#21. Tina’s Mission: Activism, Entrepreneurship & Education in the Fight Against Human Trafficking

Scott Hammond: Hey, folks. It's my friend Tina. Hi, Tina.

Tina: Hi. How are you, Scott?

Scott Hammond: Welcome to the show.

Tina: Thank you.

Scott Hammond: So what a pl- privilege.

Tina: Uh, I'm,

I'm honored.

Scott Hammond: I know. Well, you… Good. I- Me too. I'm, I'm honored more.

So I wanna hear just your story. Like, quick life story, and who, who are you, and what are you all about?

Tina: Uh, I have been affectionately dubbed by my

as the wearer of many hats. Uh-

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Tina: Yeah. I, um… I'm actually… I was, uh, just talking about I'm a

full-time student.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: I go to Cal Poly, and I'm expected to graduate with my

May.

Scott Hammond: Whoa. Cool. Coming right up.

Tina: Right.

Scott Hammond: What are you studying?

Tina: Um, business administration with an emphasis

management.

Scott Hammond: Whoa. Good major.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Um, let me see. I also am a, um,

co-owner with my husband, and we run a mobile car detailing business called Spot to Spot Mobile Detailing.

Scott Hammond: Wow. Here in McKinleyville. You guys are amazing.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Yeah. We've won a few awards.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Uh, kind of a little bit of recognition.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, a lot.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, no, you guys are good.

Tina: Thanks.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Legen- legends up, up the- up thereabouts.

Tina: Yeah, trying to.

Scott Hammond: And so you've done a lot of work with human trafficking

we'll get to.

Tina: Mm-hmm. I do. I do a lot of advocacy work, um, here in

Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, when I moved to Humboldt County,

uh, about 10 years ago, um, I noticed that, uh, there was an issue.

And, um, so the way I came about doing some work and bringing events here is-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … um, uh, you know, I, I brought my dad.

I bro- moved up here to take care of my dad, a… I'd bring him dinner, and he said, "Oh, just put my dinner over there on the table, and I'll get to it when I get back." And so

when I came over the next day, I was like, "Dad, what kind of board meeting did you have?" He said, "Oh, Human Rights Commission meeting."

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Tina: I said, "Oh, okay. Well, what do they do there?" And he began

to explain-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … the things that they take care of there.

And I said, "Dad, could I present human trafficking there?" think that's going on here?" I said, "Oh, absolutely."

Scott Hammond: Totally. Yeah.

Tina: And, uh, he was like, "Oh, yeah, that'd be the place." Uh,

long story short, um, we organized the first, um, human trafficking awareness event in front Rights Commission-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Tina: … um, at, at the courthouse, and it was well-attended.

And, um, at that time, I, I kind of stayed in the

background-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … um,

because one, we live in a small community.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Tina: Um, two, my father was native and very well-known in the

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: And three, I wanted to keep his honor.

Did he know, um, my background and my history? Yeah, he did.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, but did I wanna announce it and-

Scott Hammond: Right

Tina: … you know-

Scott Hammond: Right

Tina: … um, be in the forefront at the time?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: No, I didn't.

Scott Hammond: So let's back up. So human trafficking at, at its base

definition is, is what? S-S-I think we all kinda think we know

is-

Tina: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … but maybe, maybe give us a fully orbed…

Tina: So have you seen the movie Tricked?

Scott Hammond: Uh-uh.

Tina: Oh. Have you seen the movie Taken?

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Tina: Okay. It's absolutely nothing like

Scott Hammond: Okay. [laughs] Yeah. You know that one movie?

Tina: [laughs] Um, um, nine times out of 10, human

trafficking, um, it… The, the legal definition of human trafficking is force, fraud, or coercion, right?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: If there's a means to that and the force, fraud,

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Tina: … then, um, then you could call it human trafficking.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Tina: But nine times out of 10, what has happened is it's somebody close

uh, it's someone who an individual has met

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … um, or unfortunately here in Humboldt County,

a family member who has begun to traffic that family member individual-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … for their benefit.

Scott Hammond: So traffic doesn't necessarily mean they send them overseas,

boxcar. That means they, they're cor- coercing them to do fraudulent behavior or illegal behavior or against their will.

Tina: Sexual behavior. Um-

Scott Hammond: Mostly sexual.

