Brenda Myers-Powell: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{Short description|American activist and human trafficking advocate}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Brenda Myers–PowellMyers-Powell
|image =
|caption =
|birth_name = Brenda JoyceJean Myers
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|4|18}}<ref name=FC/>{{cn|date=May 2021}}
|birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
|death_date =
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| children = 3
}}
'''Brenda JoyceJean Myers–PowellMyers-Powell'''{{cn|date=May 2021}} (born April 18, 1957)<ref name=FC>[https://www.facebook.com/bmyerspowell/videos/10159091734218363 Facebook, Brenda Myers-Powell, April 18, 2021]</ref>{{cncitation needed|date=May 2021}}) is an American activist and advocate against [[human trafficking]] in the [[Chicago]] area.<ref>{{Cite news|datename=2015"BBCNews"/> Myers-06-30|title=My 25 years asPowell, a prostitute|language=en-GB|work=BBChuman News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33113238|access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref>trafficking Myers–Powellsurvivor is the co-founder of [[The Dreamcatcher Foundation]], a [[Nonprofit organization|nonprofit]] which aims to fight human trafficking in the [[Chicago area]].
==Biography==
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell was born to a teenage mother and grew up on the west side of [[Chicago]]. Her mother died when she was six months old. Myers–PowellMyers-Powell was subsequently raised by her [[Alcoholism|alcoholic]] grandmother. Friends of her grandmother started [[Sexual abuse|sexually abusing]] her when she was four or five years old. Myers–PowellMyers-Powell ranwas awayabducted fromand anforced abusiveinto homeprostitution at age 14. By that time she had already given birth to two daughters. and herHer grandmother saidtold her that she should bring money in,. inAt orderthat totime paythere forwas herno food in the childrenhouse.<ref name="silkeendress">{{cite web |title=Brenda Myers-Powell: My 25 Years as a Prostitute |url=http://silkeendress.com/my-25-years-as-a-prostitute/ |website=silkeendress.com |publisher=silkeendress |accessdate=23 October 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023223858/http://silkeendress.com/my-25-years-as-a-prostitute/|archivedate=23 October 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="BBCNews">{{cite news |title=My 25 Years as a Prostitute |work=BBC News |date=30 June 2015 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33113238 |accessdate=18 May 2023}}</ref>
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell said that she sawhad seen [[Prostitution|prostitutes]] working on the street and getting paid for what washad already been done to her. SoNeeding sheenough decidedmoney to runsurvive, awayshe anddecided maketo moneywork on the only way she knew howstreet.<ref name="worldwithout" /> Myers–PowellMyers-Powell subsequently became a prostitute for 25 years.<ref name="tdcabout">{{cite web |title=about us |url=https://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/about-us/ |website=thedreamcatcherfoundation.org |publisher=thedreamcatcherfoundation |accessdate=23 October 2019}}</ref> InThe third time Myers-Powell went to the corner to work, in June 1973, two [[Procuring (prostitution)|pimps]] attacked her, [[Kidnapping|abducted]] her from outside the [[Mark Twain Hotel (Chicago)|Mark Twain Hotel]] on the [[Near North Side, Chicago|Near North Side]], [[rape]]d her, and locked her into a hotel room until she agreed to work for them from there on. She tried to escape several times but wasn't able to do so for six months. Later on she was prostituted out by other pimps. She became addicted to drugs and also helped her pimps procure other young girls for the life. After about 14 or 15 years of sex work, she became addicted to drugs.<ref name="BBCNews" /><ref name="wikipeacewomen">{{cite web |title=Brenda Myers Powell (United States of America) |url=http://wikipeacewomen.org/wpworg/en/?page_id=5649 |website=wikipeacewomen.org |publisher=wikipeacewomen |accessdate=23 October 2019}}</ref> Myers Powell was shot at five times and [[Stabbing|stabbed]] 13 times by clients during her time as a prostitute.<ref name="silkeendress" />▼
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell left the life as a prostitute after a client almost killed her.<ref name="worldwithout">{{cite web |title=Brenda Myers Powell |url=https://www.worldwithoutexploitation.org/survivor/brenda-myers-powell |website=worldwithoutexploitation.org |publisher=worldwithoutexploitation |accessdate=23 October 2019}}</ref> After sustaining severe injuries from the client she was treated at County Hospital in Chicago where a doctor advised her to visit the social services at the hospital and she was given the address of Genesis House. Myers–PowellMyers-Powell found refuge at Genesis House, which is a safe house for women that are prostituted in the Chicago area. She received job training there and counseling. Myers–PowellMyers-Powell credits the head of the safe house, [[Edwina GatelyGateley]], with saving her and teaching her on how to be confident.<ref name="worldwithout" />▼
