Nkaujoua Xiong, “Racial Roots: Justice for Sex Trafficking Survivors”
Mentor: Sean Kafer, Film, Video, Animation, & New Genres

This documentary project is based on the inequalities sex trafficking survivors of color encounter when they attempt to reintegrate back into society. The project involved hours of research on the subculture of sex trafficking and its link to race. Several forms of structural racism push people of color into prostitution because they are dependent on their traffickers for basic necessities. When the justice system fails to identify survivors as victims, they are subjected to additional punishment which discourages them to rebuild their lives. Jasmine Conway, a sex trafficking survivor and advocate, was denigrated by the justice system but continued to move forward with her life despite these obstacles. She quotes, “My work has become more about how do survivors help survivors maneuver through life.” Our team of student filmmakers are reaching out to various organizations, scheduling interviews, and editing hours of footage. The goal of the film is to raise awareness about sex trafficking and change the current perception of survivors as villains to victims. We want our audience to feel connected with and inspired by our subjects through their experiences and philosophies on life. We hope that the personal stories shared in our film will inspire others to advocate for themselves.