- December 13, 2025
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Attendees at the St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church Women's Guild-hosted talk gasped then applauded at one powerful statistic.
Selah Freedom cofounder Laurie Swink explained how her organization, which seeks to support survivors of human trafficking, started the Turn Your Life Around Court program in collaboration with the state's attorney and Sarasota Police Department in 2013.
"Six years later, it reduced trafficking in Sarasota by over 90%," she said. "When you have the judicial system, law enforcement and service providers all working together, that's the outcome."
The program expanded to Manatee County in 2018, and Swink said Selah Freedom has continued to broaden its reach in hopes of getting every survivor the services they need to recover. She said organizers are currently working to extend their reach to Hillsborough County.
The Women's Guild invited Selah Freedom representatives to speak at its Nov. 18 welcome-back luncheon. The organization spoke to Longboaters last year at a highly attended lecture to raise awareness of the issue in Florida.
Swink offered updates on the group's efforts to reach survivors and how it has expanded since its inception. But she also passed the podium to Kimberly Weller, who shared her story of recovery and rebuilding after surviving trafficking.
Weller explained how representatives connected with her, providing the resources she needed to move forward. With their support, she found a new career as a nail technician. Upon graduating from cosmetology school with fellow student Christine Garcia Diaz, the pair opened their own Sarasota-based salon, Dope Nails.
She commended those working with Selah Freedom for their consistent support. Even now, about eight years after first learning of the program, she maintains a strong relationship with the organization.
One resource she found especially helpful was their coaching for building healthy relationships.
"Through these courses, I was able to start to learn how to identify a red flag, and that I didn't have to be so amicable. I had a voice, and I had a say in what happens with my body, my relationships and my significant other," she said.
She and her husband will soon be celebrating the one-year anniversary of their Christmas-themed wedding.
Weller said she is grateful Selah Freedom launched when it did, because the early 2010s was when she found herself homeless and vulnerable to trafficking. The faith-based organization grew over time and was ready to support her when she needed it.
She said she is grateful for her faith, as it has helped her hold her head high and stay strong through life's challenges.
"It reminds me that I am still worthy, and my family gets to see me walk this path with strength," she said.
Selah Freedom focuses on helping survivors navigate the court system, but it also offers a variety of support services, including long- and short-term housing, support groups, awareness campaigns, youth-focused prevention information, and more.
Swink added, "We're helping [survivors] decide how they want to move forward. You're not defined by what happened to you. So, how do you want to be defined? What's naturally there that you want to do in life?"
