Meet our 2024 luncheon speaker, Theresa Flores. She is a motivational speaker, trainer and consultant.

Ms. Theresa Flores mesmerizes audiences and brings them to tears. She educates on human trafficking in the U.S. and shows how a person can endure horrific conditions and not only survive but thrive.

Her speaking resume is extensive, having presented at TEDx, at hundreds of universities, trained law enforcement, medical personnel, worked with the U.S. Attorney General’s office, testified before the Senate and House for several states. She is frequently a keynote speaker for conferences and fundraisers and has been interviewed as an expert on numerous national television shows including The Today Show, Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, 700 Club and Crime Watch Daily, For The Record and more.

Ms. Flores is not only a survivor, but also a Social Worker with a Master’s degree in Counseling Education. Her education enables her to guest lecture at colleges, teach workshops and train professionals. She has published five books, two that have been on the U.S.A. Today’s and the Wall Street Journal Best Seller list. “The Slave Across the Street” received a nomination for an Audie Award, naming it in the top 5 of all biographies/memoirs. The 4 stars rated book is consistently among the top 10 on Amazon in Women’s Studies, Child Advocacy, Political and Social Science, Gender and Race Relations, and Family and Health Law. An award-winning documentary “The Girl Next Door” was made about her life story and activist work.

Her heart retching, shocking and totally gripping, incredible true story is of an all-American teenager, who survived two years of being a sex slave while living at home in an upper middle class Michigan suburb. She was stalked, intimidated, sold, and broken in mind and body. Out of shame, guilt, and fear of what would happen to the rest of her family, Theresa stayed silent. Now, she speaks out on the reality of how this is a silent epidemic across the U.S. inner cities to upper class neighborhoods.

Not only does she tell a story of a woman who lived through terrible circumstances, but also her presentations are an important reminder that human dignity can rise above any circumstance and impact the world, both by changing people’s hearts and minds and by altering the laws of the land.

Flores created the SOAP Project (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution), a hands-on outreach to fight sex trafficking at large events and in communities. The SOAP Project was created to not only educate and save, but also to fill a need. After founder Flores would speak to a group of people at awareness events, she noticed the attendees were in shock, frustrated and even angry. They demanded to know what they could do to stop this crime and protect their children. The SOAP Project allows concerned citizens to help put a stop to human trafficking in their community and save missing children.

Ms. Flores has received numerous awards for her bravery in speaking out but also for her work in rescuing missing teens during major sporting events. She has received the “L’Oréal Women of Worth Award”, the “Courage Award” from Ohio Governor Kasich, the “Christian Service Award” from the University of Dayton Alumni Association, the “Freedom Award” from ECPAT, and has the distinct honor of having a law named after her in Michigan. The “Theresa Flores Law” has removed the statute of limitations for any trafficked or sexually exploited victim, making Michigan the only state in the U.S. that a person can prosecute their offenders at any time they are ready.

Her story is important to hear as it is not the only one and is a worldwide human rights crisis. We hope that you will join us in October!