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I AM PROUD TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER HERE TO TALK ABOUT A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TODAY, AN ISSUE THAT DEMANDS OUR ATTENTION.
AND I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A, YOU KNOW, A VERY HEARTFELT, THANKFUL, A THANK YOU TO OUR, UH, NOTABLE GUESTS HERE AS PARTICULARLY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CARTER, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAMIREZ, AS WELL AS THE POLICE OF CHIEF, UH, POLICE OF CHIEF OF POLICE CHIEF DIAZ, AND THEN ALSO MEMBERS OF OUR COUNSELOR CORPS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS HERE TOO, OF OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS THAT REPRESENT US AT THE AIRPORT OF OUR C-B-P-T-S-A AND DHS OFFICERS.
UH, AND THEN ALSO DAVID BREO FROM RED M THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM'S MISSION IS VERY CLEAR.
IT'S TO CONNECT THE PEOPLE, PERSONS, ECONOMIES AND BUSINESSES OF THE WORLD WITH HOUSTON.
AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH OUR AIRPORT ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND WITH THAT COMES RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE HUMAN TRAFFICKING DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN SOMEWHERE.
AND WE, AS THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE SINCE 2019 WHEN WE WERE THE FIRST AIRPORT SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES TO WORK WITH DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ON THEIR BLUE LIGHTNING INITIATIVE, WHERE WE WORK AS AN AIRPORT TO COLLECTIVELY TRY AND STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING WHILE AT TRANSITS OUR AIRPORT MORE THAN TRAINING OR BIENNIAL TRAINING ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS AT THE AIRPORTS.
I RECENTLY TOOK MY BADGE TEST, UM, AND WAS RECENTLY REEDUCATED ON THE SIGNS AND SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, SYMPTOMS OF, OF WHAT HAPPENS AT AN AIRPORT.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT THIS TRAINING HAS PAID OFF FOR US.
SO IF WE LOOK, WE HAD A, A, ONE OF OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES, UM, NOT, NOT LONG AGO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WENT THROUGH THE TRAINING AND RECOGNIZED SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TRAFFICKING.
WE HAD A, A WOMAN THAT WAS IN THE TERMINALS KIND OF SAW THE FEAR IN HER EYES.
AND WITH THAT, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE TRAINING WERE THERE.
SHE WAS COMING TO HOUSTON ON, ON, ON PRETENSES THAT WERE NOT TRUE.
UH, THEY HAD TAKEN HER CELL PHONE AWAY FROM HER, AND THEN THEY ALSO HAD TAKEN ALL HER MONEY AWAY FROM HER.
AND SO OUR FOLKS KIND OF RECOGNIZED THE SIGNS THERE AND WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT HPD AND WITH HPDS ASSISTANCE, WE RESCUED THAT PERSON FROM A TRAFFICKER THAT WAS TRYING TO MOVE HER THROUGH OUR AIRPORTS.
AND SO WE TAKE THAT TRAINING VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WE TAKE OUR RESPONS, UH, RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND JUST TWO MONTHS FROM NOW, WE'RE GONNA BE WELCOMING THE WORLD THROUGH HOUSTON.
UH, SO AGAIN, IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED, UH, AND PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S GOING ON AS WE PREPARE TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME THE WORLD TO OURS.
SO FOR TODAY, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO OFFER YOU THIS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF, UH, EDUCATIONAL FACILITY OR INFRASTRUCTURE HERE WHERE YOU CAN TAKE A, AN UNDERSTANDING, A WALK AROUND HERE AND SEE THE SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICK AND HOW WE DEAL WITH IT, BECAUSE IT IS AN IMPORTANT IN, IN, UH, INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY TACKLE.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALSO, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP.
AGAIN, WE WORKED WITH HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE TO HELP WITH THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING THAT HAPPENS AT THE AIRPORTS.
WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN CBP AS, UH, PARTICULARLY ON THE INTERNET NATIONAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
AND SO WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP, WE REALLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP THAT.
UM, TODAY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR DISCUSSION, UH, WE'VE GOT A VICTIM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING THAT WE'RE GONNA BRING UP HERE THAT ACTUALLY WAS TRAFFICKED THROUGH OUR AIRPORT SYSTEM.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT I WANNA DO IS BRING UP A PERSON, UH, IN OUR MAYOR, JOHN WHITMEYER, WHO HAS DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO HE HAS A VERY LONG AND STORIED CAREER AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, HE IS KNOWN AS SOMEBODY WHO'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND REALLY DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND WE'D REALLY LIKE TO GET SOME WORDS FROM HIM.
SO MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU UP TO, TO ADDRESS THANK YOU, JIM, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT GATHERING OF INDIVIDUALS THAT CARE.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE REPRESENTING HOUSTONIANS AND REALLY OUR REGION AND THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A POLICY OF ZERO TOLERANCE.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE.
AND I'VE WORKED WITH GROUPS FOR YEARS AS A STATE SENATOR.
WE'VE PASSED NUMEROUS STATE LAWS AS CHAIRMAN OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, HUMAN TRAFFIC FREE ZONES NEAR OUR SCHOOLS,
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INCREASED THE PENALTIES, WORKING WITH SENATOR HUFFMAN AND REPRESENTATIVE NIA THOMPSON.BUT WE'VE NEVER REST BECAUSE THERE'S INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE REACHING OUT FOR HELP THAT ARE SHOUTING HIM FOR HELP.
AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
WE WANT YOU TO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR CITY OFFICIALS.
THAT'S THE REASON I'M SO PLEASED TO HAVE COUNCILLOR TWA CARTER, WHO'S BEEN FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF HUMAN TRAFFICKED VICTIMS FOR YEARS RUNNING THE ASTRO FOUNDATION.
SHE GOT THE NOTICES AND ALL THE STALLS, AND THEN ALL THE LOCATIONS OVER AT DAIKIN PARK BACK WHEN IT WAS.
MINUTE MAID PARK IS, GOES BACK AND COUNCILOR MARTINEZ, HE KNOWS HOW DELICATE THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IS TO ABUSE, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT ALONG OUR BORDER FOR YEARS AND YEARS.
THIS ADMINISTRATION, COUNCILOR RAMIREZ, WAS HERE EARLIER SHOWING A COMMITMENT.
BUT LET ME JUST ALSO GET ON NOTICE TODAY TO THE BAD GUYS.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU AND THE BAD WOMEN THAT WOULD FACILITATE THE TRAFFICKING.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU THIS MORNING.
THERE IS 60 PEOPLE IN A TASK FORCE MADE UP OF HPD AND OUR OUTSTANDING CHIEF LEADING THE WAY WITH THE FBI.
AND LET ME ALSO TELL YOU, FOR THOSE THAT CLAIM, THEY'VE ENDED HUMAN TRAFFICKING BECAUSE THEY GO OUT ON BINET, TERRIBLE PRACTICE OF PROSTITUTION AT THIS AND THAT.
YOU PUT UP BARRIERS SO THEY CAN'T GO ON THE SIDE STREETS.
IT JUST PUSHES, IT PUSHES IT TO ANOTHER COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE PROSECUTION OF THOSE THAT WOULD USE HUMAN TRAFFICKED VICTIMS. WE GOTTA HOLD OUR JUDGES, OUR PROSECUTORS ACCOUNTABLE.
I HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED IT YET, BUT I WANNA WORK WITH THE MEDIA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
WE NEED TO PUT ON THE EVENING NEWS, THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ARRESTED FOR PROSTITUTION, USE THE JOHNS.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY, THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO SHOW WHO ARE THE BAD ACTORS.
SO LET ME THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WE HAD TIME TO HEAR YOUR STORY.
