Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Mitchell.
Hi Erika, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In June 2018, six months after being sworn in as a School Board Member for the Atlanta Board of Education, I visited Fulton County Juvenile Courts and learned that serval students had been victims of Human Trafficking. After being informed by Fulton County Juvenile Courts of the concern for some students’ safety from being exploited for sex, I partnered with youthSparks to develop the first Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking policy for any school district in Georgia. This policy serves students and provides training and awareness for in-school personnel and outside organizations, associations, not-for-profits, faith-based groups, and governmental entities responding to exploitation instances.
In addition, I wrote the language for the National School Board Association’s (NSBA) Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking resolution. NSBA adopted this resolution on August 12, 2021. NSBA urges Congress to increase its focus on protecting the human rights of trafficked student victims and the non-criminalization of such students by providing more funding and collaborating with organizations that work to prevent minor sex trafficking. NSBA supports and advocates for evidence-based policy and services for survivors of domestic minor sex trafficking.
I have presented sessions and seminars on human trafficking for National School Board Association’s: Council of Urban Boards of Education, Council of Great City School’s: Council Task Force for Black and Latina Young Women and Girls, International Conference For Urban Education, Georgia School Board Association, Georgia Social Workers Association, and Atlanta Airport Youth Awareness Day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The struggle is that some people do not want to acknowledge that human trafficking is a big problem that is impact the health, safety, and education of our students. In some cases, it is being swept under the rug or not talked about in some cases. It’s been challenging trying to make awareness and education year around and not just the month of January. Also, I did receive some push-back from former the Atlanta Public School administration and former Board Members not to write the policy to protect our students from human trafficking, before it went up for a vote.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I am open to collaboration with anyone that wants the BEST for our students. I look for innovative ways to meet our students and families where they are. Partnering with companies that social – corporate responsibilities that are in alignment with the needs of my community. Visit www.erikaymitchell.com or admin@erikaymitchell.com and erika.mitchell@apsk12.org.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.erikaymitchell.com
- Instagram: erikaymitchell
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boardmembererikaymitchell
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-y-mitchell/
- Twitter: MitchellFor5
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@boardmembererikay.mitchell8790
