I was one of the lucky participants of the “Heart in Hand" Award event organized to raise funds for No More Tears that took place October 1st at The Sacred Space in Wynwood.
"No More Tears" is a non-profit organization that assists and empowers victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. It was founded by Somy Ali who still leads it dedicating 100% of her time, efforts and revenue from donors to the organization.
Being herself a victim of domestic abuse twice before even turning 10, Somy channeled the strength and power needed to resurrect herself from those devastating moments to help other women stand strong on their feet again.
Knowing that Miami is the third place in the US with over 9000 cases a year of human trafficking is creepy, scary and disgusting. It happens in our backyard and danger lurks in disguise, evidently.
The organizing committee was composed of two handful of talented, powerful, strong, smart women who understood two things: collaborating is the best form of success and being victim of human trafficking or domestic violence should not exist on earth, or any other planet where human beings are allowed.
The room was filled with tears of emotion, watching the documentary with the testimony of victims who were rescued, saved and given a second chance in life, listening to the heartfelt acceptance speeches of the five recipients of the Heart in Hands Award, made me realize that's an epidemic. It’s like cancer: you can’t close your eyes and wrap them in prosciutto because “those things don’t happen to you”, we all have instead a moral responsibility to do something.
It may not have happened to us, we may have been lucky to have had strong women and men raising us to be confident and our brothers to be good men, future husbands and fathers, but the risks that our daughters and children may incur in criminal minds disguised as angels are too high not to give us the goosebumps and prompt us to be proactive.
I will have the honor of interviewing Somy for my "style + substance" because she is one badass woman from whom we all have something to learn.
WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL?