Speak Out: Stop Sex Trafficking
The Speak Out: Stop Sex Trafficking campaign aims to:
- raise awareness about sex trafficking in Ontario
- help end the trafficking of Indigenous women, children, youth and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals
Intended for Indigenous youth, caregivers, service provider organizations and communities, the campaign provides resources to help build awareness and prevent human trafficking through information sharing and discussion.
Indigenous partners who work to end Indigenous human trafficking and support Indigenous human trafficking Survivors contributed to the development of this campaign. Partners involved in this project include:
- Ganohkwasra Family Assault Support Services
- Independent First Nations
- Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
- Ontario Native Women’s Association
- Ontario’s Human Trafficking Lived Experience Roundtable
- and others
Campaign materials were designed by Design De Plume Inc.
This project is maintained by and was funded by the Government of Ontario.
About the artists
The Speak Out: Stop Sex Trafficking campaign website and public education materials feature the work of Indigenous artists. The biographies below were provided by the artists involved in the campaign:
Candice Twance
Originally from the small Ojibway community of Pic Mobert, along the northern shore of Lake Superior, Candace holds a bachelor of Fine Art degree from Lakehead University. She currently lives & works in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
Kayla Lewis
I am a First Nations Woman. I’m 26 yrs old and I’m from Wikwemikong. I have always been a lover of art and creating art. I have been painting with acrylics for 7 years now on and off, but never full time, only as a hobby.
I like to paint things that I personally like, like painting super heroes or favourite cartoon characters. Sometimes I’ll come up with my own original art and paint it out. I’m also trying to paint things I see in my dreams as well.
I’m a really shy, reserved person but I also have strong beliefs, a good heart and I’ll stand for what’s right/important to me – and if I can do that using just my art to bring awareness then that would be amazing and I think it would make my family/community proud.
Martha Kyak
Inuk artist and fashion designer LC InukChic Maata
Martha Kyak is a self-taught artist and seamstress. She grew up in Pond Inlet, Nunavut and is the youngest of eleven children. Most of her family members are creative, artistic, and in the field of education. Living in Pond Inlet, Martha had her own retail store selling sewing supplies and other items. Her passion has always been sewing and designing as she grew up watching her mother and sisters sew.
As an artist, she has illustrated several children’s books, as well as graphic designing and producing Inuktitut books and teaching resources. She has been an educator for many years and has had a meaningful career in many positions as a teacher, principal and superintendent. She is currently an instructor at Nunavut Sivuniksavut, teaching Inuit History, Inuktitut, and sewing.
She is a graduate of McGill University. She now lives in Ottawa, giving her more time for her own paintings and designing garments and jewelry, especially incorporating sealskin into her designs.
Mique Michelle
Métis Artist
A Franco-Ontarianfrom Field, Mique’s nomadic journeys allowed her to exercise her graffiti from northern Ontario to France. Through her travels and studies at the Ottawa School of Art, she has evolved as a mixed media artist and an active facilitator of the arts in Ottawa. Her work can be seen in galleries, public buildings and in outdoor venues.
Mique remains a strong advocate for abolishing negative perceptions of graffiti.
Animikiik’otcii
Animikiik’otcii is a mother and a multidisciplinary artist. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, she’s of mixed Anihshininiwak heritage from Big Trout Lake. She lives in Toronto with her daughter.
Fallon Andy
Fallon is an Anishinaabe interdisciplinary artist. He is from Couchiching First Nation from the Grand Council of Treaty #3 Territory.
Fallon’s work interrogates state violence and mental health in so far as it is perpetuated on to Indigenous bodies. His practice is comprised of memes, videos and GIFs. Fallon is also a human rights advocate for ending gender-based violence and substantive gender equality.