Whitney Anderson

When Whitney Anderson learned how prevalent human trafficking is in Oklahoma, she knew it was her calling to take action against it. After an eye-opening mission trip to Lesotho, where she met with trafficking survivors, Whitney was inspired to bring what she learned back to her home state.

"I saw that they were in this safe, healing environment," she says. "There was hope possible even after people were trafficked."

Out of that hope, Whitney co-founded The Dragonfly Home to "walk alongside human trafficking survivors on their path to freedom and restoration." Whitney and her team connect survivors with the resources and care they need to move forward with resilience. Since 2016, The Dragonfly Home has fielded over 10,000 calls from its helpline and served over 1,000 individual survivors.

Whitney is not the first in her family to both advocate for human rights and care deeply about the Chickasaw people. Her great-great grandfather Martin Van Buren Cheadle was an attorney and legislator who helped Chickasaws settle land disputes and fight for their individual rights. Whitney attributes her own passion for social justice to her Chickasaw heritage.

"A heart for fighting for what other people might need, courage, strength and tenacity. That's all Chickasaw," says Whitney.

As The Dragonfly Home continues to grow, Whitney remembers the strength of her Chickasaw ancestors. "It serves as a source of inspiration for the work that I do. It's something that I think about every single day."

If you or someone you know is a survivor of human trafficking and in need of support, visit TheDragonflyHome.org or call the 24-hour helpline at (405) 212-3377.