Tina: Um, and, and, and nine times out of 10,

They think that they're agreeing to it.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, but, uh, whe- when they do that, um,

know, I always default to the Romeo pimp.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: There's many different kinds of traffickers, right?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: The Romeo pimp has, um, wooed the individual-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … into thinking that, that they're in love.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: And so they're doing this, um, just,

you know? Um-

Scott Hammond: Right.

Tina: So, yeah.

Scott Hammond: And it's really serious. It's all serious,

minor, right?

Tina: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. And is it… What percentage are female?

Tina: Um, you know,

unfortunately, the statistics are grossly underreported.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: And why do you think that is?

Scott Hammond: 'Cause it's secret.

Tina: Well, uh, there are just as many males being trafficked as

females, and what happens is, um, y- young men are… You know, there's this, there's a taboo, and there's, um-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … there's shame attached to anybody

especially if you're male.

Scott Hammond: Sure. Sure.

Yeah. So, so you went before the… And so the commission, is that a county commission?

Tina: Yes. Uh-

Scott Hammond: Locally?

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And they're still in force?

Tina: Yes.

Scott Hammond: So, ma- uh, what… And is it a me- is it a monthly-

Tina: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … commission meeting?

Tina: They meet at the inside the, um, inside the-

Scott Hammond: The chambers?

Tina: Uh, yeah, the, at the county courthouse.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha. Are you active on that, on that chamber

Tina: I don't sit on that board yet.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Yet.

Scott Hammond: Yet.

Tina: Um, yeah.

Scott Hammond: [laughs]

Tina: I, I have so many-

Scott Hammond: I like the yet there

Tina: I, I do sit on a board

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: Um, but I don't sit on that board. I d-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … as a matter of fact, but not yet that one yet.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, but I do collaborate with them, um,

a lot.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. And you've s- you've spoken about this across the

Tina: Not across the nation, but yeah.

Scott Hammond: I heard maybe Texas. Is that, did Joni say you

Tina: I have went to Texas.

Scott Hammond: That's always across the nation.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's halfway. [laughs]

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So we'll come back to that. I wanna hear about your story growing up.

Tell us, tell us the Tina story. How did you, how did you get to Humboldt? Where did, where did you come from? How did you… T- Your, your story.

Tina: Uh,

so I, I, I lived here, um, w- in

junior high.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: I came to live with my dad and, um, I

came from the city. And as a individual from junior high, um, moving to Humboldt County was a, a shocker.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: And I absolutely did not like Humboldt County as a

junior. Uh, uh-

Scott Hammond: Where'd you come from?

Tina: Uh, from Sacramento.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Tina: Stockton area.

Scott Hammond: Okay. Yeah.

Tina: And, um-

Scott Hammond: Stockton's rough.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: South Stockton.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: And I did not like Humboldt County.

It was too slow for me, and it rained all the time when I

Scott Hammond: Weird.

Tina: Nothing like it is now.

Scott Hammond: It actually rains. [laughs] It didn't rain in November.

This month has been amazing.

Tina: Oh. Um, yeah, no, it rained all the time when I was a kid.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Like, I remember, you know how there's pop-up stores in the

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, there was a pop-up store in the mall, and,

had T-shirts.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Tina: And one of the T-shirts said, um, "In Humboldt County, we don't tan, we

rust."

Scott Hammond: We rust. [laughs]

Or we mold.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I like it. That's-

Tina: Um,

yeah, so I moved up here and, uh, when I was a kid, and then, uh, moved away.

I got caught up in, um, in the system and became a juvenile of the ward of the court.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Tina: And, um,

yeah, I was gone for quite a while. Um, had some kids, lived in Southern California.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: And then, um, my father's health started declining.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: And I came back about 10 years ago.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Tina: And when I came back, I was like, "What was I thinking as a

kid?"

Scott Hammond: Ah. [laughs]

Tina: I absolutely love it here. The weather is perfect.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Tina: Yeah. Community's perfect.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Oh, so many ways.

Tina: Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: So we just traveled. We went overseas and came back, and the,

here is 100%. It's the benchmark of good air.

Tina: Right.

Scott Hammond: And the people, I, I was really kind of…

I was talking to you before the show, people in Netherlands most outgoing, and it's, I don't think it's European, but it's,

it's, they're not overtly outgoing.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And they are here. I was finding myself,

uh, this weekend just chatting it up with "Gosh, I really love this. This is, this is who I am, and this is, these are my people." And-

Tina: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … Joni and I went to, uh, we have a picnic routine up at, um, uh,

Huda Point with Camel Rock, and we throw the van doors open and have a whole picnic and put chairs out and, and here's the sunset.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: It's like, what… You can't even create this.

