All children should be free to dream. This is the main message of the Free to Dream Festival which will raise funds to help survivors of human trafficking. It will take place on Friday, August 26 at 6:30 pm at the Freedom Center Church in Fenton. Attendees can enjoy food trucks, vendors, a bouncy tank, petting zoo, prizes and more.
The event is organized by the Prism Project, a 501(c)3, which works to educate the public about human trafficking and to support survivors.
Sylvia Blythe, executive director of the Prism Project, said the main goal of the event is to raise money for the Mission Ranch Safe House, which will be a restorative care home for child survivors of sex trafficking.
“The idea or concept behind Free to Dream is to show what our youth can do when they are ‘Free to Dream’, something that is stolen from victims and survivors of human trafficking. Our hope is that every child is free to dream. The Mission Ranch will provide a safe space and give them a chance to heal from their complex trauma,” she said. “A child who has been treated for years may never learn how to make a pb&j, so helping finding and rediscovering his interests, abilities and passions will be an important part of his journey.”
The location of the safe house, which is in the final licensing stage and is not yet open, is not being disclosed to preserve your privacy. Blythe said her goal is to raise $100,000 and save a couple of months of operating costs before opening. Free to Dream Festival attendees can expect a special announcement about the grand opening.
This will be the second annual Free to Dream Festival. The Prism Project has twice hosted fundraisers at the Freedom Center church in the past, and Blythe said they’ve been a “huge supporter” from the beginning. People can expect a fun and family-friendly event.
“There will be food trucks and a Kona Ice truck, as well as popcorn and candy. When you enter the festival, you will also be able to purchase tickets for the bounce houses, face painting, water tank and craft table,” she said.
Support for young people is essential for the event. A number of local youth dance teams will perform and the event will feature youth-run businesses.
The most common misconception Blythe hears about sex trafficking is how often it occurs.
“I can’t tell you how many moms come up to us at educational events or seminars and say, ‘Oh, that’s cool.’ I made my kids watch the movie ‘Taken’. Hollywood is very far from today’s reality. A couple of other misconceptions are that it only happens to girls or it happens in other countries. But the truth is that America is a country of destination. In other words, America is where the money and demand for this heinous crime is extremely prevalent. It’s absolutely here. It’s absolutely up to our state, counties and cities,” he said.
Random kidnappings account for only about 3 percent of trafficking cases, Blythe said, and 97 percent of victims know their trafficker.
“When a predator seeks out a child, it’s a long game for them. There’s almost always some form of relationship established, rooted in deep-seated psychological manipulation, and there’s a level of trust between the victim and the trafficker before commit any crime. This is called preparation. For parents, the best thing they can do to protect their children from this heinous crime is to educate the whole family about the issue. And that online applications are closely monitored or be completely eliminated. The traffickers go where the children are,” he said.
The public “desperately” needs to be aware of how children spend their time online, Blythe said. The young man spends time on Instagram, Snapchat, Roblox, Fortnite and other chat rooms where traffickers often prey on vulnerable people.
“Having knowledge about human trafficking, both parents and children, removes a great vulnerability and replaces it with empowerment. We truly believe that education is prevention,” he said.
Several organizations participate in the Free to Dream Festival. This includes Community Threads, Webcor Packaging, One Day Custom Floors, CGC Water Treatment, Bright Future Pediatrics, Authentic Kitchen & Design and Northgate, Hurley Children’s Hospital and Freedom Center Church. Home Depot of Howell renovated the safe house.
“Our long-standing community partners include the Sheriff’s Office GHOST Team and Voices for Children who we will be working closely with on opening,” Blythe said. “We are very grateful to all the individuals and organizations that have supported not only this upcoming event, but the journey we have taken to get everything ready for the safe house to open.”
