & Home Baked Biscotti Gift Basket
* Karate Class (Feminist Karate Union)
* Gift certificate to Tully's and one to Blockbuster

This auction is going to be amazing! I cannot wait to see you all there! And please bring a friend or two to join in on the festivities and bid on these awesome items!

PS Folks- I just broke through the $2K mark! Only $6,250 to go! Thank you supporters!

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Did somebody say "Party?"

Ladies and Gentlemen! I am having a charity auction to support this project on Sunday June 8th from 3-5pm. The idea for this auction was born on Thursday the 22nd and found its legs on Tuesday the 27th. I was chatting with a co-worker (Thanks, Stephanie!) and she suggested throwing a party to raise money and get people aware of my project details. She also suggested that I work with Rocky, another co-worker with a penchant for catering, to get this party catered right.

So five days later here I am with $1000 worth of donated items so far. A range of items for everyone to want something. The auction will be silent and will last from 3pm to 4:15pm with auction winners announced at 4:30pm. I will be making a short slide show and presentation so everyone will know exactly my project will be doing and what they have helped to support.

Rocky is a fantastic chef and he will be making some tasty bits for everyone's bellies. Wine will be provided, white and red, and some delicious lavender lemonade and cool cucumber water for those folks who want a non-alcoholic route. The door fee is $25 for singles and $40 for couples.

There are so many folks on the invite! So far, I have invited 115 people to attend. My goal is to have 60 people in attendance and I am pretty sure I will reach my goal. Things are looking great for an auction created only 5 days ago!

Anyone who is unable to make the auction but would like to support my project is encouraged to do so. ALL sizes of donation are welcomed. $20, $25, $50, $100, $500, whatever you can do! I definitely appreciate it.

All for now. I will be posting again soon. Just have to get some papers written and get my op ed piece written for The Huffington Post!

See you all at the auction!

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Latest Funding Update

Well folks, the latest grant news came back and I did not get the funding. So I am doing this project the Barack Obama way with small but numerous donations.

Thank you to all of the project supporters and those of you who are about to support this worthy project. Given that this project is unpaid and I have to keep paying rent and bills (not part of the project budget) while I am gone in addition to my room and board in Serbia, I could not do this project without you.

And as my sister says, "Be thankful for the blessings you have not yet received."

Keep up the great donations! I have $6610 left to raise and have 27 days left to do it in. Go team , go!

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Arianna Huffington + Planned Parenthood = Big Fun(d$?)

So yesterday was the Planned Parenthood Votes Washington (PPVW) fund raiser at Bell Harbor downtown. My friend McKenna Hartman, McKenna@McKennaHartman.com , local fundraiser extraordinaire/genius put on the fabulous affair (the luncheon was a smash hit!) to help raise funds so that they can identify, educate and mobilize reproductive health policy advocates in the state of Washington. Pretty cool group.

The keynote speaker was none other than Arianna Huffington of the famed online news source The Huffington Post! Arianna is an author and nationally syndicated columnist. Huffington describes herself as a "former right-winger who has evolved into a compassionate and progressive populist." She is a fantastic speaker and made some necessary points of being sure to get in your vote and make your voice heard in regard to this administration, the new administration, and your reproductive rights. Double check your backbone!

Anyhow, I was volunteering at the fund raiser and got a chance to speak with Arianna after the luncheon. Very cool lady (pretty attractive too) and she took my flyer and new business card and asked me if I would write a piece to post on The Huffington Post!!!! Holy Cow! I said, "You bet!" Now I need to write something amazing. That will be this weekend I think. Have a few papers to write.

McKenna hooked me up with her mentor, Cathy Allen, who is the President/Owner of the Connections Group here in Seattle. Ms. Allen works "to help communities, governments, non-profit associations and women’s groups better communicate to the press, the public and politicians." We chatted for a short time (she is super busy) about my project and its need for support. Ms. Allen said she would not be able to donate to my project due to the fact that she is working/funding the primaries/political world right now but that she would be happy to spread the word about my project to hopefully get support. Thank you, Ms. Allen!!

