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Have you always wanted to take a self-defense class? Well now is your chance! Women At Risk, International will be hosting one on Saturday, October 10, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Jaci, who comes from an abusive background, has a passion to teach self-defense to vulnerable women and children. She is the Vice President and professional instructor at Crusader Martial Arts, a local organization that teaches martial arts to all ages.

If you want to learn more about this valuable skill, we encourage you to come out on October 10 and bring your friends and daughters. The age requirement for attendees is 12 years old and older.

Though we are not charging for this event, we will be taking a donation for Jaci and her time with us.

As an added bonus, the WAR Chest Boutique will also be open until 6:00 p.m. with a special offer of 15% off scarves – just in time for the cooler weather!

Come out and join us – we can’t wait to see you there!

Women At Risk, International Headquarters:
2790 44th St. S.W., Wyoming, MI 49519
(616) 855-0796
October 10, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Registration is now closed.

This event will feature local survivor Theresa Flores: a woman who was trafficked out of her own home at the age of 15. She wrote the book about her story: Slave Across the Street available in our store for purchase.

 

On September 12, from 3:30-5:00 PM, she will be signing books, sharing her story, and giving tips for trafficking awareness. This is a perfect event for mothers & daughters to attend, for anyone looking to hear a story of empowerment and wanting to increase their awareness of human trafficking as a LOCAL issue that needs advocates!

Film Premiere

Grand Rapids, MI – September, 2015 – Women At Risk, International will be hosting a  film premiere on Tuesday, September 15, at the Grand Rapids Public Museum from 6-8pm with ArtPrize artist, Pamela Alderman. The film, based on the exhibit “The Scarlet Cord” will premiere following a panel discussion around modern day human trafficking.  The cost of admission is $5.  Pre-registration is now closed, but tickets will be available a the door.

At ArtPrize 2014, Alderman displayed her piece, The Scarlet Cord through a partnership with WAR, Int’l, in hopes of raising awareness of human trafficking in the United States. Through that same partnership, community members will have the opportunity to learn about the face of human trafficking in West Michigan at this program on September 15.

This event will feature a panel that will include Pamela Alderman, WAR, Int’l president, Becky McDonald, author of “A Vulnerable World” and communication specialist at Acton Institute, Elise Hilton, Senator Judy Emmons, and Vanessa, a trafficking survivor. Each speaker will share about the injustices of modern-day slavery, and will follow with a Q&A session. After the panel session, the video will be premiered.

This video features the reactions of those who walked through Alderman’s art installation during the 2015 Super Bowl in Phoenix. Through this piece, Alderman met trafficking and sexual abuse survivors who also shared their reactions as they experienced her art. This touching film also features human trafficking statistics and information on the horrors many children in America face.

The event will conclude with volunteers tying the infamous scarlet cords on the wrists of those in attendance as an ever-present reminder of the pain those engulfed in human trafficking experience each and every day.

Please note that this program and film may include content that could be disturbing.

Get Involved

We are asking those who are passionate about ending human trafficking, or want to learn more about this injustice, to come to the Grand Rapids Public Museum at 6:00 p.m. on September 15, to learn how you can be apart of the solution. This will be a time to get questions answered, hear from professionals in the fight against modern-day slavery, hear first hand from a survivor and experience a first-look into Pamela Alderman’s newest video, The Scarlet Cord.

For more information, please contact:

Women At Risk, International
(616) 855-0796
www.warinternational.org

About Women At Risk, International

WAR, Int’l is a non-profit organization that works in nearly 40 countries addressing 14 risk issues. The purpose of WAR, Int’l is to create circles of protection and hope around at-risk women and children through culturally sensitive, sustainable projects and partnerships. WAR, Int’l has a passion for giving a voice to the silenced cries of the oppressed while wrapping arms of love around them, and empowering them to live with hope and dignity.

 About The Scarlet Cord

 The Scarlet Cord is an award-winning art exhibit aimed at raising awareness of child sex trafficking. The unique art exhibit is housed in a 40-foot storage container that includes thirty weathered doors with portraits bound by a twisted scarlet cord. Arist Pamela Alderman’s motivation for creating The Scarlet Cord installation and video was to inspire healing for sex-trafficked children. To schedule an exhibit or video premiere, contact the artist at www.watercolorbypamela.com.

Some of you have been anticipating our annual sale all year. Well, we have good news for you: you can breathe easy because our annual Sidewalk Sale is back and you’re not going to want to miss this! We are hosting the sale at all three boutique locations the rest of this month. This is a sample sale that meets a sidewalk sale – and it will support women worldwide! There will be one-of-a-kind samples from our product partners, slightly flawed scarf clearance bins, and clearance jewelry to sort through.

It is our passion to partner with champions around the globe who ensure women who create the beautiful products sold in our boutiques work in safe environments. These women are empowered in the workplace, receive fair wages, and learn about the love of Christ in the process. Supporting our boutique helps keep these women all around the world (including here in the United States) employed.

Our items make the perfect birthday, anniversary or Christmas gifts, but we also know that you are worth pampering! So, stop by and buy something for a friend, or for yourself.

If you live around the Naperville, IL area, visit our boutique July 9, 10 and 11. If you’re near Rockford, MI, check out our store’s sale July 16, 17 and 18. And if you’re around our Wyoming boutique, come stop by July 23, 24 or 25 to snag a few beautiful pieces at discounted prices. The sale will run from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day at each boutique. If it happens to rain on any of these dates, the sale will be moved inside, so don’t fret!

If you don’t live near one of our shops, you are welcome to check out hundreds of discounted items on our website at warchestboutique.com, as well.

Come be a part of this event and join us on any of those July dates – we can’t wait to see you!