If you are a witness to or victim of

Human Trafficking, contact the

Human Trafficking Hotline:

1-888-3737-888

or text

HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

2017 Event Highlights:

     -     Parade: Before Our Very Eyes volunteers marched in the Opening Day Parade of the San Mateo County Fair.

     -     BOVE Exhibit: The Before Our Very Eyes exhibit was on display at the San Mateo County Fair. It included wonderful graphics, photography, and original art to tell the story of global and local human trafficking. Volunteers staffed the exhibit. Visitors were invited to decorate a quilt square to be included in a quilt to be given to a human trafficking survivor.

     -     Art for Justice Performances:  Artists shared their talents to highlight the injustice of human trafficking. Artists included: Regina Evans is an award winning social justice poet, playwright and performer, The Free2Worship Dance Team, Tony Gapastione, the writer and director of the original short film “Neighbor,” a film about local human trafficking, and Singer/Songwriter Matt Nightingale who performed his original song, “Going Home” which was recorded by Broadway star and Emmy winner Loretta Devine and is featured on the soundtrack of the short film “Neighbor.”

     -     Speaker Event and Panel Discussion: The public was invited to attend this program to learn more from government officials and others with expertise about human trafficking. Maureen Freschet, Council Member, City of San Mateo served as the Master of Ceremonies; Special Guest Jackie Speier, U.S. Congress member representing California’s 14th Congressional District; Steve Wagstaffe, San Mateo County District Attorney; Jerry Hill, State Senator representing California’s 13th Senate District; Carole Groom, District 2 Supervisor, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. The panel discussion members included: Denicia Cormier, a Supervisor of Youth & Family Engagement Team, ILP, and After Care Services with the San Mateo County Human Services Agency; Jeneé Littrell, Safe and Supportive Schools Administrator, San Mateo County Office of Education; Susan Manheimer, Police Chief, City of San Mateo; Brian Wo, Co-Founder and Chief Program Officer of BAATC; Warren Dale, Moderator.

We are grateful to our June 2017 Event Sponsors:


Presenting Sponsors: City of San Mateo, San Mateo County Fair, The Nueva School, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office

Platinum Sponsor: County of San Mateo 

Gold Sponsors: The Bohannon Foundation, College Heights Church of San Mateo, Sequoia Healthcare District

Silver Sponsors: Alan Tulansky, Recology, PG&E, Kaiser Permanente, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP, Lyngso Garden Materials, Inc., San Mateo County Association of Realtors, Congregational Church of San Mateo, The Daily Journal

Bronze Sponsors: Hon. Maureen Freschet, Andrew A. Cresci, PG&E

Other Sponsors: Carla Jones

Planning Committee:

Hon. Maureen Freschet, Council Member, City of San Mateo; Susan Manheimer, Police Chief, City of San Mateo; Mike Brosnan, Human Trafficking Program Coordinator, County of San Mateo; Dana Stoehr, CEO, San Mateo County Event Center; Oleksii Chuiko, Director of Operations, Asiya Shriners; Amanda Freeman, Program Director, Rape Trauma Services; Terry Lee, Program Director, The Nueva School; Brian Wo, Director of Partnerships & Co-Founder, BAATC


BOVE Coordinators:  

Belinda Carr, Georgi LaBerge, Pamela Estes