Brenda Myers Powell

Brenda Jean Myers-Powell (born April 18, 1957) is an American activist and advocate against human trafficking. Myers-Powell said that she had seen prostitutes working on the street and getting paid for what had already been done to her. Needing enough money to survive, she decided to work on the street. The third time Myers-Powell went to the corner to work, in June 1973, two pimps attacked her, abducted her from outside the Mark Twain Hotel on the Near North Side, raped her, and locked her into a hotel room until she agreed to work for them from there on. She tried to escape several times but wasn't able to do so for six months. Later on she was prostituted out by other pimps. She also helped her pimps procure other young girls for the life. After about 14 or 15 years of sex work, she became addicted to drugs. Myers Powell was shot at five times and stabbed 13 times by clients during her time as a prostitute. After sustaining severe injuries from the client she was treated at County Hospital in Chicago where a doctor advised her to visit the social services at the hospital and she was given the address of Genesis House. Myers-Powell found refuge at Genesis House, which is a safe house for women that are prostituted in the Chicago area. She received job training there and counseling. Myers-Powell credits the head of the safe house, Edwina Gateley, with saving her and teaching her on how to be confident.

Myers-Powell also is a public speaker on the topic of human trafficking. She testified in front of the Illinois State Senate.

Personal life Myers-Powell has been married once and has four children, one adopted. Myers-Powell has been married to Keith Powell since 2004. She has three daughters and a son.