Bukola Oriola

Author| Advocate| Mentor| Entrepreneur

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Launching Monday Motivation with Bukola

June 4, 2016 By Bukola Oriola

Monday Motivation with Bukola I will be launching Monday Motivation with Bukola on Monday, June 6 at 5:30 AM CST, featuring the legendary Mohammad Ali with 10 inspirational quotes from him.

Join me for a time of inspiration, fun, entertainment, women empowerment, culture, business, money and everything awesome!

Reserve Your Spot Now for Monday Motivation with Bukola

RSVP watch here Live,see video below…., or click to watch on

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In Honor of Mahammad Ali

Remember, this first of the series will honor Mohammad Ali with 10 of his inspirational quotes.

See you On Monday at 5:30 AM CST.

 

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Filed Under: Blog, Live Videos, Videos Tagged With: Launching Monday Motivation with Bukola, Mohammad Ali

Happy Memorial Day!

May 30, 2016 By Bukola Oriola

Happy Memorial Day! It’s another Memorial Day and I want to thank all the military men who have sacrificed their lives for our safety.

I will also like to invite you to join me to support women empowerment by signing up to become an Insider today via this link https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/d5n1v0. By becoming an Insider, you walk with me as write my upcoming memoir, A Living label. It is going to chronicle my journey as a survivor – challenges and success. And, you plan to write your own book, this will be an opportunity for you to learn from my journey.

I already have a book cover designer and photographer. I am also currently working with a book editor who has finished work on the sample editing that I submitted to her. Together, we can empower women around the world.

A Living label is planned to launch this fall.

If you are a Mary Kay Consultant of Avon Representative, I call on you to join me to support women worldwide.

If you are a corporate organization and willing to help women around the world, contact me today via info@bukolaoriola.com.

If you are a blogger or writer that will like to support women who have gone through human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, or female genital mutilation, please, contact me.

Desire to write your own book as a Veteran

If you desire to write your own book, this is an opportunity to learn from my experience. During this Memorial Day, you can write about your life as a veteran or a veteran family. There are so many stories that we hear or watch on TV in movies, you can write your own story too. Writing is an art, and a therapeutic art. Some therapists use art to help their clients. We all have stories to share. Join me to share your own victory story too. Become an Insider.



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Filed Under: Blog, Human Trafficking & Domestic Abuse, Live Videos, Videos Tagged With: Happy Memorial Day!

Be the first to read my upcoming book

May 28, 2016 By Bukola Oriola

This is an opportunity to join others to walk with me as I write my upcoming book, A Living Label. This book will focus on my journey as a survivor. It will explore my challenges and triumphs as I have walked in the shoes of a survivor of human trafficking and domestic violence.

You can join the Inside today at https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/d5n1v0.

By joining, you will enjoy the benefit of reading excerpts from the book, ask me questions directly, get the book before it’s available to the public, and best of all, you will support a great cause to empower women around the world.

You can also join me for Live broadcasts on Facebook and Persicope

 

Be the first to read my upcoming book. If you want to learn how to write your own book, sign up to join me in this journey to figure out how to write and publish your own book. #womenempowerment #femalegenitalmutilation #humantrafficking #domesticviolence #sexualassault

A video posted by Bukola Oriola (@bukolaoriola) on May 28, 2016 at 4:18pm PDT

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Filed Under: Live Videos Tagged With: Be the first to read my upcoming book

Thoughts on Mother’s Day

May 8, 2016 By Bukola Oriola

Happy (1)

It’s another Mother’s Day today, May 8, 2016. I woke up to Mother’s Day text messages from friends on my phone. I browsed through Facebook posts and the social media platform was flooded with accolades and praises for mothers. Some users even changed their page’s pictures to that of their mother’s.

In church today, I found out that all women were given flowers to celebrate Mother’s Day. Women play vital role in the community whether they have biological children or not. They continue to serve selflessly and give as much of themselves as they could. I read a post by one of the Minnesota Senators last night on Facebook. Senator Amy Klobuchar posted on her timeline, “I wanted to share this research that shows Minnesota has the second-highest rate of working moms in the nation, with more than 80 percent of moms with kids under age 18 in the workforce. Policies that help women succeed — including equal pay and family leave — aren’t just important for them. They’re important for our entire economy.”

