When Stacy Jewell Lewis was just 19 years old, she thought she was getting a ride from an elderly grandpa. Instead, the man held her at gunpoint and delivered her to a pimp. Lewis spent two years in captivity as a victim of human trafficking.
On Nov. 12, Lewis will share her story at Kent State University in the Kent Student Center Ballroom from 7-9 p.m.
Lewis’ story of abuse and triumph caught the attention of freshman and sophomore students at Kent State who are taking a sociology class taught by Nicole Rousseau, Ph.D. In an effort to raise money and awareness of human trafficking, and to show their commitment to women’s rights, the students invited Lewis to share her story through a spoken word performance where she will discuss what made her vulnerable and how she escaped the manipulation and abuse.
“We were inspired by her story and her age at the time she was captured,” said Kent State student Anna Graft. “She was just 19 years old like many of us in class. It had a huge impact on us.”
The event is free and open to the public, but donations are welcome. All proceeds raised will go to the Sun Gate Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that helps victims get the education they missed while in captivity.
The event is co-sponsored by Kent State’s Department of Sociology, the Division of University Relations, the Department of Pan-African Studies, Undergraduate Student Government and Black United Students.
For more information about Kent State’s Department of Sociology, visit www.kent.edu/sociology.
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Media Note:
Stacy Jewell Lewis will be available for media interviews on Nov. 12 during a reception at the Kent Student Center, room 318, from 5-6 p.m. Please contact Eric Mansfield if you are interested.
Media Contacts:
Nicole Rousseau, nroussea@kent.edu, 330-672-2790
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797