Unseen

✨ "But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars." -Martin Luther King Jr.

I got to meet Brian Brasch right before his debut on Shark Tank ABC. While most folks would simply celebrate this huge win, Brian turned their PRx Performance premiere and deal with Kevin O'Leary into a fundraiser to fight human trafficking with Unseen . It's been an absolute blast learning from this servant leader as he drives his teams into success and creates waves of momentum that lift all the ships sailing alongside him.

🎉 Congratulations to Unseen partner, HER Campaign, on their new safehouse that's expected to open this month! This will expand their services to not only serve survivors in Montana but also Colorado. This represents a huge win for anti-trafficking efforts in CO, as HER Campaign's new short-term safehouse near South Denver is one of the two new safehouses opening in Metro Denver in early 2025. These will be the only facilities in the state to offer emergency shelter beds exclusively for trafficking survivors, which will help fill a crucial gap. HER Campaign's new home will be able to provide care and stabilization for up to 14 women at a time. Their focus is on "meeting survivors where they are, offering physical, mental, and emotional support, and helping them take their first steps toward healing and purpose." HER Campaign is bringing healing and restoration to survivors of exploitation and trafficking through four crucial steps—24/7 rescue hotline, emergency shelter, long-term residential care, and transitional housing for women and children. *Photo owned by HER Campaign

✨ #NamesToKnow: Zaheer Ahmed 🇵🇰 Zaheer Ahmed is a Deputy Inspector General in Pakistan’s Police Service, and previously served as Director of the Federal Investigative Agency’s (FIA) Anti Human Smuggling Unit. Ahmed was a crucial part of increasing Pakistan’s efforts to combat human trafficking —The FIA made remarkable strides in combating human trafficking, enhancing partnerships, and boosting anti-trafficking efforts during his time as Director of the unit. This progress has led to a significant increase in arrests and prosecutions of traffickers. Ahmed's tireless leadership in the Anti Human Smuggling Unit has driven monumental changes: ✅ Helped drive the modernization of Pakistan’s anti-trafficking and anti-smuggling laws ✅ Spearheaded the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling ✅ Secured Federal Cabinet approval in 2021 for bylaws to the 2018 laws on human trafficking and migrant smuggling ✅ Advocated for Pakistan’s ratification of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons in November 2022 Ahmed’s dedication has strengthened collaboration between law enforcement and civil society, improved support for trafficking victims, and enhanced data collection and analysis. His efforts demonstrate the power of teamwork across sectors to combat trafficking. Please join us in honoring Zaheer Ahmed for his unwavering commitment to fighting for justice and human rights in Pakistan! 👏 *Source and Photo Credit: U.S. Department of State TIP Report

Today, January 11th, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. To raise awareness, here are 5 facts we think you should know about human trafficking: 1. On any given day, an estimated 50 million people are affected by modern slavery and human trafficking. 2. Human trafficking remains one of the top three criminal industries in the world, generating $236 billion in illegal profits per year. 3. Human trafficking takes a variety of forms, including sex trafficking, forced criminality, debt bondage, child trafficking, labor trafficking, domestic servitude, forced marriage, and more. 4. Traffickers prey on vulnerabilities, including economic need, immigration status, education and language barriers, mental and physical disabilities, drug addiction, and dysfunctional families. 5. Lack of funding for anti-trafficking organizations is one of the main inhibitors to reaching more people. It impacts their ability to identify victims, offer aftercare, ensure the conviction of traffickers, and deliver large-scale solutions. Many organizations are making big strides in fighting trafficking, but their reach is limited by being notoriously underfunded. Unseen is fighting trafficking by bridging this gap and equipping our anti-trafficking partners with custom marketing materials at zero cost to them. This enables them to secure increased funds and accelerate their life-changing work. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gMnMAiwd #TraffickingAwareness #NationalHumanTraffickingAwarenessDay *Photos used for illustrative purposes only.

Today, we're highlighting Unseen's Board Treasurer: Brian Brasch ⭐ Brian has been serving on Unseen's Board since 2017 and says, "I was inspired to join Unseen’s board because of its incredible leadership, which is matched only by its powerful mission." He also describes the most rewarding aspect of being a board member of Unseen as "contributing to an organization that achieves measurable results in the fight against human trafficking." "As an entrepreneur, closing a deal on Shark Tank is the ultimate achievement, and my partner and I were fortunate to accomplish that in 2016. Since then, we’ve grown our business, PRx Performance, to become one of the top 11 revenue-producing companies in the show’s history" he shares. In addition to his entrepreneurial experience, Brian is also a CPA (inactive), and is always excited to use his expertise to serve as the Treasurer on the board. For fun, he stays active and connected with his community. Every morning at 5:15, Brian leads a workout session with eight neighbors. At 6:15, he trains his daughter and her friends, and at 7:00, his son and his buddies join in. In just 2.5 hours, he may train up to 20 people! Beyond fitness, Brian loves golfing, skiing, starting new businesses, and is constantly learning. "I committed to practicing Italian for 5 minutes a day and logging my food daily. Now, I’m 188 days into learning Italian and 28 pounds lighter. Just 10 minutes a day can truly change your life!" 🏃👏 Outside of Unseen, Brian is deeply passionate about ClimbRx®, the world’s largest online sensory community. It complements SensoryRx’s vision by providing parents, caregivers, and therapists with expert guidance, diverse perspectives, and tools to help neurodivergent kids thrive. ClimbRx empowers families to support sensory motor regulation, emotional balance, and focus through activities like jumping, crashing, and swinging, while also offering actionable strategies and resources to foster growth academically, socially, and emotionally. He has also been actively focused on AI and data centers since 2019, leveraging his investments and expertise to stay at the forefront of this rapidly evolving space. Brian would describe Unseen as "Essential, Compassionate, and Essential" (doubling down on essential 😉). We are so grateful for everything Brian brings to the #UnseenBoard!

If you’re in the Fargo-Moorhead area, make sure to stop by Sandy's Donuts & Coffee Shop this Saturday to support Unseen & Unseen Guardians on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. 💙

NEW Unseen Partner announcement: SEEDS 🎉 SEEDS provides a safe house and restorative aftercare to women who have survived sex trafficking or exploitation. Their long-term programs offer medical aid, therapy, education, life skills training, and job placement to help survivors rebuild their lives. We're honored and excited to be partnered with SEEDS to accelerate the growth of their anti-trafficking programs in Canada 🇨🇦 ——— A New Country for Unseen! 🇨🇦 The addition of this Partner brings our total countries served to 64 since 2011! We look forward to broadening our impact while learning more about this part of the world. Here are some things to know about Canada: -Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately represented among trafficking victims (source: 2024 TIP Report) -Traffickers utilize corridors, such as Highway 401 in Ontario, to quickly transport their victims to and from the most profitable urban areas (source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking) -Shelter/housing support is in greatest demand among survivors (source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking) We now have 32 Partners in 23 countries and 9 US States! *Photo owned by SEEDS

We're so grateful for everyone who has supported Unseen in 2024 and over the years! This work is only possible because of dedicated people like you. There's still time to make an impactful year-end gift to bring true freedom to vulnerable people around the world at weareunseen.org/donate ✨ "When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed." -Maya Angelou ✨

✨ Hope for today, joy for tomorrow ✨ Our design this year features Christmas ornaments with inspiration from some of the countries Unseen partners operate in! Hope shines brightest in the dark, and we are honored to stand with you in bringing lasting freedom to those in greatest need. Wishing you a time of peace, hope, joy, and making memories with loved ones!