Mothers are important in the economic development of the community, yet it is sad to note that women are the most vulnerable to domestic violence and human trafficking. I was in Washington DC over a week and half ago when a mother of four was killed by her husband in Ramsey, Minnesota. The 30 year old mother, Courtney volunteered at the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association, according to news reports. A friend also told me that the family was well know to the community because of her participation in sports with the kids but suspected nothing.

While still in shock of the Ramsey incident, another story of a Nigerian mother was trending on Facebook. For the past two days, there has been several posts of Lekan Shobande beating his wife, a mother of two to death and taking to his heels. That is another mother who has met her untimely death from the hands of the man that claimed to love her.

Although, Alexandra House is a known battered women shelter in Anoka County, there are so many reasons why Coutney might not have been able to summon the courage to go to the shelter. And for the mother of two in Nigeria, similar reasons might be keeping her in the abusive marriage. Sometimes, victims of domestic violence think that things will change positively or get better; other times, victims are too embarrassed to speak up because of community shame. To help many victims who are still enduring the agony of domestic violence, we need to cultivate a culture that says, “It’s okay to reach out for help without being judgmental.” Family members, friends, neighbors, and even strangers blame a woman when she walks away from her marriage. Some even preach the Bible. Please, we cannot continue to sacrifice the lives of mothers and leave their children being passed around from family members to friends when their mothers could have been there to care for them.

We have to change our cultural perspective by walking consciously about not being judgmental. Mothers and fathers encourage their children to stay in abusive relationship because they do not want their friends to mock them about being irresponsible parents because their children divorced their spouses on the grounds of abuse. I have had an abused woman told me her mother wanted her to stay and I have had the father of an another abused mother told me to prevail over his daughter to stay with her abusive husband because of “our culture.”

We do not want to continue to lose mothers to domestic violence or human trafficking. Please, take a stand today to walk consciously to say no to domestic violence and show genuine support for an abused woman.

Thanks for reading. I hope to talk to you again through my blogs. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please, send me a note – fill out the contact form. I want to hear from you. You can also get my recent posts by signing up to receive updates.

Bye for now, until next time.

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Featured image from Pro Flowers: Proflowwers.com

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Filed Under: Blog, Human Trafficking & Domestic Abuse Tagged With: Thoughts on Mother's Day

Diary of an Advisory Council Member

April 30, 2016 By Bukola Oriola

10 Council members pose with Ambassador Susan Coppedge while one was insert into the picture.
10 Council members pose with Ambassador Susan Coppedge while one was insert into the picture. Credit: Hon. Ima Matul Maisaroh




It’s been a while since I wrote an article. Please, pardon me. So many things have happened since my last post. I attended the Freedom Network Conference in Chicago, where I was both speaking at two plenary sessions, and also learning as a participant. I am particularly impressed with Freedom Network because the group has always engaged survivors as expert leaders and not just used as “lab rats or specimen” for sharing their stories. The Ambassador at Large to the United States, Ambassador Susan Coppedge was present at this event. In fact, she joined me Live on Periscope to speak to the viewers.

Since April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, I also participated in a Sexual Assault prevention event at Metropolitan State University. One of the ways that I participated was tabling at the Midway campus of the university, with the Judicial Affairs Officer of the University, Kelly Von Ruden, where I gave out resource materials to students, signed a pledge to stand against sexual assault, and encouraged other students and staff to do so.

I went to Buena Vista University on April 13 to talk about human trafficking. I am particularly pleased with the university for having a program called Academic and Cultural Events Series (ACES) program, where various experts and entertainers are brought to the campus to teach the students through an avenue that is not in a classroom setting. In fact, the Associate Dean of Faculty, Peter Steinfeld noted that it is mandatory for the students to participate in nine of such events during one semester for academic credits.

At the event I met community members who talked about their contribution to the community in fighting human trafficking. In addition, a local news reporter was present at the event. You can read the article in the Storm Lake Pilot Tribune.