After the luncheon there was a VIP gathering at the Alexis Hotel. Arianna showed up to chat with the big donors and chat a bit about PPVW and her new book, "Right is Wrong". I told her I had already emailed her with a deeper description of my project. I work fast! She thanked me for my work.

The PPVW crew was there and took some pics with Arianna while folks mingled, snacked, drank, and chatted. I met a family law attorney and a couple of Women's Studies PhD students from the UW too. I passed out the fliers and business cards I brought to as many people who would take them. I met a great couple there as well and the wife had tons of great questions about my project and what the problem was exactly. We talked for about 15-20 minutes and at the end she asked if I took checks, cash, or credit cards. I said "YES". Lastly, she reminded me that even though I am one person I can make a big difference in one or many lives with the work I am setting out to do. Fund raising can create peaks and valleys for me because I am so connected with my project. It means the world to me and is the beginning of the rest of my life. This is my career in the making. It is always nice to talk with people who see the importance of the work.

No donations last night but hopefully some seeds were planted and my labor will produce fruit.

All in all a good day. This is a great and weird experience for me. Only $6,610 left to go!

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Slava! The Feast!

So I returned to St Sava this weekend as I was invited to join the church's celebration of when St Sava's sacred bones were moved to the monastery Mileseva in southern Serbia after he had died from pneumonia in Trnovo, Bulgaria. St Sava was the first Archbishop of Serbia. What a great celebration! The Serbian Orthodox Church from Portland had made the drive that day to join the Seattle Church in the festivities. There was tons of delicious food, singing, dancing, and great fellowship.

Father Ilija once again announced that I was visiting and let me say a few words before he blessed the food. Many folks only spoke Serbian so I didn't reach everyone but the folks I did speak to were very warm and welcomed me back.

This time I decided to bring some articles from Serbian and Russian newspapers that talked about the trafficking in Serbia. I also brought more information about NGO Atina so folks could see that the work is with Serbians specifically and not just a bunch of foreigners with their own agenda of demonizing the Serbs once again. Very sensitive topic.

One man that had definite concerns about how I worded where the trafficking was happening (Kosovo vs. Serbia) read over the articles and said, "Hmm, this is new to me." I could see that he was definitely saddened to learn about the reality of it happening in Serbia. He also stated that the ones who have done this who are in prison should pray to never be let out because if they are, they will be killed. He spoke about the loss of morality, the loss of Serbian land, and the loss of law. He told me that his niece just returned from Belgrade and that he would have her email me. Another Serbian contact made! He wished me well on my trip.

Made some new connections, (Hello Mile, Slavica, Michael (An FBI Agent who worked in Belgrade on an anti-trafficking task force!), and Dawn) and reconnected with others, (Hello Milan, Georgina, Gordana, and Vjera). Ate a great Serbian lunch and topped it off with some yummy cake and the baklava that I brought. YUM!!

At the end of the festivities, 4 hours later, we bid each other adieu and I told them that I would see them again in September when I return. I plan on returning to St Sava with a slide show of my trip.

It was nice to make the connection with this community before I go. I hope the connection will last and I can keep in contact with them ongoing.

Thank you Father Ilija and St Sava Orthodox.

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Who wants THIS job?

I had a great conversation with a couple of my work department administrators and I thought it would be a good topic to discuss here.

Some folks think prostitution should be legalized. That there is protection in the law. That prostituted women could get health coverage, just like all the other people in this country. Anyone seen Sicko?

People say, "prostitution is the oldest profession." Does that warrant its presence and use. Just because something has been done for years, does it mean we are to give the behavior sanctuary? If we are to believe biblical text, murder has been committed since the dawn of man. Are we to turn a blind eye to it as well?

Some may say that I am over-dramatizing prostitution and trying to create a "straw man" argument with my comparison to murder but am I? Is it a "victimless crime"?

Human trafficking and prostitution. How do we separate them? How would we know if someone had been trafficked or if they had been prostituted? What is the difference? One has a pimp and is made to have sex with as many men as possible and then give most if not all of their money to their pimps. The other has a trafficker and is made to have sex with as many men as possible and then give most if not all of their money to their traffickers. Huh, not much difference.

Some say choice is the difference. Prostitutes are choosing to be prostituted?

Check out this job advertisement run by the WHISPER (Women Hurt in Systems of Prostitution Engaged in Revolt) group. Would you want this job?

WARNING: SEXUALLY GRAPHIC CONCEPTS

www.prostitutionresearch.com

Help Wanted: Women and Girls
Do YOU want this job?
Copyright © WHISPER. All Rights Reserved.

Prostitution has been euphemized as an occupational alternative for women, as an answer to low-paying, low skilled, boring dead-end jobs, as a solution to the high unemployment rate of poor women, as a form of sexual liberation, and a career women freely choose.

Are you tired of mindless, low skilled, low-paying jobs? Would you like a career with flexible hours? Working with people? Offering a professional service?

• No experience required. No high school diploma needed. No minimum age requirement. On-the-job training provided.
• Special opportunities for poor women -- single mothers -- women of color.

Women and girls applying for this position will provide the following services:

• Being penetrated orally, anally, and vaginally with penises, fingers, fists, and objects, including but not limited to, bottles, brushes, dildos, guns and/or animals;
• Being bound and gagged, tied with ropes and/or chains, burned with cigarettes, or hung from beams or trees;
• Being photographed or filmed performing these acts.

Workplace:

Job-related activities will be performed in the following locations: in an apartment, a hotel, a "massage parlor," car, doorway, hallway, street, executive suite, fraternity house, convention, bar, public toilet, public park, alleyway, military base, on a stage, in a glass booth.

Wages:

Wages will be negotiated at each and every transaction. Payment will be delivered when client determines when and if services have been rendered to his satisfaction.

Corporate management fees range from 40-60% of wages; private manager reserves the right to impound all monies earned.

Benefits:

Benefits will be provided at the discretion of management.

NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LEGAL REDRESS FOR THE FOLLOWING ON-THE-JOB HAZARDS:

• Nonpayment for services rendered;
• Sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy;
• Injuries sustained through performance of services including but not limited to cuts, bruises,lacerations, internal hemorrhaging, broken bones, suffocation, mutilation, disfigurement, dismemberment, and death.

Note: Accusations of rape will be treated as a breach of contract by employee.

Name of applicant: ________________________________

Signature of manager on behalf of applicant: ______________________________

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Visiting St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church

Today I visited St. Sava Serbian Orthodox and it was a fantastic experience. I have never been to a church with such a service. The incense, the lyrics, the language, the singing, the ceremony... I was definitely intrigued. I would like to thank Father Ilija and the good people of St Sava for allowing me to attend their service today and to share in their fellowship.

After the service and before the lunch, Father Ilija announced to the parishioners that I was visiting and that I had a project in Serbia this summer. He gave them a little info from the handout that I had brought with me and then told them all that they could ask me questions about my project. I said a few words about how grateful I was to be there and how much the project means to me. I also let them know how excited I am to be going to Belgrade and that the welcome from NGO Atina has been warm. Then everbody dug into some good food. Dakota and I brought homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Father Ilija encouraged me to not be shy and to walk around and chat with folks. I made some great connections with folks today. Everyone was warm and kindly listened to the details of my project and had great questions about what I will be doing there, how long I will be there, etc. A couple of people made a donation while I was there (Thank you!) and I made my rounds around the room.

I stopped over to talk with a few of the men who were chatting in a corner of the room. They had some points of view that I would like to share. Some wanted to know why I was talking about sex trafficking in Serbia and not saying that it was in Kosovo. I explained that I am working in Serbia with Serbian women who have been trafficked. The idea I came away with was that my wording of my project was not perhaps as sensitive or as clear as it could be. They stated that the trafficking is happening in Kosovo and not in Serbia and that it is due to the Albanian mafia (I did a little reading on this outfit... evil). I gathered that even though the women may be Serbian that they are not being trafficked in Serbia Proper. I said that from what I have read from NGO Atina and the International Organization of Migration is that women from Serbia Proper are being trafficked regardless of who is doing the trafficking. I also said that I cannot speak to who is doing the trafficking or to the politics between Serbia and Kosovo since I don't really have the right to say anything about the politics. I also said that my project is to rehabilitate and reintegrate trafficked women back into society not to make a political stand one way or another.

