The B.L.U.E. House

I’ve had several requests to hear more about my trafficking experience. I have decided to host a virtual event where I will be sharing my story, discussing vulnerabilities that increased my risk, and I will briefly discuss my plans for The B.L.U.E. House . I will leave time at the end for 15 minutes of questions and answers. I hope to see you on Wednesday at 7pm CST! Click on the link below to attend. ??

At The B.L.U.E. House, one of our core missions is to elevate the voices of the survivor community and allow those most impacted to guide the work we are doing, and will continue to do. Our organizational structure places our Survivor Leader Advisory Board (which is currently being developed) as equal to the Executive Director position, directly informing the choices of our Board of Directors. This was an intentional decision to demonstrate that survivor voices are not just a box to check, but a priority for the existence of the organization. Utilizing the voices of those with lived experience is a complicated task, and can cause further damage and exploitation if done without careful consideration and a prioritization of dignity and respect. We have found the “ meaningful engagement of those with lived experience” toolkit by the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery to be a very helpful resource for this topic, and wanted to share. Our Executive Director, Nyki McNamee, is a survivor of sex trafficking, which is what inspired the creation of The B.L.U.E. House. If any organization is struggling with the topic of engaging survivors, she would be more than willing to consult and offer suggestions based on her experiences. Feel free to reach out to her by email at [email protected]. https://lnkd.in/gr9gpvWf

Survivors are not something to be fought over by service providers, as they deserve all of the support that they are able to receive from their communities. We couldn’t be happier to see this news, and we at The B.L.U.E. House hope to work together with OUR Rescue in the future as we fight against the reality of human trafficking within metro Minnesota. ??????

The B.L.U.E. House’s first event was a success! Many (amazing!) frybread tacos were eaten, food was given to those who couldn’t afford tacos, we had fun games, a dance competition, raffle, and bouncy house. Did I fail to mention that the Minneapolis Fire Dept showed up for us!?! I think that was my favorite part of the day. Thank you to everyone who donated their money, time, and energy toward making this event a success. We received so much positive feedback from those who live in the neighborhood, which means everything. I forgot to take photos in the rush of everything, so thank you to those who sent me the ones that they were able to take! ??????

Only one day left until our first event! We will have frybread tacos and raffle tickets for sale to support the organization and we will also be offering numerous free games and activities for kids including a BOUNCY HOUSE! Where: 3601 N. Lyndale Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55412 Taco sales, raffle, and kids activities: 12pm-5pm Candy giveaway: 3pm-5pm, costumes are encouraged! Hope to see you there!

Can’t wait to see you all there!

???? We're thrilled to announce The B.L.U.E. House's first-ever event: "Northside Trunk-or-Treat" being held on Sunday, October 27th! ?? Join us as we hand out treats and introduce our new organization to the community where our future drop-in center will be located. This is a fun, family-friendly event, and costumes are highly encouraged! ??? Raffle tickets will be available for purchase, featuring some amazing prizes! Plus, don't miss out on our delicious fry bread tacos, available starting at 12 PM until they’re gone. Proceeds from both the raffle and taco sales will directly support the start-up costs for The B.L.U.E. House. Interested in being a part of this event? Whether you're an individual or an organization, we'd love for you to set up a trunk or table! We're also seeking raffle item donations and will gladly recognize all donors on our social media. We can't wait to see you all there for a day of fun, community, and support! ??? Reach out for more details or to get involved!

I apologize for how quiet our social media has been lately, but we are still working hard behind the scenes on building the organization. Today we received these promotional items that we designed for future tabling events, and we love how they turned out!

Today we stand in appreciation of all of the people who came before us in the anti-trafficking movement who paved a way for this organization to even exist. The work you have done matters and we see you. ??

If any local organizations or groups are interested in receiving education around the topic or trafficking and sexual exploitation, please see the post below!