Email: reviewnewspaper@gmail.com * Mail: PO Box 83068, Port. OR 97283 * Web: www.stjohnsreview.com * Phone: 503-283-5086 * The ST. JOHNS REVIEW * #3 Feb. 12, 2016 * Page 3
COMMUNITY NEWS
Local woman starts non-profi t to help youth at-risk for sex traffi cking
By Barbara Quinn
When we met in her genteelly
decorated living room, Latasha
Curry, an animated St. Johns res-
ident, says Oregon is the number
one state for sex traffi cking and
strip clubs in the US. She is a sur-
vivor of sex work beginning at
age 13, and has started a non-prof-
it called YaYA, which stands for
Youth and Young Adults. Through
her non-profi t organization, she
connects with at-risk young wom-
en and potentially young men and
“promotes healing by creating a
healthy, supportive environment
while educating our community.”
“I help girls as young as 11 and
up to 25,” says Latasha, “Girls get
targeted. Pimps identify them.”
She says prostitution will not
go away—it is too lucrative. In
many cases gangs are running the
sex trade. “Currently in the state
of Oregon, you do less time for
selling women than you do for
selling drugs,” said Jeri Williams,
another advocate for prostitutes.
“And so gangs have taken this
as a moneymaker.” According to
Jeri, gang members pick up young
girls to recruit in downtown Pi-
oneer Square, gang rape them,
“And then they would say, ‘you’re
a whore, you need to go out and
walk the streets or we’ll tell your
mom’…Psychological enslave-
ment facilitated the physical en-
slavement,” Williams said. (The
Daily Beast, 4-2012, Sex Traffi ck-
Aspire Program
relocation
The Aspire Project relocated their
dance outreach operation to the
St Johns neighborhood in spring,
2015. For the six years prior, The
Aspire Project had provided an af-
fordable dance program for North
Portland families. After moving
to the larger St. Johns space, they
were able to reach many more stu-
dents with their dance program. In
addition, they were able to launch
a new program which had been a
long-time goal for the founders,
Sue & Dan Darrow.
The vision is to provide a safe,
structured environment for stu-
dents to complete homework and
to voluntarily participate in vari-
ous computer skills training pro-
grams ranging from keyboarding
skills to programming. The pro-
gram was initially designed to
serve currently enrolled dance stu-
dents. However, the Darrows want
to provide this opportunity for all
North Portland youth who have the
desire to learn and to explore the
possibilities available to them in
the fi eld of technology.
The Aspire Project will partner
with University of Portland STEM
major students to administer com-
puter-based training, supervise the
computer lab and to assist students
with homework. Currently, the lab
is open Thursdays, 3-6pm. With
the support of Umpqua Bank, the
program will expand to serve more
students six hours/week.
ing Survivor’s Inspiring Political
Run in Portland OR).
It is not easy to leave the life once
becoming entrapped. Latasha says,
“once you’re in 18 years, it’s hard
to get out…My two daughters are
the reason I quit.” She is clearly a
proud mom of her academically
accomplished daughters.
Referring to the recent arrest
of Homer Jackson, a man tied to
the serial killings by strangling
of four young women prostitutes
in the 1980s, Latasha said, “It
could’ve been me.” In fact, one of
the young women was a mere 14
years of age. Another victim was
Essie Jackson, no relation to the
killer, who was an acquaintance
of this writer through St. Andrew
Church in NE Portland years ago.
When I knew her, she was only 12
or 13, a member of the large, de-
vout Jackson clan. I was shocked
to learn what had happened to her
a few years later and feel sorrow
for her large family. How does a
nice young woman get involved in
the sex trade? Easy, just meet the
wrong guy at a vulnerable age. “I
was once that girl,” says Latasha.
“I look for a girl that’s a follow-
er, not a leader. How do you pro-
tect them from pimps? I identify
them and get to them fi rst.” That is
what makes Latasha an invaluable
champion of young women at risk
for sex traffi cking.
Beyond helping youth who may
be targeted, Latasha would like
to promote a healthier attitude to-
wards victims on the part of the
wider community. Her mission is,
“Don’t be moved by what you see,
be moved by what you believe.”
YaYA, Youth and Young Adults,
is a fi scally sponsored non-profi t
under North Portland Community
Works. Donations are needed. If
you would like more information
or can help support the mission of
YaYA, email Latasha at YaYAre-
course@gmail.com.