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 Jean Myers
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|4|18}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|4|18}}<ref name=FC/><ref name=AG>[https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10158283448463363&set=pb.818138362.-2207520000.. ''Facebook'', Brenda Myers-Powell, PROUD OF YOUR AGE? POST A PICTURE. AND TELL YOUR TRUE AGE. WHOSE BRAVE ENOUGH? Let's try this. "Growing old is a privilege that not many have!” I'm 63, Copy Paste Play along, June 4, 2020]</ref>{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}
|birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
|death_date =
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| children = 3
}}
'''Brenda Jean Myers–PowellMyers-Powell'''{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} (born April 18, 1957)<ref name=AG/><ref name=FC>[https://www.facebook.com/bmyerspowell/videos/10159091734218363 ''Facebook'', Brenda Myers-Powell, April 18, 2021]</ref>{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}) is an American activist and advocate against [[human trafficking]].<ref>{{Cite news|datename=2015-06-30|title=My 25 years as a prostitute|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https:"BBCNews"//www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33113238|access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref> Myers–PowellMyers-Powell, a human trafficking survivor 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 was abducted and forced into prostitution at age 14. By that time she had already given birth to two daughters. Her grandmother told her that she should bring money in. At that time there was no food in the house.<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 had seen [[Prostitution|prostitutes]] working on the street and getting paid for what had already been done to her. Needing enough money to survive, she decided to work on the street.<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> The 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 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" />▼
<ref name="BBCNews">{{cite web |title=My 25 Years as a Prostitute |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33113238 |website=bbc.com |publisher=BBC |accessdate=18 May 2023}}</ref>
▲Myers–Powell said that she had seen [[Prostitution|prostitutes]] working on the street and getting paid for what had already been done to her. Needing enough money to survive, she decided to work on the street.<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> The third time Myers-Powell went to the corner to work, in June 1973, two [[Procuring (prostitution)|pimps]] attacked her, [[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 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" />
===Activism===
Myers–PowellMyers-Powell co-founded [[The Dreamcatcher Foundation]] (TDF) together with social worker [[Stephanie Daniels-Wilson]] in 2008.<ref name="wikipeacewomen" /> The organisation works to fight human trafficking in the Chicago area. TDF prevents trafficking by helping at-risk youth through 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 Against Sexual Exploitation in order to have the criminal records of former prostitutes be [[Expungement|expunged]]. She also wants the criminal responsibility to be put on the pimps and [[Client (prostitution)|johns]] instead of the prostitutes.<ref name="wikipeacewomen" /> She also collaborates 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'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 four children, one adopted. Myers–PowellMyers-Powell has been married to Keith Powell since 2004. She has three daughters and a son.<ref name="silkeendress" />
==References==
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==External links==
* [https://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/ website]Dreamcatcher ofFoundation the dreamcatcher foundationMain]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers-Powell, Brenda}}