I started to feel anxious. I feel that even though I know I am working on a project that is good and is made to help Serbian women and therefore Serbia, I need to read more about the Serbian perspective. I cannot fathom what life has been like for Serbians in the past hundred years much less the past 14 years. Some spoke of the media and how they have been made out to be monsters and even to be eradicated. Others spoke of a connection between the UN occupation and the black market in trafficking of Serbian organs. There was pain in their voices. Pain and anger. They also spoke of the pride they have in their country and the history of their homeland which includes Kosovo. Kosovo is their Jerusalem, their Mecca.

Each one of them wished me good luck and thanked me for coming to the church. One man even took me aside and chatted with me. He let me know that I should be careful and that my work is on a very sensitive topic and that it could be dangerous. His concern is well taken and much appreciated.

Overall, I learned I have more to learn. I also learned that I need to post more information from Serbian sources about sex trafficking to back my project. Please check out the Trafficking in Humans link and the Prejudices sublink at www.astra.org.yu. Also, please check out the news article in Astra's News Archive from the well-respected Serbian newspaper Politika entitled, "Trafficking Victims on the Rise" (same link) for more information on the increase of sex trafficking victims in Serbia.

As an address to some of the parishioners concerns about where the trafficking is occurring and to make sure and not demonize the Serbian people, I have changed the title of my blog from Sex Trafficking in Serbia to Sex Trafficking of Serbian Women. Also, I am changing the way I state the issue of the statistics in Serbia. The traffickers are doing this to each country they reside in. It is not an organic process where Serbians are choosing to simply traffic their countrywomen. The fault and the demonization lies with the traffickers. Not the good people of Serbia.

Thank you Father Ilija and St Sava Orthodox for a friendly and enlightening experience.

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First things First

On a sensitive note, fighting has broken out in Lebanon and my friend Ghassan's family is in Beirut and are stuck at their house in the middle of the fighting on the streets. They are all doing alright so far but I am sure you can only imagine what it is like to have 11 people in a 3 bedroom flat while bombs go off and masked men run around on their motorcycles shooting machine guns into the streets. Please say a prayer, rub a crystal, or whatever you do to send out the positive energy to Ghassan, Nagi, Ingrid, Fadi and Jamie (the American girlfriend on Holiday there!) and the rest of the family. Hopefully, everyone will stay safe and level heads will prevail.

So I have been doing some thinking recently. I am having a difficult time teasing something apart and I want to share it with you. Pornography. There is one side of me that takes pride in my ability to be open-minded and not be considered "uptight" when it comes to sexual behaviors, appetites, etc. There is another side of me that realizes that the pornography industry benefits from trafficked women. Sure, some women choose to be in the videos. But it is kind of like blood diamonds, how can you really tell if it is a diamond without conflict when there are so many blood diamonds out there?

Dakota suggested I get support from a website that has pictures of "naturally beautiful female nudes" and wouldn't that be a testament to the appreciation of the female form and not objectification. I am torn on that. In one respect the female AND the male form are beautiful. I like to look at them. Also, there is no shame to the human body and we should get over it. Lastly, I think that would be great to get support from a group that may be viewed as the "enemy/opposition". Like having Republicans supporting Obama.

On the other hand, I can see the deterioration of the appreciation of the female nude to the lustful wantonness that men cling to when they proclaim why they use prostitutes. "I am a man. I must have sex." Can I just say I want to crush those guys? I am not a violent person but holy cow do I get mad when that excuse is used as if they had no control. Thank goodness for the multitude of good men in the world.