▲Myers–Powell said that she saw [[Prostitution|prostitutes]] working on the street and getting paid for what was done to her. So she decided to run away and make money the only way she knew how.<ref name="worldwithout" /> Myers–Powell subsequently became a prostitute for 25 years.<ref name="tdcabout">{{cite web |title=about us |url=https://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/about-us/ |website=thedreamcatcherfoundation.org |publisher=thedreamcatcherfoundation |accessdate=23 October 2019}}</ref> In June 1973, two [[Procuring (prostitution)|pimps]] [[Kidnapping|abducted]] her from the [[Mark Twain Hotel (Chicago)|Mark Twain Hotel]] on the [[Near North Side, Chicago|Near North Side]], [[rape]]d her and locked her into a hotel room until she agreed to work for them from there on. She tried to escape several times but wasn't able to do so for six months. Later on she was prostituted out by other pimps. She became addicted to drugs and also helped her pimps procure other young girls for the life.<ref name="wikipeacewomen">{{cite web |title=Brenda Myers Powell (United States of America) |url=http://wikipeacewomen.org/wpworg/en/?page_id=5649 |website=wikipeacewomen.org |publisher=wikipeacewomen |accessdate=23 October 2019}}</ref> Myers Powell was shot at five times and [[Stabbing|stabbed]] 13 times by clients during her time as a prostitute.<ref name="silkeendress" />
▲Myers–Powell left the life as a prostitute after a client almost killed her.<ref name="worldwithout">{{cite web |title=Brenda Myers Powell |url=https://www.worldwithoutexploitation.org/survivor/brenda-myers-powell |website=worldwithoutexploitation.org |publisher=worldwithoutexploitation |accessdate=23 October 2019}}</ref> After sustaining severe injuries from the client she was treated at County Hospital in Chicago where a doctor advised her to visit the social services at the hospital and she was given the address of Genesis House. Myers–Powell found refuge at Genesis House, which is a safe house for women that are prostituted in the Chicago area. She received job training there and counseling. Myers–Powell credits the head of the safe house, Edwina Gately, with saving her and teaching her on how to be confident.<ref name="worldwithout" />
===Activism===
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell co-founded [[The Dreamcatcher Foundation]] (TDF) together with social worker [[Stephanie Daniels-Wilson]] in 2008.<ref name="wikipeacewomen" /> The organisation wantsworks to fight human trafficking in the Chicago area. TDF prevents trafficking by helping at- risk youth educationsthrough education and empowerment programs.<ref name="tdcabout" /> [[Kim Longinotto]] released a documentary, ''[[Dreamcatcher (2015 film)|Dreamcatcher]]'', showcasing its work in 2015.<ref name="silkeendress" /><ref>{{Cite news|last=Lee|first=Benjamin|date=2015-03-05|title=Dreamcatcher review – deeply moving prostitution documentary|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/05/dreamcatcher-review-moving-documentary-ex-prostitute-brenda-myers-powell|access-date=2020-10-19|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell also is a public speaker on the topic of human trafficking. She testified in front of the [[Illinois Senate|Illinois State Senate]].<ref name="worldwithout" /> She works with Chicago Alliance againstAgainst sexualSexual exploitationExploitation in order to have the criminal records of former prostitutes be [[Expungement|expunged]]. She also wants the criminal responsibility for the crimes to be put on the pimps and [[Client (prostitution)|johns]] instead of the prostitutes.<ref name="wikipeacewomen" /> She also helpscollaborates with university researchers like Jody Raphael with their field work in the topic of prostitution.<ref name="silkeendress" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-07-09|title=Brenda Myers-Powell’sPowell's Story Illustrates the Need for Legalization|url=https://intpolicydigest.org/2015/07/09/brenda-myers-powell-s-story-illustrates-the-need-for-legalization/|access-date=2020-10-19|website=International Policy Digest|language=en-US}}</ref>
===Personal life===
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell has been married once and has threefour children, one adopted. Myers–PowellMyers-Powell has been married to Keith Powell since 2004. She has twothree daughters and a son. One of her daughters is a doctor and the other one works in criminal justice.<ref name="silkeendress" />
==External links==▼
* [https://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/ website] of the dreamcatcher foundation▼
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
<references/>
▲==External links==
▲* [https://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/ website]Dreamcatcher ofFoundation the dreamcatcher foundationMain]
{{Portal|Society}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers-Powell, Brenda}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Human trafficking in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American activists]]
[[Category:AmericanActivists womenfrom activistsChicago]]
[[Category:People21st-century fromAfrican-American Chicagopeople]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women]]
[[Category:20th-century American women]]