Now that you know some of the activities that have occupied my time, I will like to share a little bit about my work in the past few days in Washington DC as a member of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. I arrived at Ronald Regan International Airport around past 4 O’clock in the afternoon famished. I joined a fellow Advisory Council Member, Honorable Shandra Woworuntu, who flew in from New York, at the baggage area. While we were happy to see each other and hugging, we ran into Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney representing NY-D22.

It was my first time meeting her. She was excited to see Honorable Woworuntu who introduced me to her and told her that we were appointed members to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking by President Barack Obama. She was excited and invited us to come to congress. I learned that Congress woman Carolyn B. Maloney has been championing the cause of human trafficking at the congress. She “was a JVTA [Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act]  original sponsor,” Honorable Woworuntu noted. In addition, she has recently introduced the “R.3226 – Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act of 2015.”

After our little chit-chat with the congresswoman, we went to board a taxi to Hotel RL, where we would be lodging for the next five days. I found out that Honorable Shandra Woworuntu was starving. We agreed to go out for dinner as soon as we checked into our rooms. Meanwhile, some other members had also arrived at the hotel. We called one another and went to a Noodle place beside the hotel. I had two invited guests with me. Vannessa and Jenna from Polaris Project were excited that we were going to be in Washington DC and planned to see me during our visit. Honorable Shandra Woworuntu also had a guest from Voice of America, Vena Annisa, who was doing a follow up story with her on a bill on visa transparency that was introduced the previous week. The bill was a bipartisan bill called the H.R. 5006 introduced by Representative Lois Frankel from Florida and Senator Richard Bluemental from Connecticut. The goal is, “To amend section 214(c)(8) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the data reporting requirements relating to nonimmigrant employees, and for other purposes.”

At the end of our dinner, I saw my friends from Polaris Project off in the company of another Council member, Honorable Harold D’Souza. We went back to the hotel and found that one of the Department of State Trafficking in Persons Office (DOSTIPO) staff, Laura was already waiting for us at the lobby. She was going to welcome us with her colleague Shonnie by having an informal gathering at a restaurant beside the hotel. Unfortunately, the restaurant was not open. In disappointment, after greeting us, Laura said, “The restaurant is not opened. We have to find a new place.” She was apologetic about the close of business at the restaurant as if it was her fault. But we assured her not to worry, and that we would be willing to go else where. Shonnie and other Council members who had arrived joined us and we went to Vapiano, a restaurant where you are given a plastic card like a visa to eat and return the card for payment at the door. They even had a sign that states that there is a $50 charge for losing your card. We didn’t know until we were leaving the place and one of us had lost her card. They pardoned us, found her order in the system, she paid and we left the place.

Before we left, Laura and Shonnie reminded us of our timing and when to be ready the next morning at the hotel’s lobby. By 8:45 AM on Monday, April 25, we joined Shonnie at the lobby and headed to the DOSTIPO by foot. It was only a few blocks away. At the DOSTIPO, we had a snack breakfast of scones, muffins and croissants with coffee. I asked for a vending machine so that I could get a bottle of Coca Cola since I don’t drink coffee. Laura took me through their office to get the drink.

We started the day with designing the structure of the Advisory Council’s office. We elected two co-chairs and one secretary. Honorable Sheila White from New York and Honorable Harold D’Souza were elected as co-chairs. I was privileged to be nominated and appointed the secretary of the Advisory Council. As secretary, my responsibilities began immediately with the Federal Briefing. We had a federal government consultant, who gave us a short training on how the U.S. government works. It was very enlightening to know that it is not a centralized system of government and that the states have the powers.

In addition to the three leaders, we also created and appointed other members to lead our upcoming meetings with federal government agencies. We had seven meetings scheduled and had one member lead each meeting. On Tuesday, April 26, the members led in the following order:

Honorable Flor Molina- Victims Services Committee;

Honorable Queen Evelyn Chumbow – Public Awareness and Outreach Committee;

Honorable Suarmhirs Piraino-Guzman – Department of Health and Human Services;

Honorable Shandra Woworuntu – Department of Labor.

