‘I Will Rise’ documentary holds Kansas City premiere

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Christine McDonald escaped industrial exploitation in 2004.

“I needed to battle actually onerous, and no person ought to ever need to battle like I did,” McDonald mentioned.

Her journey of survival, and now advocacy, is one the KSHB 41 Information staff has adopted for years.

“Once I exited, there have been no companies, there have been no applications, we did not have language,” McDonald mentioned.

A shelter is now named after her in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, to help those that are commercially and sexually exploited.

Sunday, McDonald’s story was showcased on the massive display as she served as inspiration for a brand new documentary titled “I Will Rise.”

The movie, that includes a dramatization of Christine’s expertise, premiered on the Independence Boulevard Christian Church.

These concerned need the movie to be an academic device to assist chart a path ahead.

“Simply considering it may’t occur to you, like, you suppose you are so sheltered and also you suppose this would not occur to me, proper?” mentioned Nevaeh Fulk, an actress within the challenge.

Producer and director Anita Cordell hopes viewers stroll away not feeling scared however ready with a greater understanding of the influence some decisions could make.

Russ Tuttle, president and founding father of the Cease Trafficking Mission, has an identical aim. He says his challenge works with colleges to teach and have interaction with dad and mom and college students.

“We have been with 80,000 college students in Kansas and Missouri, and roughly 1/3 of these college students, primarily based on surveys sixth grade by twelfth grade, inform us they’ve met a whole stranger in particular person they first met on-line or are energetic in sending nudes of themselves to individuals on-line,” Tuttle mentioned.

Cordell hopes the documentary will convey extra consciousness to the neighborhood effort wanted to unravel this drawback.

And as for Christine McDonald, she is looking forward to the long run.

“I’m optimistic,” McDonald mentioned.