This is total creator stuff, and it's like, oh, 'cause it's magical and amazing and blessed and-

Tina: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … a few more cool words that you're right, to your point.

Tina: It's got perfect weather year-round.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. I mean, Medford was 27 degrees.

You come here, it's, you know, 52 or 3. It's still cool, but it's not, y- you're not, like, with gloves.

Tina: Mm.

Scott Hammond: It's like, it's not glove weather or sweater,

Tina: Well, I don't know. I, I always wanted, like,

Pass before, but I don't like all four seasons.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: I like this.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Yeah. It's consistent, so.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So you left the area and you came back?

Tina: Yes.

Scott Hammond: Is your dad still living, by the way?

Tina: He's not.

Scott Hammond: He's not.

Tina: No.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. So you cared for your daddy

Tina: I did.

Scott Hammond: That's cool.

Tina: I got the

h- honor and privilege to take care of both

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … until they passed.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: That's neat.

So tell me, uh, so then met Robert, or you came back with Robert, and you

guys…

Tina: Oh, we have, like, this crazy love story.

Scott Hammond: Okay. Tell me more. [laughs] Everybody likes a good, crazy

love story.

Tina: Uh,

yeah. Well, we, we originally married the first time in um, and, and, uh, we had two kids. I had two, he had two, then we had two together.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and then we separated.

Um, he remarried, had another child, and I didn't. And I tried to date around, but I just… It wasn't like that old comfortable shoe, you know?

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Tina: Put it on, it just…

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Yeah. And, um, so anyway, uh, we

decided to start dating again.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: And, um,

and then when I said I was moving up here to take care of my dad, coming with me.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Tina: And so, um, so we-

Scott Hammond: Feeling is mutual.

Tina: Yeah. So we, uh, we lived up here for a couple of

years be- and then we got remarried. Um, I don't know. If there's some way that you could do it two times, like, time, man, second time is awesome.

[laughs]

Scott Hammond: Awesome. Good. Good. A lot of people have.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Figured it out, so.

Tina: Good thing you got, you and Joni figured it out a-

Scott Hammond: Yeah, no, not without challenges, 42 years,

The, people ask me, and Joni will listen to this later and go, People go, "How long have you been married, Joni goes, "Stop. Stop that."

Tina: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So, um,

so who… Uh, uh, Joni's dad had two questions. So let, let me back up. So we have history together.

Tina: We do.

Scott Hammond: My wife and your wife, my wife and your wifeMy

wife, your friend Joanie, did, did the LA Marathon together.

Tina: We did.

Scott Hammond: And you got to meet my, my father-in-law, Tom.

Tina: Oh, my gosh.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. And hang out with Tommy.

Tina: Oh, Tom is the best.

Scott Hammond: He's a cool dude.

Tina: Yeah.

We'll miss him.

Scott Hammond: Let's say he was a cool dude. I, I don't-

Tina: Yeah, we miss him

Scott Hammond: … wanna talk about… He's not on this earth,

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, he's a really, an amazing guy.

C- a whole life of addiction and craziness and, you know, he f- I would say he finished his football game and he was a really key, integral part of Joanie and her siblings' lives, and he touched you, and you guys, uh, you guys finished the marathon together.

Tina: We did.

Scott Hammond: In a lot of pain, I understand.

Tina: Uh, my foot hurt, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: My foot hurt during that time.

Scott Hammond: But he f- he w- Did he walk or run with you guys at the end?

Tina: He did.

Scott Hammond: Or through some, a bunch of it?

Tina: Yeah, he was awesome. Um-

Scott Hammond: That's cool

Tina: … you know, when we pulled up, uh, Joanie and I, uh,

he pulled up with the top down and-

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah

Tina: … you know, and, and the music playing.

Scott Hammond: "I Love L.A." by Randy Newman.

Tina: Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

[laughs]

Tina: Yeah. [laughs] And I was like, I bet you anybody who doesn't live in

this is how they visualize California.

Scott Hammond: Right. Right.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And he's, he's like the dude. He was not pretentious.

He had a crappy old Volvo and, and here he is as Tommy. Y- what are, what are we doing, you know? He'd, he'd take our kids and, "Hey, l- w- wanna go to Trinidad?" "Yeah, let's go." And he'd leave, and I'd go, to plan that trip," and he would just, like, load up in the car and be gone, was Mr. Spontaneous. But he had two questions,

questions.

Tina: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Are you ready?

