Clovis proclaims January 2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Month; local groups urge community action

The Clovis City Council on Jan. 6 read a proclamation declaring January 2025 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and heard statements from local anti‑trafficking organizations about prevention, outreach and training opportunities.

The proclamation cited local and national statistics and recognized Fresno EOC’s Central Valley Against Human Trafficking Program. Amber Secondino, program manager for Fresno EOC’s Central Valley Against Human Trafficking, told the council the program “has been in our community serving victims of human trafficking since 2009.” She urged residents to address vulnerabilities — housing, transportation, food and employment — that traffickers exploit and described a series of community events and trainings. “Preventing trafficking can look like providing healthy conversations with our kids about safety and boundaries,” Secondino said.

Why it matters: speakers stressed that awareness alone is insufficient and asked the city and residents to use time, donations and civic platforms to reduce demand and support survivors. Krista Weems, executive director of the Central Valley Justice Coalition, told the council, “Human trafficking will not end until we decide that the cost of exploitation is more than we can bear.”

Local partners and events: Secondino announced a Pledge to Stop Trafficking event scheduled for Jan. 21 at the corner of Shaw and Clovis avenues and an awareness day on Jan. 11; she referred people seeking to donate or learn more to pst.org. Martin Rodriguez of Centro La Familia Advocacy Services and Cara Grasmick of Breaking the Chains thanked the council for the proclamation and highlighted labor trafficking concerns in packing houses, farms and street vending.

Council response: Mayor Pro Tem Diane Pierce and several council members thanked the organizations for their work and discussed potential next steps at the municipal level, including public education and coordinating with police, schools and health services. Pierce said the city could look for “best practices in communities” and coordinate outreach so residents understand that a proclamation and local events are only part of a broader prevention strategy.

Context and limitations: The proclamation cites a range of published figures (the proclamation text read an estimate that 50,000,000 people are in modern slavery globally and that Fresno EOC’s program has assisted and identified more than 2,100 local victims). The council did not adopt new ordinances or funding at the Jan. 6 meeting; staff and council discussed potential follow‑up and community engagement.