On Wednesday, April 27, the member lead in the following manner:

Honorable Ima Matul Maisaroh – Grant Making Committee;

Honorable Tina Frundt – Department of Justice;

Honorable Ronny Marty – Department of Homeland Security.

The DOSTIPO staffs were really helpful in helping us coordinate all these meetings. They worked hard to type out the questions that we prepared and served as the point of contact on our behalf with the federal agencies. In addition to Shonnie and Laura, I had the privilege of meeting other staff members – Adam, Tegan, Jenniffer, and Katie. These people ROCK!!!!!

We received our certificates and business cards and we couldn’t be more excited when we saw how we were addressed as Honorables. Indeed, we were appointed into an honorable position and given the power to serve.

At the end of the day’s work. We were hosted to a dinner by Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) I had a chat with Melinda, the Executive Director of the organization and she introduced me to some of their staff that were present at the dinner. She said that dinner was set up to help us relax and unwind with our colleagues and some of the representatives of the federal government that we had met and will be meeting during our work in Washington DC.




I was also able to eat African food during my time. Honorable Evelyn took me in company of a documentary producer, Andres and his colleague, Daffodil and Honorable Harold to an African restaurant where we ate some fufu, and a variety of soups. I placed an order for a melon vegetable

2
With Fainess at the African Restaurant

soup and yam fufu. On Wednesday night, we returned to the restaurant with more people. In fact, I had another friend who visited, Fainess, join me at the restaurant. Fairness had made some bead jewelry to be donated to some of my clients in Minnesota. Evelyn also invited her colleagues from McKenzie and Baker Associates.

There is a lot of takeaways from the trip and meetings with the various federal government agencies. I hope to be able to share more when our first report comes out next month.

Now that I know how the government works, I will like to urge the Minnesota State representatives and senators to help fund the law that was passed at Congress. Passing the law is a great start, however, funding activities and programs will help the law to be effective. To mention just one, I will like to call on Congress to fund the Blue Campaign. This will go a long way in prevention efforts to combating human trafficking. Further more, I will like to enjoin the representatives in the 12 states in the Midwest region to work with us (Honorable Harold and I, who represent this region) to combat human trafficking. In the same vein, I will like to encourage representatives in the other 38 states to keep their doors open to other members of the Advisory Council for dialogue and work with them on this issue that affects every community around the world, including the United States. I will like to call on community members in our respective states and regions to join us to call or write our states representatives to approve funding to support the cause.

Our meetings came to a close on Thursday at the DOSTIPO. The Ambassador at Large, Ambassador Susan Coppedge came to greet and wish us safe journey back to our respective destinations. I will like to add that we missed one of our members, Honorable Minh Dang, who couldn’t be at the meeting for unforeseen circumstances. Hopefully, she can be with us when we go back in July for the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG) during the meeting  of the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF).

Thanks for reading. I hope to talk to you again through my blogs. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please, send me a note – fill out the contact form. I want to hear from you. You can also get my recent posts by signing up to receive updates.

Bye for now, until next time.
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Filed Under: Blog, Human Trafficking & Domestic Abuse Tagged With: Academic and Cultural Events Series, Blue Campaign, Buena Vista University, Diary of an Advisory Council Member, Freedom Network, Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, Metropolitan State University, Polaris Project, Senior Policy Operating Group, U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking

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Get a copy of the international best selling book by Bukola Oriola, A Living Label: An Inspirational Memoir and Guide.   Book Description: A Living Label is a memoir that documents some of the struggles and triumphs of the author as a survivor of labor trafficking and domestic violence in the U.S. Bukola Oriola’s goal is to inspire hope in other survivors that they can turn their lives around positively, regardless of what difficulty they might have passed through. She also provides practical solutions to the government, service providers, NGOs, and the general public on how to effectively engage with survivors, to value them as the subject matter experts they are. As someone who has dedicated her life to empowering other survivors, she has decided to contribute the proceeds from the book sales to survivors’ education or their businesses, starting with 100 survivors in the United States, Nigeria and Kenya. She believes that survivors want to be independent and contribute to their communities, and she wants to help survivors achieve this dream. Learn more from the inspiring author, Book Bukola now!
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