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Who are you and what do you want?

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: He said if you can identify those two things in your life,

um, it tells a lot about you and your self-worth. So who, who, who are you?

Tina: Well, today I am, um,

I'm an inspirational speaker.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, I talk and train people,

um, on what human trafficking looks like.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, but most importantly, I think my secret sauce is I'm

a connector.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Tina: Like, "Oh, Scott, you need to meet this person."

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Or, "This person, you need to meet Scott."

Scott Hammond: Totally get it.

Tina: And, um, and, and I am a people person, right?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Um, and I'm all about community.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: I am all about,

um, being in nature-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … and, um, reconnecting to that.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Um, you know, for the longest I wasn't connected to

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and I, I have a pretty rich history-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … um, and culture, and I think that because I, too, am in

sobriety-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … that it's only when I connected to culture,

um, connected, um, spiritually-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … um, and that

I made those connections, that it rooted me-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Tina: … into staying sober.

Scott Hammond: Well said.

Tina: Um-

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: And what do I want?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: I want

to leave a legacy for the next seven generations.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Tina: I don't want information to be lost

with me.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: I want… You know, we're, we're storytellers, right?

Scott Hammond: Right.

Tina: And I want

kids to know-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … uh, what their ancestors

knew. I don't want it to be lost with each

Scott Hammond: Good.

Tina: Um, has some been lost today? Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Sure. Yeah, absolutely.

Tina: Definitely. Yeah, but if we make a part of, of that,

um, revitaliz- uh, revitalization-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … and we're intentional about that-

Scott Hammond: I was just thinking of the word intentional.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: You grabbed it right out of my brain.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Gotta be intentional.

Tina: Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: That's good.

Tell me about your tribal background.

What, what, w- what, what tribe?

Tina: Um, I am a… Huh, I hate… I don't wanna

say I'm an enrolled member. I am an enrolled member of the Tribes of Siletz, Oregon.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: However, um-

Scott Hammond: Where's that?

Tina: In Oregon.

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh. What part? Just all…

Tina: Uh-

Scott Hammond: Are they all over Oregon?

Tina: Uh, well, um, our, our reservation makes up,

uh, I want to say 27 different bands of natives.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Tina: Um, and so our, our ancestors originated from

the Grant's Pass area-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Tina: … um, around Jump Off Joe Creek.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Tina: And then, um, when colonization happened, a

bunch split. Some came down towards Klamath,

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … and then some were marched up to, um, Siletz,

where we reside now. Um-

Scott Hammond: Where's Siletz? Is it on the 5?

Tina: It… Well, you could get to it there,

Oregon is?

Scott Hammond: Yeah. On the coast.

Tina: It's inland.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: It's inland from Newport.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Tina: Yeah. Uh, we have a casino up from there in Lincoln

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Gotcha.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Right. Okay, cool.

Um, so who are you, and what do you want? You've, you've answered that. I like, I like the [laughs] … I share so much of that, connection, relationships,

um, na- nature, and you're right that Humboldt County allows for all of

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Because there's lots of relationships.

I have a relationship with Nick, our producer. Um, connections, "Hey, I want you to meet Tina. She's my friend."

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And, and, and he's Mr. Connection 'cause he's got, you know,

podcasts. And so, and, and then if we want to, we go take a walk in the woods five minutes away. You know, Sequoia Park's right there, and so we, we kinda got it all in, you know, in Humboldt in s- in so many ways, kinda bring that point home, and I realize that. So let's talk about Humboldt, the county and the culture-

Tina: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … uh, the people for a minute in,

um, as our significant challenges right human trafficking, let's just go back real quick to I, I wanted to make a point. From the marijuana grow industry, is that primarily where you saw the initial human trafficking that

you-

Tina: Nope.

Scott Hammond: No, not necessarily. Okay. So-

Tina: I didn't

Scott Hammond: … that's my assumption, so.

Tina: No, I didn't. Um-

Scott Hammond: So but just in general.

Tina: Yeah. You know, um, I, I don't wanna bash the cannabis indu-

industry-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … because there are some people that are doing it right.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: They got it right. Right?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Um, and but of course, just like everything in the world,

some people that give the legal cannabis industry a bad

name.

Scott Hammond: Absolutely.

Tina: Right?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Tina: Um, is it happening like that with those people that are

giving them a bad name? Yeah, it is.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Sure.

