29-Helping Families Find Hope, Justice, and Healing"- Utah Homicide Survivors with Brandon Merrill

03/23/24 • 53 min

Libertas International is proud to have Brandon Merrill, the founder of Utah Homicide Survivors, a nonprofit based in Provo, Utah that serves surviving families of homicide victims.
Under Brandon's leadership, UHS has grown to become a leading advocate for homicide survivors in Utah, offering a wide range of services to help families navigate the aftermath of tragedy. With years of experience working in the field of victim services, Brandon is dedicated to helping survivors heal and find justice. His passion for helping others and his commitment to making a difference in the lives of those affected by homicide are a driving force behind the success of Utah Homicide Survivors.

Brandon graduated from Utah Valley University in 2013, with a degree in International Politics. He moved to Vermont to attend Vermont Law School and study environmental law later that year. After taking his first environmental law class he decided that it wasn't the path for him. In order to graduate from law school he found an internship with the Never Again Foundation in Arizona, which sadly closed their doors in 2019. This organization taught him the importance of legal services for families of homicide victims and how to navigate the family through the numerous civil legal processes. After graduating from Vermont Law School in January 2016, Brandon worked as a divorce and custody mediator and a money laundering analyst while also continuing to volunteer for the Never Again Foundation. In August 2017, he took a staff position with the Never Again Foundation. In 2018, Brandon and his wife Karleigh moved to Utah to open a Utah chapter of the Never Again Foundation. In early 2019 the Never Again Foundation was hit hard with financial troubles and had to close their door permanently in March 2019. Brandon did not want to see the gap for homicide survivors re-open so he started Utah Homicide Survivors that same month where he serves as the Founder and Executive Director.

Brandon details how he got started in this work, how he keeps himself sane in the work that he does and what are the factors that can lead to homicide.
Here is an event that Brandon puts on every year that honors victims of homicide-https://ksltv.com/589460/families-of-utah-homicide-victims-gather-to-support-each-other-for-national-day-of-remembrance/
A case Brandon was involved in involving a road rage homicide in Utah-https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/families-grieve-over-loved-ones-killed-in-road-rage-incidents
List of homicide victims in Utah-https://www.ksl.com/article/50567570/grim-tally-a-look-at-each-of-utahs-homicide-victims-of-2022

Previous Episode

28-Reuniting Families Via Repatriation

In this episode, Tyler discusses the need aftercare service of repatriation.
Survivors that are trafficked to different countries oftentimes need help from outside agencies to allow them to return home to their families. Survivors can in some instances be tricked into jobs, forced to leave their country by romantic partners, or kidnapped and taken to another place.
Donating $500 USD a month to Libertas International ensures that we can fund at least family reunification every single month!
Here are this weeks resources.
libertasfreedom.org to sign up to become a monthly donor to help reunite families.
This was the Project referred to this in podcast. Project Catleya in the Dominican Republic.
https://dominican.news/local/more-than-80-women-rescued-from-human-trafficking-in-cattleya/
This is a report done by our journalist friend from El Espectador where she interviews one of our survivors who was trafficked and taken to Chile by El Tren de Aragua.
https://www.elespectador.com/investigacion/el-tren-de-aragua-detras-de-la-explotacion-sexual-de-migrantes-de-latinoamerica/

Next Episode

30-"Basada en Los Derechos Humanos" feat. Betty Pedraza Lozano, Heroe de TIP y fundadora de Espacio de Mujeres

Bienvenidos al podcast de Libertas International! En este programa, exploramos el impacto del trabajo incansable de mujeres inspiradoras en la sociedad. Hoy, nos honra presentar a Betty Pedraza Lozano, fundadora de la Corporación Espacios de Mujer en 2003 y directora de la organización desde entonces.

Desde su fundación, Betty ha liderado una lucha implacable contra la trata de personas en Colombia, transformando políticas y conciencias. Co-fundadora de la Alianza Colombiana de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil contra la Trata de Personas, representa a esta alianza en la Alianza Global contra la Trata de Mujeres (GAATW).

A través de su organización, Betty ha llevado a cabo campañas de concientización pública, enfocadas en prevención, identificación de víctimas y servicios de apoyo. Ha establecido una "escuela" de formación para mujeres vulnerables, brindándoles conocimientos sobre sus derechos y cómo protegerse contra la trata de personas y otras formas de explotación. Además, su trabajo se centra en la capital colombiana, Medellín, y en el departamento de Antioquia.

Betty Pedraza Lozano ha sido fundamental en la integración del derecho internacional de los derechos humanos en Colombia, colaborando con organizaciones internacionales y el gobierno colombiano. En 2015, fue reconocida como Heroína en la Lucha contra la Esclavitud Moderna por su dedicación incansable en la lucha contra la trata de personas. Además, recibió el premio TIP (Trafficking in Persons) Hero Award del Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos, el más alto honor que puede recibir un defensor en contra de la trata de personas.

Únanse a nosotros mientras exploramos el legado y la labor continua de Betty Pedraza Lozano en la defensa de los derechos humanos y la lucha contra la trata de personas en Colombia. ¡Bienvenida, Betty!
http://www.tipheroes.org/betty-pedraza-lozano/
https://www.gaatw.org/resources/e-bulletin/815-interview-with-betty-pedraza-lozano-from-espacios-de-mujer
https://www.espaciosdemujer.org/