202: Free the Girls - Kimba Langas

On this week’s episode of The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast, we welcome Kimba Langas, co-founder of Free the Girls - a nonprofit organization that provides economic empowerment and reintegration services to survivors of sex trafficking. Kimba is an Emmy-award winning producer and 20+ year veteran of the television and video production industry, and she has always had a passion for storytelling. In 2010, as a new mother and freelancer, the story of modern-day slavery and sex trafficking wasn’t even on her radar.  But when her friend Dave asked Kimba to partner with him on a new organization he wanted to start to empower survivors of sex trafficking, she said “yes!” and jumped all in. Little did she know how the issue of sex trafficking and her work with Free the Girls would change her life.  Free The Girls is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering sustainable economic opportunities among other integral reintegrative services to survivors of sex trafficking. Free the Girls exists to help women escaping sex trafficking reintegrate into their communities and reclaim their lives. They do that through micro-entrepreneurship and helping these survivors build their own businesses. While it may not intuitively seem to be the first step for women to begin their healing from the trauma of exploitation, economic empowerment is vital for that healing process. If a woman is unable to meet her basic needs of food and shelter it is very likely she will go back into a life of survival sex work. Kimba served as Executive Director of Free The Girls for five years, on the Board of Directors for three years, and continues to act as an advisor and mentor to the organization’s leadership. She recently re-joined the Free The Girls leadership as interim president of the Board of Directors, and is a member two service organizations: Dry Creek Sertoma Club, and GFWC’s Southwest Region Woman’s Club. Kimba hopes her experience serves as an example that global change requires people from all types of backgrounds to step up and offer what they can where they are. Her non-profit experience drives her passion for helping other non-profits as a volunteer, particularly those focused on women, social justice, and addressing the root causes of exploitation in vulnerable populations. In this episode, you’ll hear:  Kimba’s inspiring life story; About Kimba’s life and career before Free the Girls’ How Kimba first learned about sex trafficking and how the idea for Free the Girls sparked; The story of how Kimba and a friend founded Free the Girls to empower women and girls who are exiting sex trafficking; The inspiring stories of women and girls who have been empowered by the work of Free the Girls;; And so much more.   The 1 Girl Revolution Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and everywhere you listen to podcasts.  For more information on Kimba and Free the Girls, please visit: }www.1GirlRevlution.com/freethegirls  For more information about 1 GIrl Revolution, please visit: }www.1GirlRevolution.com