THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF LOS ANGELES PRESENTS A COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FORUM TO CONNECT THE ALARMING LINK BETWEEN FOSTER YOUTH AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Public Invited to Join City Officials, National Experts and Community Leaders at the Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles on November 6th from 9 am – 12 noon

Los Angeles, CA – The Junior League of Los Angeles, now in its 90th year of service, is bringing together members of the community to focus on an important issue impacting the city as it presents the annual Community Leadership Forum. This free community event will be held on November 6, 2015, at the Downtown Central Library in Los Angeles. Breakfast will be served from 9-10 AM; Speakers & Panel Discussion from 10 AM – 12 PM. Space is limited, please register in advance: http://bit.ly/1jzLbSz.

This year’s topic will focus on The Disturbing Link Between Foster Youth and Human Trafficking. Featuring prominent experts in their field from the city, state and federal levels, the speakers will include: Carissa Phelps, author, advocate, attorney and founder of Runaway Girl Inc., Dana Harris, LAPD Detective Supervisor, Human Trafficking Investigator, and Maggy Krell, Deputy Attorney General, Statewide Human Trafficking Coordinator.

Statistics indicate that approximately half of the sexually exploited children on the streets today were at one time living in foster care or in a group home run by the state. The Community Leadership Forum is just one way JLLA is bringing attention to the alarming issues among the foster youth population in the Los Angeles area.

JLLA recently established a new partnership with the Alliance for Children’s Rights, a leader in the foster care world that provides children with permanency through adoption, legal guardianship, access to healthcare and an equitable education. This collaboration focuses on females ages 16-21 and empowers them with the life skills to transition out of foster care.  For more information, visit http://kids-alliance.org/.

The Junior League of Los Angeles is committed to empowering women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Now in its 90th year of service, JLLA provides volunteers and funding to local non-profit agencies for the benefit and enrichment of the Los Angeles community. Nearly 600 volunteers contribute more than 60,000 hours of volunteer work each year to important projects and programs. In addition to the volunteer services that members contribute, the JLLA has contributed millions of dollars to fund programs and agencies that improve the overall wellbeing of the Los Angeles community.

For additional information, visit: http://www.JLLA.org.

Follow JLLA on Facebook & Twitter @ JLLosAngeles

Contact:

Nikki Pesusich | nikki@coteriemedia.com | 818-788-7650

Jane Sparango  | jane@coteriemedia.com  | 310-339-1214