CLC’s Excellence In Advocacy On TV This Month
CLC has been a leader in the fight against human trafficking both locally and statewide for years. Our expertise was on full display during National Human Trafficking Awareness Month this January!
Executive Director, Leslie Heimov, was featured in a guest segment on Spectrum News One SoCal as part of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on January 11. During the nearly 6-minute interview, Leslie spoke about LA County’s DREAM Court and why it’s critical that victims be treated as survivors.
In large part due to Leslie’s advocacy, DREAM Court was established in 2016 to ensure that youth in foster care who have experienced exploitation would be served in a supportive and appropriately trained environment. CLC’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) team works tirelessly day after day to meet the unique needs of children and youth who have been victims of human trafficking – devoting time and resources to fiercely advocate for the rights and justice these children deserve.
CLC’s CSEC unit provides essential resource and service connections, helps clients find and secure safe housing, and stands by them through every step of their legal proceedings to ensure that their voices are heard, and stories are told.
Click below to watch the full interview.
Staff Spotlight: Emma Gunderson
CLC Attorney Emma Gunderson partnered with the Loyola Law School RISE Clinic to secure restitution for two clients who were victims of human trafficking and wage theft. After attending a training, Emma realized two of her teen clients could be eligible for victim’s compensation based on their difficult shared experience of sexual exploitation for a commercial profit. Emma’s advocacy resulted in $20,000 of restitution for each of her clients! Professor Stephanie Richard, RISE Program Director, applauded Emma and CLC for ensuring our clients receive this important benefit:
“Loyola Law School’s RISE Clinic has been proud to partner with 33 sex trafficking victims served by CLC, including Emma’s clients. This partnership has allowed us to secure $20,000 in lost income from the California Compensations Board for almost all of these clients. This new law enacted in 2019 allows sex and labor trafficking victims to be paid for some of the time they lost to their traffickers and hopefully empowers them in some small part to rebuild their life. CLC is one of the few organizations in California consistently seeking this benefit for its clients.”
Thank you, Emma, for fighting for your clients in and out of the courtroom!
Donor Spotlight: Good+ Foundation
CLC is deeply grateful to the generous Good+ Foundation, which provided $200 gift cards to 40 of our expectant and parenting clients experiencing acute needs this winter.
These cash funds allowed clients to spend their money where they knew they needed it most, whether it be medical bills, warm winter clothing for their children, an urgent car repair, or food and gifts to celebrate the holidays with their families.
This grant came in addition to the incredible support the Good+Foundation already provides for these young parents, including essential items such as cribs, strollers, car seats, diapers, and much more.
Thank you Good+Foundation for all that you do!
CLC Receives A Special Donation!
A small donor made a BIG donation to CLC!
Eight-year-old Stone gets a weekly allowance and always sets some of it aside for charity. In early January, Stone proudly delivered his hard-earned $28 donation to our office. We are in awe of his kindness and full of gratitude for his thoughtful support.
What a way to start the year!
Thank you, Stone, for your generosity and for reminding us of what matters.
