{"id":780,"date":"2020-01-06T18:57:25","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T18:57:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/2020\/01\/06\/rooting-out-human-trafficking-in-san-diego-one-student-at-a-time\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T10:16:40","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T10:16:40","slug":"rooting-out-human-trafficking-in-san-diego-one-student-at-a-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/blog\/rooting-out-human-trafficking-in-san-diego-one-student-at-a-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Rooting Out Human Trafficking in San Diego, One\u00a0Student\u00a0at a Time\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Maureen Simpson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Bernadete Leal begins every Project ROOTS session in a darkened classroom with one question: \u201cWhere do you want to bring light?\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While the exercise is a small component of the after-school program, Leal said its power lies in teaching students they can be a force for positive or negative change in the world. And it\u2019s their choice to decide.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I see a lot with the girls here starts with self-esteem,\u201d said Leal, who has served as a Project ROOTS facilitator for three years and a teacher in San Diego for more than five.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThey are 9 and 10 years old and already depressed and talking about suicide, violence at home, gangs and lack of self-respect. \u2026 [Project ROOTS] makes them feel so important and that they matter.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PCI implements Project ROOTS in partnership with the San Diego Unified School District, Boys and Girls Clubs<\/span><\/span> <\/span>and the San Diego District Attorney\u2019s Office. The purpose of the program is to address the root causes of gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and unhealthy relationships through group mentoring and social emotional learning. Girls and boys ages 8-13 learn how to be safe and resilient by exploring issues through the lenses of empathy, equality and empowerment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

A Project ROOTS girls\u2019 group meets after school at a participating site in San Diego County. In 2019, a total of 342 youth completed PCI\u2019s Project ROOTS program. \/\/ Photo by Steven Wade Adams<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI believe that investing in early prevention and intervention can build a new generation with strong roots of humanity and dignity based in genuine respect for the different sexes, races and cultural backgrounds,\u201d said Summer Stephan, San Diego County District Attorney. \u201cThis program is a pathway to a healthier community with less domestic violence, sexual abuse and gang violence.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Project ROOTS facilitators, typically\u00a0school teachers\u00a0and counselors, educate groups of 15-20 kids about inclusivity, emotional freedom and mutual respect during their 60- to 90-minute group sessions.\u00a0<\/span>Topics include everything from Internet safety and communication to hygiene, health and human trafficking<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

L<\/span>eal said the group is also a place for\u00a0<\/span>participants<\/span>\u00a0to vent, bond and strengthen their voices in a supportive environment. Students who once frequented the principal\u2019s office for behavioral issues now informally serve as ambassadors of peace in the school.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis program is so important \u2013 the transformation, the awareness, the education. We are spreading good,\u201d she said. \u201cI am grateful for the opportunity, and I see the change.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Amanda Cutler is a counselor at Walker Elementary School and facilitated a boys\u2019 group for Project ROOTS in 2019. Although she was aware that human trafficking is a serious and pervasive issue in San Diego, she said this program is one of the first to address the problem with a focus on youth and\u00a0<\/span>primary prevention,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>which aims to prevent (or stop) violence and exploitation before it occurs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is something that isn\u2019t taught at home. I think this is something that isn\u2019t taught in the classroom. It really is a specialty,\u201d Cutler said. \u201cMore kids need to learn about these skills. They need to learn about consent. They need to know about their own empowerment.<\/span>\u00a0I only had six boys, but I would have loved to work with everyone at my school. I think this is an amazing program.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2019, a total of 342 youth, including 189 girls and 120 boys, completed PCI\u2019s Project ROOTS program across\u00a017\u00a0unique sites<\/strong> in San Diego County. Learn more about Project ROOTS through the lens of one of our facilitators.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Maureen Simpson Bernadete Leal begins every Project ROOTS session in a darkened classroom with one question: \u201cWhere do you want to bring light?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 While the exercise is a small component of the after-school program, Leal said its power lies in teaching students they can be a force for positive or negative change in the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[80],"tags":[],"gc_country":[11,34],"gc_area_of_expertise":[50],"class_list":["post-780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","gc_country-the-americas","gc_country-united-states","gc_area_of_expertise-financial-inclusion"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRooting Out Human Trafficking in San Diego, One\u00a0Student\u00a0at a Time\u00a0 - Global Communities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/blog\/rooting-out-human-trafficking-in-san-diego-one-student-at-a-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rooting Out Human Trafficking in San Diego, One\u00a0Student\u00a0at a Time\u00a0 - 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