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Lauren Bush and
Somaly Mam.
Photo by:
Billy Farrell from
Patrick McMullan |
WHO:
Party thrown in honor of
The Somaly Mam Foundation
and founder Somaly
Mam. Lauren Bush
was guest of honor. Host
committee included
Amanda Brooks,
Anh Duong, Katie
Ford, Kiara Kabukuru,
Josh Lucas and
Alexis
Tobin.
Guests in
attendance included
Somaly Mam,
Lauren Bush,
Amanda Brooks, Anh Duong,
Alexis Tobin, Angela Chen,
Ashley Bush, Sharon Bush,
David Lauren, Dylan Lauren,
Gregg Kelly, Henry and Ana
Pincus, Kelly Brant, Lucy
McIntyre, Paul Johnson
Calderon, Samantha Mathis,
Samantha Thompson, Shelly
Simmons, Tina Livanos, Annie
Dickerson, Leigh Parrinello
and Norman Jean Roy.
WHAT:
The party
debuted a line of Somaly Mam
empowerment scarves and
pendants. Both carry the
heart and hand symbol
designed by Somaly Mam, a
reminder that the world will
only be moved when we bring
together hearts and hands,
merging compassion with
action. Bill Livermore,
the executive director
of The Somaly Mam
Foundation, gave a speech
introducing Somaly Mam
and Lauren Bush and
thanking all who were
involved with the evening.
“I see their commitment to
helping others reflected in
all of you here tonight.
Together we honor the brave
and resilient survivors who
have worked so hard to build
new and sustainable lives
for themselves,” said Mr.
Livermore.
Guests were treated
to an eclectic variety show
by The Box performers as
well as a special dance
performance using the new
Somaly Mam scarves,
choreographed by Jermaine
Browne, who has worked
with artists like Christina
Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez and
Justin Timberlake. Guests
enjoyed champagne,
eco-friendly cocktails
courtesy of VeeV and
desserts created by the
Box’s executive chef
Justin Hilbert. As
guests left they were
treated to a gift bag,
generously donated by The
Body Shop.
WHEN:
Tuesday,
April 6th, 2010
where: The
Box, 186 Chrystie Street
ABOUT THE
SOMALY MAM FOUNDATION
Somaly Mam,
herself a survivor of human
trafficking, has founded the
largest shelters in
Southeast Asia and has
rescued more than 6,000
young women and girls over
the past ten years.
Universally recognized as a
visionary for her courage,
Somaly was honored as one of
Time Magazine's 100
Most Influential People of
2009. She is also the
recipient of the first
Roland Berger Human Dignity
Award, the Prince of
Asturias Award for
International Cooperation,
The World's Children's Prize
for the Rights of the Child
(WCPRC), Glamour Magazine's
2006 Woman of the Year
Award, and has won accolades
from the US Department of
Homeland Security. As she
wrote in her autobiography,
The Road to Lost
Innocence, “People ask
me how I can bear to keep
doing what I do. I’ll tell
you. The evil that’s been
done to me is what propels
me on. Is there any other
way to exorcise it?”
Founded in
2007 the Somaly Mam
Foundation is dedicated to
ending slavery around the
world with a
results-oriented, three-step
approach: Survivor Services,
Advocacy, and Awareness. The
common thread woven through
all of its programs is the
collective voice of the
survivors. The foundation
models its vision after
Somaly's inspiring life,
ensuring that survivors take
charge in reclaiming their
lives while refusing to turn
their backs on those who
remain behind.
Human
trafficking, a multi-billion
dollar industry, is the
fastest growing criminal
enterprise in the world.
With over two million
women and children sold into
sexual slavery each year, it
is a global crisis that must
be stopped.