Meet Kristen Bracy | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristen Bracy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristen, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
The mission of I Rise is to break the cycle of poverty that survivors of human trafficking and other forms of violence/exploitation find themselves in upon exiting that violent situation. We promote economic justice and empowerment for survivors and work to help women attain financial stability and independence and get back into the workforce in a career that provides them a sense of dignity and worth, a livable wage, and upward mobility. Through this aim, we believe we can help the survivor heal, which will impact her family for generations to come and the community itself.

We accomplish our mission through conducting research to inform the field about the intersection between economic abuse and violence against women, running a trauma-informed workforce development program, providing person-centered case management, life skills workshops (financial literacy, credit restoration, driver’s ed, etc.), and program development for survivor advancement (GED program, Rising Leaders Network, etc.).

These solutions aim to prevent women from being lured back into a violent/exploitative situation and to reduce vulnerabilities for women and their children who are targeted and recruited into human trafficking situations due to economic need.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We don’t conceptualize ourselves in ways that set us apart. As a nonprofit organization that is movement-minded, we are more focused on how we can contribute to the solution of a complex problem, such as human trafficking or violence against women. These problems are complex because they have no clear beginning or end, no singular solution, and many contributing factors that are also complex, such as poverty, racism, the commodification of the human body, etc.

We have found that we fill a significant gap in the anti-trafficking movement and anti-violence movement, as many organizations are focused on direct intervention and not set-up to provide long-term aftercare. We look at these complex problems not just as social justice issues, but also economic justice issues. If we want to prevent survivors from being revictimized and truly want survivors to move from surviving and into thriving, we have to create better pathways for this to occur. The mission of I Rise is focused on creating those pathways, and we do this through focusing on financial literacy, education, and gainful employment for survivors.

We are most proud of the incredible survivors we have had the pleasure of walking alongside. They are the champions and the heroes in this story and it is an honor to cheer for them and help them along the way.

We are constantly working to grow and build capacity. It is a hard slog every day and our biggest challenge is funding (shocking!). If we had more funding, we could increase our capacity to serve more survivors. However, as we continue to do the work, the money continues to come, so we are building in proportion to the level of funding we receive and we are keeping our eye on our guiding star and what we know we will build into one day.

The biggest lesson I have learned is that if you keep going, you will eventually reach your destination. As Thomas Edison once put it, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

What matters more to me than what people know about me or my brand or my story is what they know about survivors – Survivors are the most resilient, determined, worthy, and wonderful humans and they deserve a chance to thrive rather than just survive. Survivors are incredible employees, so if you are a business owner/operator, please consider second chance employment and work with your local nonprofit organization (call us!) to hire survivors of human trafficking, a wonderful yet hidden talent pool.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I Rise is located in Pinellas County on the West coast of central Florida. We have white sandy beaches and fresh seafood. We have adorable little towns like Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, and more.

Tarpon Springs:
Shopping in the historic downtown area (my favorites are Sunshine Supply Company and The Gilded Page Bookstore)
Cool off with the best ice cream you’ll ever taste at Orange Cycle Creamery.
Walking the sponge docks and buying an authentic sponge from Lori’s Soaps
Dining at Rusty Bellies or Mr. Souvlaki’s
Seeing a show at Tarpon Arts
Coffee at Urban Grounds
Visit a local brewery, my favorite is Sponge City Brewing

Dunedin:
Shopping at all of the wonderful shops on Main Street (Lafayette and Rushford is a must)
Walking the Farmer’s Market on the weekend or an arts festival on specific dates
Dining at one of the many delicious restaurants on Main Street (Sea Sea Riders, Casa Tina’s, Hog Island Fish Camp, Pisces)
Visiting the Arts District in Downtown Dunedin (Dunedin is known for its artisans)
Honeymoon Island Beach
Sushi at Seawhip Sushi Bar
Coffee at Veskolini
Stay at the Fenway Hotel

Safety Harbor:
Spa day at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa
Walk their cute downtown area

St. Petersburg:
Visit the most beautiful beach – Pass-a-Grille
Downtown St. Pete for shopping, dining, the new pier
Visit museums – Chihuly and Dali
Arts festivals and farmer’s markets along Beach Drive on the weekends
Go to a baseball game at Tropicana Field

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh my goodness, who doesn’t deserve credit and recognition? There is no way any organization can be founded or any work can be completed without a community of people working to make it happen. My wonderful Board of Directors has supported this organization, championed it, and helped to build capacity along the way. Bayside Community Church is one of our largest donors and supporters and has provided us the space to run the organization. Audrey Orgo completed all the documentation and balances the books to keep the lights on every month. Cody Bracy and Guy Owen help to organize our largest fundraiser of the year to enable us to keep providing these critical services. All of our donors who give so generously, especially our faithful recurring givers. All of the Master Instructors that give of their time and expertise to teach our students skills and prepare them for their careers. Harbor Dish for feeding our students and going above and beyond to provide them with basic needs essentials. Most importantly, the survivor leaders who speak into the mission, vision, and programming of I Rise and make this organization what it is. The incredible staff I have had the pleasure of working with! And finally, my muse, Maya Angelou, for who this organization is named after, who reminds us that we can all rise from even the darkest moments in our lives.

Website: https://www.irisefl.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/irisefl/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/i-rise-fl/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IRise.Florida

Other: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/AcohFIW

Image Credits
LeShayne Maddex and Leanna Lash-Tardiff