Tina: Um, I've had calls from the hotline where

they were up on the hill and, uh-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … you know, X, Y, and Z happened to them.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Tina: Um, but,

uh, you know, uh, is human trafficking h- happening right here in Humboldt County?

Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, is it only in the cannabis industry?

Scott Hammond: Gotcha. Okay.

That's g- I, I wanted to retract that and, and re- revisit that. So, uh, so what do you see as the challenges for

Tina: The biggest, uh, regarding human trafficking?

Scott Hammond: Uh, anything.

Tina: Oh.

Scott Hammond: Including.

Tina: Oh. Well, let's… Uh, uh, see now I'm a business student.

Let's not talk about the challenges.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Tina: Let's talk about the opportunity.

[laughs]

Scott Hammond: We'll get there. We'll go there next.

You gotta, you gotta have-

Tina: I mean-

Scott Hammond: … one before the other. [laughs]

Tina: Right.

Scott Hammond: Or maybe not.

Tina: Um, the challenges are, of course, um, we're rural.

Um, you know?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Transportation in and out of Humboldt County-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Tina: … is difficult. Um, when it comes to human trafficking, our

biggest barrier and the biggest problem we have is that we

don't have, um, specific beds for individuals-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Tina: … who are being trafficked.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Tina: We have other organizations that have beds-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … but they're not conducive to just

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Tina: Um,

uh, there's, there's somebody right now who

um, about moving forward with the process of opening a safe house.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and so we hope that that becomes a thing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: But there's… We have a couple people that volunteer,

um, to provide beds occasionally-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … but we don't have anything, a program.

Um, most of the time, well, always, if I find a bed for somebody, is out of the county, and-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Tina: … m- and a lot of times out of the state.

Scott Hammond: So housing crisis again, but on a different level.

Tina: Yes.

Scott Hammond: So what, what kind of,

what kind of beds are there out there than just for just homeless family or… but not necessarily trafficked

that-

Tina: Um-

Scott Hammond: … if you could find a bed, where would it be?

Would it be specifically toward the homeless population?

Tina: Well, we have North Coast Rape Crisis-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Tina: … we have Humboldt Domestic Violence.

Um-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Tina: … we have, of course, Betty Chinn.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: We, you know, we've got a, a- we've got the Mission.

We've got a lot of beds-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Tina: … right? But none of them are conducive.

Like, however, we do have some people that'll say they'll bed aside just for a trafficked individual.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: But i- in an ideal world, we want a program for

those individuals-

Scott Hammond: Right

Tina: … that can help them, um,

get back to being a productive member of society-

Scott Hammond: Right

Tina: … you know?

Scott Hammond: 'Cause the needs are specific.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Okay. Okay, do- down to your question, opportunities.

So, so the challenges are there.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Uh, what are the opportunities

Tina: There, you know, um, I think that Humboldt

shouldn't look at the barriers, but look at where can they spearhead entrepreneurship-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Tina: … because I think that Humboldt County is ripe for

entrepreneurship and-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … and people who can start something-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Tina: … with a passion. There's been many successful businesses

here-

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah

Tina: … in Humboldt County that have started, um,

who had a passion.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Oh,

could count 'em. So I was in advertising, so I would call a lot of those businesses back in the day when… Remember the newspaper thing? There was a thing called a newspaper.

Tina: [laughs]

Scott Hammond: Or a real radio station that you could tune in.

Tina: Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, those things. So back in the day and, um, you know,

of, you know, older businesses now started with small sc- I mean, Eureka Natural Foods was in a little kind of a, just a little building in Eureka. Now it's two locations and-

Tina: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … and amazing. So, um,

yeah, so w- what do you see for our future, what, So entrepreneurialist, uh, uh, enterprise and, and people growing businesses and jobs and homes and families, uh, what beyond that do you, I don't know, wanna see?

Tina: I, I don't know if I per se what I wanna see, but I

think that if people are going to be productive in Humboldt County, um, and be successful-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … that I see technology as,

um, as a thing that individuals in Humboldt need to embrace-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Tina: … regardless of what that looks like because,

um, it's here, and so it, it can be a bad thing or a good thing.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Tina: And is, and if you embrace it and learn for, uh,

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … then I think that, um,

technology is the next b- probably the next pivotal thing in Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Right. Yeah, no, we got… 'cause we're so far away.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And we really haven't even talked about the medical

gap that we have, you know, in terms of care.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: There's five neurologists, I understood.

