I know firsthand how challenging it can be to get back on your feet after experiencing the setbacks and anguish that come with surviving human trafficking and domestic violence.

The hopelessness and the feeling of seeing a bleak future when you are trying hard to find your feet can be overwhelming. While I am grateful for services that meet immediate needs through various agencies, that alone does not take survivors to the level where they can confidently become financially independent.

One of the ways financial independence comes is through the ability to work or having opportunities to generate income. Education and business can provide those pathways and create opportunities for long-term financial independence. In addition, while public benefits are available, they are also there to meet short-term needs. They do not provide long-term sustainability.

As a survivor receiving public benefits and also working because my work was not providing enough for me to keep my head above water, I yearned for a way out. I looked for resources. I asked my advocates for resources. Some were able to direct me, while others didn’t know how to help me.

I was lucky to be directed to the county, where I participated in the Family Assets for Independence in Minnesota program to boost my business. That support gave me both relief and a boost to my business and income. I was able to move my hair-braiding business to a bigger space and add inventory to my shop, creating an additional source of income from my customers.

It was a help for me and my customers.

Rather than my customers getting to my shop and learning that I didn’t have the kind of extensions they needed for their hair and leaving from Spring Lake Park to Brooklyn Park to find them, they were glad to have the product and service in one place. As for me, I was not only glad to have what they needed, but I was also able to raise my bottom line.

Aside from boosting my bottom line, I also boosted my mental health.

So, when we give support that truly empowers through financial independence, we also inherently contribute to the mental well-being of the individual.

This is why I chose to donate the proceeds from A Living Label to survivors.

I wish I had millionaire friends. However, thinking about it, I think that I do.

You are my millionaire friend.

I encourage you today to join me in supporting survivors. I am giving you a book in exchange for giving financial independence and hope to a survivor.

With $25, you can give a boost to a survivor toward their education or business. More importantly, you will be supporting a whole family because their children will also benefit from your support.

If you feel the urge in your heart to support today, you can do so in one of two ways:

1. Make a direct donation through The Enitan Story.
2. Buy a copy of A Living Label.

Thank you so much in advance for your support. If you know others who can support, I encourage you to share this opportunity with them. Together, we can give survivors more than immediate relief. We can help create opportunities for financial independence, hope, and a more sustainable future.