The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey Happy Hour #219: Blythe Hill
My guest for The Happy Hour #219 is Blythe Hill. Blythe is the CEO/Founder of the Dressember Foundation and is passionate about ending human trafficking. What started as a personal style challenge in 2009 to wear a dress each day for a month, Dressember grew beyond her immediate circle and five years later, thousands of people across the world have helped raise over $5M toward the fight to end human trafficking.
Blythe and I start off the show talking about how Blythe's eyes were opened to human trafficking. She describes how she felt an overwhelming sense of urgency to do something combined with an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness. Blythe describes how she even considered going against her internal "wiring" to start a new career in hopes to make a difference. But, instead she put the talents God gifted her with to use and started Dressember.
I loved hearing Blythe talk about how Dressember took off. Her first campaign goal in 2013 was $25k, but you guys they reached that in just 3 days! And now Dressember 2018 hopes to raise $3 million to fight human trafficking - how incredible is that? We get to hear about the amazing partners she works with and how they fight trafficking from so many angles.
Blythe also shares her own story of abuse and how Dressember and #metoo has all intersected for her. I really appreciated hearing her discuss the spectrum of consent, the shame women feel, and how we have to be women who believe and trust each other and not be afraid to get help.
Friends, I loved my conversation with Blythe for so many reasons, and I am so proud of the work she's doing. I've included resources below that can help in educating yourself more about human trafficking - it truly happens everywhere. And there are so many ways to be involved with Dressember - join a team, wear a dress, raise awareness, and more! I also hope that if you have an idea or feel God nudging you in a direction, you feel encouraged to follow that nudge - God can do so much more than we could ever imagine.
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