“The Long Night” illuminates the tragic reality of sex trafficking in the Seattle area, giving voice to those whose lives are impacted by it, including runaways who are targeted by pimps, parents desperately searching for their children, police trying to help women leave the sex trade, women trapped in a cycle of addiction and prostitution, and those trying to help them.

Anyone with young women in their life will want to be aware of this devastating problem which is happening all around us.

The event is free (donations gratefully accepted). Doors open at 6:00pm with refreshments and socializing. The movie starts at 6:30pm. Following the movie, we invite you to stay for a community discussion with our panelists:

Paula Newman-Skomski of Peoria Home, which provides long-term secure housing and support services for women trying to leave the sex trade or other abusive situations. “We walk along a path of hope, healing and love with women who have survived lives of sex trafficking & prostitution as they courageously reclaim a life of freedom.”

Nico Quijano has worked as an advocate for homeless and at-risk youth with the non-profit Cocoon House since 2014. For the past two years, Nico has worked on developing Cocoon House’s human trafficking program, including acting as a member of Snohomish County’s Sexual Exploitation Intervention Network’s steering committee, providing “Responding to the Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking of Youth” trainings throughout Snohomish County, and supervising Cocoon House’s Human Trafficking advocate.

Mariya Carrier has worked as the Human Trafficking Advocate at Cocoon House since November 2017. During this time, she has joined trafficking task forces in King and Snohomish Counties, begun to implement a five-module curriculum in Snohomish County called iEmpathize (equips youth with personal safety strategies against exploitation and nurtures their empathy for others), and has provided advocacy and case management for at-risk and CSEC youth (Commercially Sexually Exploited Children).

Detective Larry Cole, a 25+ year veteran of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, currently with the Sex Trafficking Task Force, who works to identify minors caught up in sex trafficking and get them the help they need to escape.

Karen Shoaf-Mitchell, a retired school teacher and League of Women Voters’ volunteer who became involved in educating the public about sex trafficking in connection with her work at LWV and after over-hearing two men openly discussing where in Everett one could pay to have sex with young girls.