Amy-Marie Merrell
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Amy-Marie Merrell is a Las Vegas community activist for sex worker and those affected by human trafficking.
Background
Amy-Marie Merrell dedicated her life to helping people. She attended a university in New York where she earned a graduate degree in non-profit management. Her first experience was connecting jazz musicians of New York to healthcare and employment.[1] She follows in the footsteps of her mother who was a philosopher. Trying to make a real impact in her community with her work. She empowers individuals that survive sex slavery and human trafficking.
Merrell had her first experience with the stigmatization around sex workers while living in Portland in 2009.[2] She was walking home one night when she witnessed a woman being physically assaulted. A nearby security guard witnessed the event but refused to get involved because the woman was a prostitute that hangs out around the area.[3] Merrell ran home to call 911, when the police arrived both individuals were gone. The police officers that responded to the scene noted that the woman may of had warrants and would've been arrested following the event. When meeting with the chief of police she was told that if she really wanted to make a difference she would need to do it from the ground up. That is when she turned her focus to working with houselessness nonprofits, domestic violence shelters, and anti-trafficking groups.[2]