Brenda Myers-Powell: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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{{Short description|American activist and human trafficking advocate}}
{{Underlinked|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox person
{{Orphan|date=November 2019}}
|name = Brenda Myers-Powell
|image =
|caption =
|birth_name = Brenda Jean Myers
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|4|18}}
|birth_place = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|occupation = {{hlist|Activist|Human trafficking advocate}}
|yearsactive = 2006–present
|spouse = {{marriage|Keith Powell|2004}}
| children = 3
}}
'''Brenda Jean Myers-Powell''' (born April 18, 1957{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}) is an American activist and advocate against [[human trafficking]].<ref name="BBCNews"/> Myers-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==
'''Brenda Myers Powell''' is a survivor of and advocate against [[human trafficking]] in the [[Chicago]] area.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2015-06-30|title=My 25 years as a prostitute|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33113238|access-date=2020-10-19}}</ref>
Myers-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-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-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 -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. She was subsequently raised by her alcoholic grandmother. Friends of her grandmother started sexually abusing her when she was four or five years old. Myers Powell ran away from an abusive home at age 14. Bysaid that time she had already given birth to two daughters and her grandmother said that she should bring money in, in order to pay for her children.<ref name="silkeendress">{{cite webseen [[Prostitution|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}}</ref> Myers Powell said that she saw 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 theon onlythe way she knew howstreet.<ref name="worldwithout" /> SheMyers-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> AtThe agethird 14time 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, rapedChicago|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" />▼
SheMyers-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. Myer 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. SheMyers-Powell credits the head of the safe house, [[Edwina GatelyGateley]], with saving her and teaching her on how to be confident.<ref name="worldwithout" />▼
==Life==
▲Myers 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. She was subsequently raised by her alcoholic grandmother. Friends of her grandmother started sexually abusing her when she was four or five years old. Myers Powell ran away from an abusive home at age 14. By that time she had already given birth to two daughters and her grandmother said that she should bring money in, in order to pay for her children.<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}}</ref> Myers Powell said that she saw 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" /> She 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> At age 14 two pimps abducted her, raped 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 stabbed 13 times by clients during her time as a prostitute.<ref name="silkeendress" />
===Activism===▼
▲She 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. Myer 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. She credits the head of the safe house, Edwina Gately, with saving her and teaching her on how to be confident.<ref name="worldwithout" />
Brenda Myers -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" /> There[[Kim wasLonginotto]] released a documentary, made''[[Dreamcatcher about(2015 the foundation by Kim Longirettofilm)|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 -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 responsibilitycriminal for the crimesresponsibility 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>▼
▲==Activism==
▲Brenda Myers Powell co-founded The Dreamcatcher Foundation (TDF) together with social worker Stephanie Daniels-Wilson in 2008.<ref name="wikipeacewomen" /> The organisation wants to fight human trafficking in the Chicago area. TDF prevents trafficking by helping at- risk youth educations and empowerment programs.<ref name="tdcabout" /> There was a documentary made about the foundation by Kim Longiretto 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>
===Personal life===
▲Myers 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 expunged. She also wants the responsibility for the crimes to be put on the pimps and johns instead of the prostitutes.<ref name="wikipeacewomen" /> She also helps 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>
Myers-Powell has been married once and has four children, one adopted. Myers-Powell has been married to Keith Powell since 2004. She has three daughters and a son.<ref name="silkeendress" />
==Personal lifeReferences==
{{reflist|2}}
Brenda Myers Powell is married. She has two daughters. One of her daughters is a doctor and the other one works in criminal justice. Myers Powell adopted her nephew.<ref name="silkeendress" />
==External links==
* [https://thedreamcatcherfoundation.org/ website]Dreamcatcher ofFoundation the dreamcatcher foundationMain]
==References==
<references/>
{{Portal|Society}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers-Powell, Brenda}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Human trafficking in the United States]]
[[Category:African-American activists]]
[[Category:Activists from Chicago]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American people]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women]]
[[Category:20th-century American women]]