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One year ago, Chuntazia Cox was at a crossroads. She had been living life in the fast lane for ten years and knew deep inside it couldn’t last. Walking through the door of Convergence Resource Center (CRC) equipped her to walk away from a life of quick money, drugs and constant danger.
CRC is a faith-based organization that helps women rebuild their lives after incarceration and female survivors of human trafficking. More than 900 women have overcome their traumas during the past 17 years because of CRC.
“I no longer live that lifestyle (of being trafficked for sex). I no longer do drugs and I’m around positive people daily that truly want to see me do great,” said Cox, 26 and a mother of three young children. “I’m working on budgeting, saving my money and I enjoy making an honest living now and being a good mom.”
Because of her remarkable turnaround, Cox was recently celebrated as CRC’s “Masterpiece of ART” during the nonprofit’s “Celebration of Changed Lives” virtual telethon streamed on CRC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/conresctr). ART refers to CRC’s Avoid Recidivism Track that provides counseling and training to help women rebuild their lives and remain out of the justice system.
“Chuntazia has a bright future because she’s listened to her heart and worked hard to change her thinking about herself and what she wants for herself and her children,” said Debbie Lassiter, D. Div., the nonprofit’s CEO and co-founder. “She has accomplished so much in the past year and has discovered that she can accomplish anything if she is willing to work hard and remain positive.”
Cox, who graduated high school despite leaving home as a teenager and being trafficked, sees herself going to college and becoming a fashion designer and business owner. She already has decided on the name and colors of her future clothing line: Perseverance.
“The signature colors are red and white to represent struggle,” said Cox. “And the name Perseverance means not giving up when things get rough.”
The roughly half-hour segments from the “A Celebration of Changed Lives” five-day virtual telethon are available for viewing on CRC’s website, Facebook page, and its YouTube channel. People can still donate by clicking a button on CRC’s Facebook page, its website or by testing “CRCGIVE” to 44-321.
“We have become a leading service provider for human trafficking survivors and justice involved women, and our HEMAD campaign has transitioned into a movement which addresses the demand side of human trafficking. Looking into 2020, we are prepared to launch several new services that are poised to address gaps in services for human trafficking survivors. We need support from the community to do that,” said Lassiter.
About Convergence Resource Center
Convergence Resource Center (CRC) is a faith-based nonprofit community service organization providing support for men and women rebuilding their lives after trauma with an emphasis on justice involved women and female survivors of human trafficking. It collaborates with more than 50 community service organizations locally and nationally through partnerships and membership in several human trafficking task forces. To learn more, call (414) 979-0591 or visit www.convergenceresource.org.
Chuntazia is an amazing woman that is defying the odds and making a better life for herself and her children. She is an inspiration to us all.