UNITAS Star-Studded 5th Annual Gala Raises $1 Million To Continue Vital Work Disrupting Human Trafficking And Supporting Survivors

EXCLUSIVE NYC EVENT AT CIPRIANI SOUTH STREET FEATURED PERFORMANCES BY GRAMMY-NOMINATED MULTI PLATINUM SINGER NATASHA BEDINGFIELD, SINGER & RECORDING ARTIST CRIS CAB, AND AWARD-WINNING VIOLIST DAVID AARON CARPENTER OF THE CARPENTER TRIO 

HOSTED BY EMMY AWARD WINNING ABC-TV NEWS ANCHOR SADE BEDERINWA  

EVENT INCLUDED HONOREES NYPD LIEUTENANT ANY CAPOGNA FROM CITYWIDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SQUAD; AND YEHUDIT ZICKLIN-SIDIKMAN, EMPOWERMENT SELF-DEFENSE AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

September 14, 2022---UNITAS, the award-winning, international organization dedicated to preventing human trafficking and supporting survivors, held its highly anticipated star-studded 5^th annual gala last night at New York’s Cipriani South Street. The event raised $1 Million to further prevention education for youth, provide training for school staff and community stakeholders, disrupt human trafficking, and support survivors through therapeutic intensives, retreats, mentorship, and housing.

 Photos from the Gala (OK TO DOWNLOAD AND POST): https://dam.gettyimages.com/assignments/unitas-gala-2022

Video Footage of Natasha Bedingfield Performing (OK TO DOWNLOAD AND POST):  https://dam.gettyimages.com/assignments/unitas-gala-2022

The evening’s highlights included:

• Dynamic performances from multi-platinum singer Natasha Bedingfield,  who performed four songs including a cover of Prince’s classic Purple Rain, the Grammy nominated “Unwritten,” “These Words,” and “Pocketful of Sunshine.”
• Performances by recording artist/singer Cris Cab, and violist David Carpenter of The Carpenter Trio.
• An art auction featuring works from artists including Peter Tunney, Ukrainian Lina Condes First Martian Art Station, and Sofia Zubi.
• A window into the ongoing mission of NYC’s Citiwide Human Trafficking Squad, shared by Lieutenant Amy Capogna.
• An inspiring look at the wide ranging and pioneering efforts in violence prevention education and Empowerment Self-Defense led by social entrepreneur/activist Yehudit Zicklin-Sidikman. 

UNITAS President & CEO Tonya Turner said, “Responding to human trafficking and exploitation requires a collective response comparable in size to that of the issue itself.”

 About UNITAS

UNITAS began combatting human trafficking in 2015 after founder, Lubo Krstajic, learned of the plights of trafficking victims. Believing in unity as the name suggests, UNITAS quickly forged partnerships with governments and NGOs, and hired experts in the field to develop collaborative solutions in the fight against human trafficking. UNITAS has offices in Belgrade, Serbia and New York.

This year, UNITAS was awarded a Webby Gold Anthem Award for its "best strategy" for reaching youth with "transformative" trafficking prevention education through its Lights curriculum. The narrative-based curriculum has been implemented by key partners including the largest school systems in the United States with the NYC Department of Education, the Washington, DC public schools, and others. 

Watch the UNITAS Mission Video HERE.

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Hashtag: #unitasgala

For additional information, please email Rebecca Shapiro or Kerri Brusca at Shore Fire Media: rshapiro@shorefire.com or kbrusca@shorefire.com