LAW, POLICY, AND A HEART FOR JUSTICE

Featuring Keri Firth, J.D, Law Offices of David Martin & Associates

Lawyers have a distinct role in society. They may be revered or reviled, but they are always needed, especially in contexts when a clear mind and good laws can guide individuals and groups to resolve problems.  Keri Firth is a lawyer with both a clear mind and a great heart to help others to find the best ways to resolve problems through good law and good policy.

Keri has been practicing Family Law since 2019. She provides leadership skills and a commitment to excellence in representing clients around the Sacramento and Foothills regions of Northern California. Keri is a tireless advocate for those in need, especially in vulnerable family contexts. She is able to provide heart to her advocacy but with professionalism and a cool head in the most difficult cases. 

Keri’s law school experience prepared her well for her future legal practice.  Keri received her Juris Doctorate in 2018 from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. While attending McGeorge she held several student leadership positions and was awarded the Outstanding Service Award from the Honors & Award Committee in 2018. Keri is also a board member of The Federalist Society, Sacramento Lawyer's Chapter. 

Keri’s prior educational experiences led her to her professional path in law.  She received her Master of Arts in Public Policy from Liberty University in Virginia in 2013, and her Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from William Jessup University in California in 2011.  Her Public Policy education and training helped Keri to not only understand what makes good policy, but also the underlying issues needing to be addressed.

Throughout her experiences, Keri has utilized critical thinking skills not only for her education but also for her other professional experiences and service projects.  Keri honed her policy skills and knowledge by serving as a student attorney for the Legislative and Public Policy Clinic in support of a range of legislative bills.  She also served as a Policy Intern for the California Legislature conducting policy research and analysis.  And, for or several years both before and during her educational experiences, Keri worked full time on large scale projects in management and telecommunications that developed her ability to work in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.

In addition to her professional achievements, what sets Keri Firth apart is her heart for justice.  She has always been concerned for those who are vulnerable.  And she has brought her heart and her mind to seeking justice for those facing injustices.  As a member of G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice’s Board of Directors, Keri shares her passion for advocacy, public policy, and helping families through difficult circumstances.

DOCUMENTING THE INJUSTICE OF TRAFFICKING OF BOYS

Featuring Anna Smith & Chris Smith,

Producers, BOYS Documentary,

And Kartal Peel, Director, BOYS Documentary

Human trafficking, and especially sex trafficking, has become a worldwide crime on par with drug trafficking and arms dealing.  Though the injustice of human trafficking has become more widely known, the impact on boys and young men who are victims of sex trafficking has not yet received the attention it needs.  Advocates Anna and Chris Smith and filmmaker Kartal Peel came together with their distinct experiences and abilities to make this injustice known in BOYS Documentary.

Anna Smith has spent the majority of her career collaborating with leading trauma experts to develop innovative approaches to care for boys and men who have exited the life of sex trafficking. As a result of co-founding the nonprofit Restore One with her husband Chris, Anna served boys and men from years 2012-2019. While running Restore One, she was compelled by the lack of education pertaining to male sex trafficking and took the leap with Kartal and Chris to co-produce a full-length film entitled, Boys Documentary, an educational tool concerning the sexual trafficking of boys and men.  As an anti-trafficking advocate, Anna enjoys using her knowledge and personal experience to strengthen and stand in freedom with others through speaking, writing, teaching, and consulting. Journeying through her own recovery process, she understands that healing is a painful yet beautiful path we must take to receive freedom. Anna believes healing is possible for everyone, no matter age, gender, or situation - it is possible. As an extension to her trauma-care work, she enjoys serving survivors of trauma and abuse through counseling and trauma-informed yoga through her business, Hope Bound Yoga and Counseling LLC. Anna’s education includes a Master of Social Work from East Carolina University and 500 RYT in yoga therapeutics from the Wilmington Yoga Center

Chris Smith is an innovative influencer in the anti-trafficking movement. Compelled to action, he and his wife Anna joined forces to launch nonprofit Restore One in 2012, addressing sex trafficking of men and boys. With tenacity, Chris served as Restore One's Founding President and continued to lead with excellence, guiding the organization to champion the needs of boys and men. Influenced by the lacking education of male sex trafficking, he partnered with Creative Director Kartal Peel and Anna, to co-produce Boys Documentary. Chris continues to excel in the field of social justice by serving nonprofits through compelling storytelling and impactful digital marketing.  Through his business Uprise Social, Chris strives to take social justice issues into practical action through social media marketing and management.

Kartal Peel is an award-winning digital creator that has done many things in life. He is a graduate of The Cleveland Institute of Art. He owned 3 successful businesses. He is now a Creative Producer for a national branded content studio. It’s his dream job that allows him to live out his passion every day by connecting brands with audiences through dynamic storytelling and advertising campaigns. Over the last few years, Kartal has had the opportunity to do some great work but says that he is still "winging it." He feels like if more people admitted to not knowing what they are doing, that we are all just winging it, we’d all be a lot saner. Kartal has gained a lot of skills that have come with a lot of experiences. With those experiences, he intends to truly never know what he's doing for as long as he lives -- to be a student and forever learning in this thing called life.  But his intentionality in bringing to the community the stories of boys and young men who are survivors has been an intentional and heartfelt opportunity to use his skills to make a positive impact on the issue of sex trafficking.

With the BOYS Documentary, Anna, Chris, & Kartal, interviewed many survivors from different backgrounds, experiences, and locations to tell their stories and highlight the injustice of sex trafficking of boys and young men.  The resulting powerful documentary not only demonstrates the distinct situations and burdens these male victims carry, but the remarkable impact they can make when they are able to overcome as survivors and advocate to protect others against these injustices.