History

In 2008, Brenda Wells experienced an awakening of sorts. Through the International Justice Mission, Brenda’s attention was drawn to the issue of human trafficking. However, as an American working overseas, she was under a rather widespread misconception that trafficking was an issue pervasive only outside the United States. From 2008 to 2013, it was an issue that kept reappearing. “We were overseas with the military,” Wells explains, “and human trafficking would show up in military PSAs.” But when she returned to California, Brenda learned an entirely different side of the story - that human trafficking is alive and well right here in our backyards. It was in 2013 that Brenda Wells attended an Orange County anti-trafficking event and the wheels were set in motion. Two years later, in 2015, Brenda launched i-5 Freedom Network – an organization borne from her passion for the cause and her professional experience.

Brenda combined her professional experience with her knowledge on human trafficking to combat the activity from a unique vantage point. As a corporate trainer she leveraged her connections in Dale Carnegie to provide free employment training for survivors, who are at a disadvantage when it comes to finding and retaining work. What’s more, her experience in and understanding of the hotel industry allowed her to formulate human trafficking prevention training tailored to the needs of the hotel industry. With an engaged Board and dedicated team, i-5 Freedom Network has become an integral part of the healing process for human trafficking survivors throughout Orange County and the surrounding area.

Mission

The i-5 Freedom Network’s mission is three-fold:

1) To empower survivors with life skills for a path forward and away from the life of human trafficking

2) To equip the hospitality industry with tools to become heroes in the fight against human trafficking

3) To mobilize entire communities to join the fight to end human trafficking.

We continue to develop and refine our programs to bring education, training, and action opportunities to combat human trafficking up and down the I-5 corridor in Southern California, providing access and advantage to survivors through workshops that increase their employability and their belief in themselves.

i-5 Freedom Network

160 Avenida Granada
San Clemente , California 92672

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