Students of different schools seek to fight sex trafficking





Two high school students have joined forces to create awareness of the worldwide issue of sex trafficking.

Katie Romanovich, a senior at Calabasas High School, and Cassidy Koch, a sophomore at Agoura High School, have been spreading the word at school, city council meetings and other events about Imagine Fest, an upcoming music festival intended to raise funds for Unlikely Heroes, a group that rescues and rehabilitates children who are victims of sex trafficking throughout the world.

Imagine Fest will provide a wide range of entertainment from noon to 5 p.m. Sat., Sept. 26 at Peter Strauss Ranch in Agoura Hills.

Both Katie and Cassidy learned from yoga instructor Natalie Backman about how girls, some as young as 4, are being sold for sex in Third World countries and the United States.

They both said they were compelled to get involved, in part because they are the same age as some of the girls being sold into slavery.

Cassidy said Unlikely Heroes pays off the abductors to save the girls.

“They bring them into a healthy environment and change their lives,” she said.

Katie and Cassidy are passionate about saving children from a life of abuse.

“I believe it’s a very important cause,” Katie said in an interview with The Acorn. “It doesn’t get enough attention. Sex trafficking is a big deal for girls my age in Third World countries. It’s important for people to stand up and make a change for people who are not as fortunate.”

Cassidy said the cause hit home for her when she heard preschoolers were sold into sex slavery.

“What I found most shocking is that it’s actually happening in U.S.,” she said. “It happens in our own backyard and we don’t know.”

Cassidy said that, although the biggest population of girls being sexually enslaved is in the Philippines, the numbers are growing in the U.S.

Unlikely Heroes’ motto is aimed at the estimated 27 million girls worldwide trapped in sex slavery—“We’re Coming for You.”

The nonprofit group’s mission is to rescue and rehabilitate child victims from countries like Nigeria, Thailand, Mexico and the Philippines. Unlikely Heroes rescues children from brothels, funds rehab and safe homes for victims, and provides therapy, meals, education, medical care and job training. The group also spreads awareness of the sex trade through ongoing campaigns.

Imagine Fest will offer guests a day of yoga, music, food and a communal effort to change the lives of children who are rescued from sex slavery. The festival will have a meditation tent, strolling yogis, musicians and dancers, as well as body painting, henna tattoos and a fortune teller.

A playground for children complete with tire swings and a “hammock jungle” will be open.

The Vendor Village will offer healthy food choices, and, according to the organizers, “as much kombucha as your heart desires.”

Artisans will sell handmade jewelry, clothing, skin care, crystals, fragrances and other “mindfulness oriented” products.

Music will be performed throughout the day.

Katie and Cassidy said they are thrilled to be involved with such a worthy cause.

Katie is president of the Calabasas High Peer Support program and sings in the advanced female choir, Vivace, at the school.

She plans on majoring in communications at DePaul University in Chicago and hopes to work in television production.

Cassidy wants to be a psychiatrist that works with teens, but for now she is working on a documentary about Unlikely Heroes.

In addition to an interview with Unlikely Heroes founder Erica Greve, the documentary features the stories of some of the girls who had been enslaved.

The film will be screened at Imagine Fest.

Cassidy golfs, plays volleyball, and coaches volleyball for younger girls outside of school. She is a member of Agoura High’s Link Crew, helping freshmen make a smooth transition into high school. She plays the flute and is a member of Matt McKagan’s community band.

Tickets to Imagine Fest are $15 for students with ID and $25 for general admission.

VIP tickets are also available. The Humble Warrior VIP ticket costs $75 and includes access to the VIP hospitality lounge, private bathrooms and a gift bag valued at over $100.

The Unlikely Hero VIP ticket is $150, and includes the Humble Warrior benefits plus entry into the VIP kickoff party Sept. 25 at Palihouse in West Hollywood. The party will have Greve, yoga instructors and musicians.

For more information, visit www.imaginefest2015.com or www.unlikelyheroes.com.



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