Jimmy Lopez
Survivor Leader
Resilient Voices, Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST)
Jimmy Lopez is a survivor of child labor trafficking. He fled Honduras to avoid being recruited by gangs at 14. This took him on a journey that transcended across neighboring countries in search of better opportunities. He lived alone in Mexico for two years where he eventually met a man who offered him a way into the US. After crossing the border, he was forced to pay off his debt by working in a furniture factory through the use of violence to keep him from leaving. Jimmy was then trafficked again in a restaurant by another man who had offered him a better pay to drive a truck. This experience resulted in his arrest for possession of narcotics after being stopped by police and failing to provide any form of identification. He was held in a detention facility for two years where he believed he was treated like a criminal. It was during this ordeal that his public defender recognized his experience in trafficking that also forced him to participate in criminal activities. It was his public defender that contacted the Coailtion to Abolish Trafficking and Slavery (CAST) to provide him with support to prevent his continued encarceration and deportation. Jimmy is now a survivor advocate for other children who have had similar experiences. He has spoken at the United Nations, the White House, and US Congress. He has trained judges and service providers on the dynamics of child labor trafficking. He has also travelled internationally and is recognized as a young leader in the Anti-Trafficking movement.