TO THE VICTIMS. WE'RE SORRY TO THE VICTIM'S FAMILY.
AND LEMME ALSO EMPHASIZE FOR OURSELVES, THIS IS NOT FIFA DRIVEN.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR YEARS.
WE DID AWAY WITH TAXI, TAXI DANCING.
MANY OF YOU MAYBE ARE TOO YOUNG OR TOO HOUSTON, TOO NEW TO HOUSTON TO KNOW.
IT USED TO BE A PRACTICE IN MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU PAY A GIRL TO DANCE WITH HER.
THAT'S THE FIRST, FIRST OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO BE ABUSED.
OH MAN, WILL YOU DANCE WITH ME FOR $5? THAT IS WHAT WE CUT OUT IN CITY ORDINANCE, STATE LAWS, AND ALL I'M SAYING, I'M FIRED UP.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO START OUR WEEK.
WE ARE CONCERNED, AND I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO HELP US BECAUSE OF THE STRUGGLE WITH, WITH IMMIGRATION POLICY, WHICH WE TAKE VERY SERIOUS.
AUSTIN HAS CUT OUT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING TO 110 MILLIONS YESTERDAY BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INTERFERING WITH EFFECTIVE IMMIGRATION POLICIES.
I NEED YOU, HOUSTON NEEDS YOU.
RIGHT NOW I'D ACTUALLY WANNA QUESTION ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, AS A, A, A VENUE THAT BRINGS IN A LOT OF LARGE EVENTS ON HOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.
AND IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS TOUGH TO FOLLOW YOU, MAYOR WHITMAR, WITH YOUR PASSION.
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION AND LEADERSHIP, NOT JUST FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
ALL YOU DO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS, IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO, TO MAINTAIN AWARENESS AND MAYOR'S, RIGHT? THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING
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AND WORKING ON FOR YEARS, IF NOT DECADES, AND CERTAINLY, UH, IN EVENTS AND SPORTS.UH, IT'S A PARTICULAR ISSUE AND IT'S ONE THAT WE'VE FOCUSED ON.
UH, WHEN I WAS CEO OF THE N ENERGY PARK COMPLEX FOR EIGHT YEARS, ONE OF THE PROUDEST MOMENTS THAT I HAD WAS BEING ABLE TO NAME NRG PARK AND NO TRAFFICKING ZONE WITH INCREASED PENALTIES FOR TRAFFICKING.
UH, THAT WAS CERTAINLY A BIG MOMENT IN NOT JUST THE STADIUM'S HISTORY, BUT, BUT FOR HOUSTON IN GENERAL, THAT HAS SINCE CARRIED ON TO VERY OTHER STATE, MANY OTHER STADIUMS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND I HOPE THAT TREND CONTINUES TO ALL STADIUMS, UH, IN THE UNITED STATES.
BUT CERTAINLY THANK YOU TO, UH, THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND CERTAINLY OUR STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, CHIEF DIAZ, UH, YOU AND YOUR, YOUR TEAMMATES OVER AT HBD, IF, IF NOBODY'S DONE MORE THAN YOU ALL TO, TO, TO FIGHT THIS ISSUE IN HOUSTON, CERTAINLY THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
UM, IT'S GONNA TAKE EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE THIS HAPPENS.
AND THE MAYOR'S RIGHT, IT'S NOT JUST A WORLD CUP ISSUE.
WE DO HAVE THE EYES OF THE WORLD ON HOUSTON, NOT JUST FOR WORLD CUP, BUT EVERY DAY WE'RE A GLOBAL CITY WITH A GLOBAL VISION.
AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THAT VISION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AWARENESS AND THE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR TRAFFICKING IS UPHELD.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.
ALRIGHT, AND WHAT I WANNA DO RIGHT NOW IS BRING UP RHONDA KIRKENDAL.
SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT, UH, THE TRAFFICKING THAT HAPPENS AT THE AIRPORT, SHE ACTUALLY HAS EXPERIENCE BEING TRAFFICKED THROUGH THE AIRPORT SYSTEM HERE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S MORE IMPACTFUL WHEN YOU GET THE STATEMENTS FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S EXPERIENCED THIS.
IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS ABOUT FIFA COMING, THE WORLD CUP IS COMING TO HOUSTON, AND WITH IT, THE WORLD'S EYES WILL BE ON OUR CITY.
LEADERS WILL TALK ABOUT SECURITY.
THEY WILL TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, HOSPITALITY, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION.
AND SOME OF THEM WILL TALK ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND I WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I NEED YOU TO HEAR IT CLEARLY.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA.
IT WAS HERE LONG BEFORE THE FIRST FIFA BALL WILL BE KICKED, AND IT WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER THE LAST FAN GOES HOME.
I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I WAS HERE.
I'M A SURVIVOR OF FAMILIAL SEX TRAFFICKING, AND MY STORY RUNS DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS CITY AND THROUGH ITS AIRPORTS.
I GREW UP IN HARD PLACES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, POVERTY.
TRAFFICKERS DON'T CHOOSE CHILDREN AT RANDOM.
THEY CHOOSE CHILDREN WHOSE PAIN MAKES THEM INVISIBLE.
CHILDREN WHO COME FROM HARD PLACES, CHILDREN, THE WORLD HAS ALREADY DECIDED, DON'T MATTER.
IN THE SUMMER OF 1980, I MET MY TRAFFICKER.
HE WAS 24 YEARS OLD AND I WAS 10.
HE TOOK ME FROM FOR BEND COUNTY INTO HOUSTON.
AND THEN I WAS FLOWN SOUTHWEST AIRLINE FLIGHTS TO LUBBOCK, TEXAS.
I STILL HAVE A SOUTHWEST AIRLINE'S HEART THAT THEY GAVE ME BECAUSE I WAS A MINOR TRAVELING ALONE ON AN AIRPORT.
I WAS FLOWN OUT ON FRIDAYS, RETURNED ON SUNDAYS, AND SITTING BACK IN MY SEAT IN MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON MONDAY MORNING, AND NO ONE KNEW.
I THINK ABOUT WHAT I MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE A 10-YEAR-OLD CHILD WALKING THROUGH AN AIRPORT ALL ALONE AFTER BEING REPEATEDLY ABUSED.
I WONDER WHAT MY FACE LOOKED LIKE, WHETHER ANYONE GLANCED AT ME AND FELT SOMETHING AND LOOKED AWAY.
ANYWAYS, IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, THE SIGNS OF MY ABUSE WERE IGNORED AT EVERY TURN, RUNNING AWAY A SUICIDE ATTEMPT, MEDICAL RECORDS AT 15 THAT DOCUMENTED MY HISTORY AND REFERRED ME TO COUNSELING THAT I NEVER RECEIVED CONSISTENTLY.
CPS REPORTS THAT WENT NOWHERE.
COURT DOCUMENTS THAT NAMED MY TRAFFICKER AND COLLECTED DUST.
HE WAS CONVICTED FOUR TIMES IN THREE DIFFERENT STATES, TEXAS, KANSAS, CALIFORNIA, AND BACK IN TEXAS FOR ALL TRAFFICKING RELATED CRIMES BECAUSE THE CHARGED TRAFFICKING WAS NOT CREATED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IN THE YEAR 2000 AND HERE IN TEXAS UNTIL 2003.
SO I LITERALLY DID NOT HAVE THE LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME.
EVERY SYSTEM THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME FAILED.
AND IT, NOT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE EVIL, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE SILOED, BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T TRAINED, BECAUSE NO ONE KNEW HOW TO CONNECT THOSE DOTS.
THE SAME GAPS THAT SWALLOWED ME BETWEEN PROSECUTION AND CARE, HEALTHCARE AND ADVOCACY BETWEEN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AND JUVENILE JUSTICE.
