Photo Credit: Elvert Barnes @ Flickr (CC)
Bonnie Kim, founder and CEO of Freedom and Fashion, is passionate about ending sex trafficking and child labor in Los Angeles and around the world. She realized during her volunteer time at the organization Nightlight in Bangkok, Thailand in 2008 that many organizations who were dedicated to working to this end lack much of the resources, both material, and financial to make a meaningful impact.
Through prayer and guidance from the Lord, Kim realized that she could use her passion for art and fashion by helping to market and financially support organizations like Nightlight. Kim wanted to find a way to bring constant support to those battling the issue head on through “building a powerful multi-platform network and resourcing existing frontline organizations with service and support systems that are crucial and unique to its mission.”
To help support underserved and disadvantaged women and children, Kim also wanted to “create strategic arts-focused empowerment projects that seek to transform society to choose lifestyles that heal, empower, and liberate women and children.” That’s where the fashion comes in. As well as being a conduit for businesses and organizations with a desire to end sex trafficking and child labor, Kim thought that she could feature cause-oriented and fair trade fashion shows to “generate awareness about human rights issues, assist groups in recruiting new volunteers, and redirection consumer purchasing power.”
One of the current projects that Freedom and Fashion is fundraising for is their “Daughter of Love” sewing and mentorship program that is partnering with AVIVA Family and Child Service Center in Los Angeles to teach 36 young women to sew and explore issues surrounding women in society. Also, Freedom and Fashion is raising money to start a resource website called “Access and Impact” to help local women’s shelters meet their sudden and immediate needs, such as extra beds, through networking with companies or sponsors who have donated so they can meet the need as quickly as possible.
If you are interested in supporting Freedom and Fashion and learning more about all their events and fundraisers that help other organizations fight sex trafficking and child labor, please visit FreedomandFashion.com
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