Basically, I have come to the conclusion for myself that there is no teasing apart "good" from "bad" pornography, unless you make it for your own private use and all people involved give their consent without duress. We have become so desensitized to the whole topic and it has practically become mainstream to the point that kids know who Jenna Jamison is. I am not a prude and I cannot be a part of the system that preys on women and uses their bodies for profit.

What does this have to do with sex trafficking? Sex traffickers profit from pornography they make. You won't necessarily know if the women in the film are trafficked or not. Also, the ubiquitous nature of pornography today may be seen as encouraging the objectification of women. Hence my issues with the industry.

What if we became macrobiotic in our sexual appetites? Only consume locally and not the highly processed stuff that comes from origins you just don't know? That way we know who we are looking at naked and they know who we are and then we can all make informed decisions about who we have sex with. Video/web porn is like packaged store cookies. They look good at first, all soft and chewy and perfectly baked. They even taste great at first. But then you suddenly realize that you have been sitting there for 6 hours eating Chips Ahoy and you feel empty and a little sick to your stomach. Trans Fats, High Fructose Corn Syrup, "Enriched" Flour and Caramel Color! I knew those cookies looked too good to be true. Home baked cookies are delicious. You know what went into the batter, you know how it was made and you can bake it to be chewy or crisp, just the way you like it.

Let's change our sexual appetites for the better. Eat local.

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New article and slide show on Sex Trafficking

Thank you to everyone who has been sending me links about the sex trafficking information they have come across. This really helps in getting the bigger picture of what is going on globally.

Patricia's acupuncturist (the informed community is spreading!) let her know that there was a great article in the New Yorker recently about rescuing sex trafficked women. The link is here

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/05/05/080505fa_fact_finnegan

AMAZING article. Gives you some more of the idea of the type of work I will be doing while in Serbia, however, I will not be rescuing women like the subject of the article. I will be working with the rehabilitation not the repatriation of these women. The sad reality of the rehabilitation program I will be working with is the fact that the Transition House, which provides free room and board, can only hold 8-10 women at a time. Other victims of trafficking can use the services provided by the NGO but they will have to maintain housing somewhere else. As you can imagine from my blog and this article, the numbers are mind boggling. Sex trafficking is an epidemic. But! It can be stopped. Let us all keep that in mind.

Also, my dear friend Ghassan sent me a link for a beautiful and haunting slide show about girls being trafficked to Dubai. The slide show lasts approximately 10 minutes and has sound. It is not sexually graphic. You will come away affected.

PLEASE WATCH THIS SLIDE SHOW

http://www.mclight.com/slideshow.html

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Funding update

Sorry I have not written in a few days. Life has been busy.

So I have a new update on my funding applications. My application for the Leslianne Shedd award was declined. :( Not sure why. They are very close lipped about why applications are funded or denied. One professor asked if I thought it had to do with the topic. I hope not but you never can tell. I have 2 more applications for funding that will be determined in the middle of this month. They won't cover all my project expenses but they will certainly help. Trying to keep a stiff upper lip and a positive outlook.

On the good news front, my mother-in-law-to-be, Patricia, sent out an amazing email to friends and family requesting community support for my project. YAY Patricia!! The assistance is greatly appreciated.

Which reminds me... News Flash! Ricky Martin is taking up the human trafficking cause! Never thought I would be writing a letter to Ricky Martin but here I go. Patricia has recommended that I contact Ricky, Oprah (Angel Network), and any other support group that assists women who have been sexually traumatized. Thinking outside of the box is the plan.

Also, I have made contact with a local Serbian Orthodox church in Issaquah, named St. Sava. Father Ilija has been very kind and has offered to introduce me to the congregation on Sunday, May 11th and to talk to his parishioners about my project and how they could support me in my efforts. I will keep you all posted about this blossoming relationship.

Meanwhile, the project is coming along soon. I leave on June 17th. Not sure if I will be staying for 3 full months or if it will be 2.5 months. That will be determined by how much funding I receive. Either way, I will continue to blog while I am there so you can see pictures of where I am staying and some of the people I am working with.

Thanks again for reading and thanks for your support!

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