VALDOSTA  – The Valdosta-Lowndes Metropolitan and Valdosta State University Sections of the National Council of Negro Women collaborated with local affiliates to host what is planned to be the first of many human-trafficking forums.

Affiliates included Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (Kappa Eta Omega Chapter), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (Valdosta Alumnae Chapter), Zeta Phi Beta Sorority (Zeta Sigma Zeta Chapter), Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority (Kappa Psi Sigma Chapter).  

More than 200 people attended the forum “to learn about the growing issue of human trafficking throughout Georgia and locally,” NCNW organizers said. 

A panel Ed Duda of Atlanta, GILEAD community educator, Shanelle Booker, assistant United States attorney, Sheba Phillips, Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County social worker, and Tatiana Nigh, Agnes Scott College anti-human trafficking educational campaign, the Abolitionist Movement, organizers said.

Admission to the event was free and hygiene products were collected by community members for the Pines Family Campus which provides the opportunity for “low-income women to regain control of their lives, for families to be reunified and facilitates the training necessary for long-term recovery and successful re-entry into mainstream living.” 

Dinner was sponsored by the local Valdosta Divine 9 organization which includes the fraternity members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, along with the affiliate sororities. 

The organizing committee for the forum were Sharah Denton, national young adult vice chair of NCNW and state of Georgia NCNW president, Dr. Jamie Foster-Hill, section president of NCNW, Valdosta-Lowndes and affiliate member with the Valdosta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Keirra McLeod and Toiryn Hunter, both of Valdosta State University, NCNW, Tiffany Crowell, Valdosta Chapter president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Elnora Hill, Chapter president of the Valdosta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Anissa Wiseman, Valdosta Chapter president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and Roxanne Davis, recruitment chair of the Valdosta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority.

Area agencies such as The Haven, educators from the Lowndes County and Valdosta school districts, law enforcement, government officials from both the city and county along with parents, grandparents and families attended. 

They wrote questions on notecards for the moderator to ask the panel. With the large number of interests, the organizing committee decided to work on phase two of the human trafficking forum for the fall to target educational resources and education tailored to teens and children.