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SAME GAPS THAT SWALLOW VICTIMS TODAY.TRAFFICKING CANNOT BE SOLVED BY ANY SINGLE SYSTEM.
EXPLOITATION EXPLOITS THOSE GAPS IN THE SYSTEMS. I LIVED IN THOSE GAPS.
I KNOW WHAT IT COSTS WHEN PROSECUTION, HEALTHCARE AND ADVOCACY DON'T SPEAK TOGETHER.
WHAT I NEEDED IN THAT FIRST 72 HOURS IN THOSE FIRST 90 DAYS AND IN THE FIRST YEARS AFTER, WAS A COORDINATED RESPONSE.
SOMEONE WHO WOULD HOLD MY STORY WITHOUT MAKING ME RETELL IT OVER JUST TO ACCESS HELP.
A FORENSIC NURSE WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT NOT BEING READY TO DISCLOSE IS NOT THE SAME THING AS NOT HAVING ANYTHING TO SAY.
AN ADVOCATE WHO KNEW THAT A MINOR IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND A MINOR BEING TRAFFICKED ARE SO VERY OFTEN THE SAME CHILD.
AND THE WORK HAPPENING IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW IS BUILDING IT FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE SURVIVORS WHO NEED IT.
I PASSED THROUGH THESE AIRPORTS AS A VICTIM OF FAMILIAL SEX TRAFFICKING.
NOT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T CARE, BUT BECAUSE THAT TRAINING DID NOT EXIST.
HOUSTON AIRPORTS IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST AIRPORT SYSTEMS IN OUR COUNTRY.
TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE MOVE THROUGH THESE TERMINALS EVERY YEAR.
SOME OF THEM ARE VICTIMS, SOME OF THEM ARE CHILDREN.
SOME OF THEM DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASK FOR HELP, JUST LIKE I DIDN'T ASK.
BUT WHAT YOU ARE BUILDING HERE IS AN INTERVENTION THAT I NEVER HAD.
I LOOK BACK ON MY LIFE AND I SEE EVERY MOMENT WHERE SOMEONE COULD HAVE INTERVENED AND DIDN'T.
A TEACHER, A DOCTOR, A CPS WORKER, A GATE AGENT, WHO SAW A LITTLE GIRL WALKING ALONE THROUGH A BUSY AIRPORT ALONE, THAT SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE, AND THAT SOMEONE CAN BE YOU.
ALL RIGHT, SO TODAY HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A GOOD START TO THE DAY AND I WANNA REALLY THANK OUR SPONSORS.
SO FIRST, UH, HOUSTON, FIRST FOR SPONSORING US SINCE THIS EVENT SPACE AND ALSO UNITED AIRLINES AND NOV.
WITH THAT, UM, THIS IS A GREAT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU GO OUT AND TALK TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING THE BOOTHS HERE AND EXPERIENCE WHAT WE CAN GIVE YOU AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE IMPACT OF, OF, OF SPECIAL, UM, HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUES.
THE, THIS IS NOT ONLY AN EDUCATIONAL, UH, EVENT, BUT IT'S ALSO AN IMPACT EVENT.
AND SO WITH OUR SPONSORSHIPS, WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE $40,000 TODAY.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DONATE IT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE DONATING IT TO UNBOUND NOW.
UH, REDEEMED MINISTRIES AND HANDS OF JUSTICE AS THEY WORK TO, TO SAVE VICTIMS, AND THEN ALSO TO WORK TO SALVAGE VICTIMS AFTER THEY'VE BEEN, BEEN, UH, RESCUED.
SO, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY HERE, VERY, TO SEE THE, THE POWER IN THIS ROOM TO BE ABLE TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST NOT REALLY TRYING TO DO FOR ONE EVENT THAT'S COMING UP.
THIS IS A PERPETUAL THING THAT WE CAN NEED TO WORK ON, 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR.