January marks National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness about one of the most heinous crimes affecting communities worldwide. Instituted in 2010 by a presidential proclamation, this observance aims to shed light on the urgency of combating human trafficking - a form of modern-day slavery.

Domestic violence knows no boundaries, but its impact varies across different communities within the United States. As a young Oglala Sioux woman, I've witnessed firsthand the complex realities faced by Native American and Alaskan Native communities regarding domestic violence.

At Ruby's Place, we understand that healing from trauma requires a sensitive and evidence-based approach. That's why we're committed to implementing trauma-sensitive practices that make a real difference in the lives of survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.

When dealing with young individuals and social services, two terms tend to arise: “missing youth” and “runaway youth. While these terms seem like two sides of the same coin, they’re actually quite different situations involving the youth. In order to properly tend to each unique circumstance and intervene, we must understand the differences between missing and runaway youth.

Participating in this space calls for an intentional lens that constantly leans into addressing the equal rights of women and safe access to care…

Resmaa Menakem once said, “Trauma in a person decontextualized over time looks like personality, a trauma in a family decontextualized over time can look like family traits, trauma decontextualized in people over time can look like culture, and it takes time to slow it down so you can begin to discern what’s what.”

The major immediate impacts of trauma can be categorized as losing one’s voice, choice, and power. To restore this power the survivors have to experience some levels of safety as a form of antidote to trauma in which their voice, choice, and power are restored.

As we support clients through their trauma history, dissecting the meaning of trauma and a few general components assigned to it will be beneficial.

Trauma survivors often have experienced an invasion of emotional and physical boundaries, which is the residue of power and control imposed on them.

Millennials – some of us remember the excitement we felt when we got our first Nokia brick cellphones (the ones with the antennas that just would not break)…

Naturally, I am an outspoken and fiercely passionate person regarding things I care deeply about, Ruby’s Place and women's rights being at the top of my list. One thing I haven’t spoken about openly is my personal experience with abortion.

I get this question a lot from people, why are you growing so much now, in the middle of all that is happening around the world…

October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Each October, advocates across the nation together to end domestic violence. Communities and advocacy organizations will connect in a true sense of unity to end domestic violence for good.

Self-care is such a buzz nowadays, with everything from blogs, articles, and workshops on the topic.

Just writing that title makes me cringe a bit with the responsibility of it all. For me leading an agency that has a profound mission are a blessing and an honor.

Sometimes I often find myself contemplating hard decisions, and it goes without saying that when you are a leader specifically the kind that has a team, agency, and clients depending on you, contemplating becomes a regular thing.