Now there's one in the whole county. I'm going, "What? That can't be good."So you're out there making a difference. How do we help you locally or not locally with human traffic awareness and, and how we can take part as, as friends, but also, what would we look for? You know, if we were hanging out and I knew that Nick was being trafficked, would I… what would be the signs? It'd be tougher maybe with a dude, I don't know.

But what-

Tina: Well,

first let me say this. This is my disclaimer. What I tell you that it looks like today-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … could change tomorrow.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Tina: Um, trafficking is just like technology.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: It's ever-changing. Um, the, the first thing that I would

say that you would look for in young individuals is, um, the… do they have more than one phone that parents didn't provide?

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: Um, are they sleepy at school?

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: Um, are they hanging around with older people?

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: Um, are they protective of the older

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um,

unable to answer, uh, the validity of new tattoos.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: Um,

and trips or-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Tina: … uh, absence-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … and trips that are unexplained.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Just absence. Absence without

AWOL, if you will.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Okay, those are good. So that's young people.

How about people, I don't, I don't know our age if that's fair, but how about older, older than teens or young adults? What, what would you look for there?

Tina: Well, except for minus the school,

are they able to keep their own money?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Uh, do they have possession of their own ID

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh.

Tina: Um, a lot of times traffickers will move

point A to point B, and that's a lot of times different Do they not know where they are, where they come from?

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, unable to answer your direct questions.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um-

Scott Hammond: I saw that at SFO at the airport. It was, um,

is someone holding your ID for you?

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Or your Social Security card or your driver's license?

And I thought, "Oh, okay. That's kinda makes… ties in with what you're saying."

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: You know, somebody in possession of your ID.

Yeah, that would be-

Tina: It's a control tactic

Scott Hammond: … that'd be a red flag, huh?

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Um, so how do we help in your quest, in your mission, in your job in making a difference-

Tina: Well-

Scott Hammond: … in this area?

Tina: Uh, we need help. We have a drop-in center.

We have a hotline. Um, we're trying to get this house up to code. Uh, finances, we do have a hotline.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Tina: If you know somebody or you think that you know

somebody who's being trafficked, the hotline here in Humboldt County is 707-599-1415. Um, you can call that.

Scott Hammond: Say it again, 707…

Tina: 599-1415.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and you can call that and have somebody

that you think is being trafficked call that.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Tina: Or you can call it if you know,

trafficked.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and also,

we, we take financial donations.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and you can mail those to 1032 Bay Street

Eureka-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … and put attention EPI, stands for Empower,

Protect, and Invest.

Scott Hammond: EPI.

Tina: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And is that, is that Bay Street? Is

Tina: It is.

Scott Hammond: Is that Faith Center?

Tina: That's where it's housed at.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So yeah, most people locally would know Faith,

Tina: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … actually. Okay. So Faith Center has that, and the…

How about a, a website?

Tina: Um, we're on Facebook.

Scott Hammond: Okay. That works.

Tina: It's EPI.

Scott Hammond: EPI.

Tina: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Okay. I'll go check it out when we're done.

Tina: Okay.

Scott Hammond: That'd be good. Okay. Um, any parting shots?

Anything you would wanna, uh, talk about that we haven't or bring, bring forward?

Tina: Uh, one of the probably the best pieces of

I heard was from local law enforcement and, and, and I like to pass it by, and that is if you see something, say something.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: It may not be anything to you-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … but maybe if five other people have reported the

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Tina: … then maybe they'll pay attention to it,

Scott Hammond: See something, say something.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, and so and with that,

um, there's opportunity everywhere-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Tina: … in Humboldt County in eradicating,

human trafficking.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Tina: Um, it's not all bliss. There is good stuff.

Scott Hammond: Sure. Sure, and I'm sure you've seen some.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's awesome. Thanks for, thanks for all you do there.

Um, what's it gonna say on your tombstone? What, what do you want it, what do you want them to engrave there?

Tina: Mm-hmm.

The connector. [laughs]

Scott Hammond: The connector.

The connector, I love it.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Well, hey, appreciate you, Tina. Appreciate your friendship, and, uh,

thanks for being here. Thanks, thanks for that, on, uh, on cable TV as well so people can… Uh, and if they wanna get ahold of you the Facebook page?

Tina: Uh, they, they can call that number,

707-599-1415.

Scott Hammond: 599-1415. It's EPI-

Tina: Yep

Scott Hammond: … on Facebook.

Tina: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Easy to find. All right. Bless you. Thank you.

Tina: All right. Thank you.

Scott Hammond: Appreciate you coming.

Tina: All right. See ya.