ELLA WORKS Foundation

Through best-in-class career training and employer partnerships, ELLA WORKS Foundation supports trafficking survivors and women transitioning from the commercial sex industry. Our culturally relevant programming aims to help each participant develop the skills, strategies, and connections necessary to expand her economic opportunities and transform her life through her work. Due to the illegal and subversive nature of the commercial sex industry, accurate statistics are difficult to obtain. We do know that across the U.S. women and girls are disproportionately affected by exploitation, often recruited into the industry between the ages of 14-16 by romantic partners, friends, or family members. While they have endured unfathomable hardships, individuals who have survived exploitation are also industrious, hard-working, and committed. We believe that with the right support system in place, viable and fulfilling employment is the fastest and most sustainable way to ensure that all women are able to maintain safety, become self-sufficient, and fulfill their potential. The vision for ELLA WORKS Foundation was seeded two decades ago when our Founder and President, Nicole Williams, was working as a career counselor with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. While supporting a woman who was formerly sex trafficked, Nicole recognized the untapped potential and willpower that others had overlooked because of her client’s history. This solidified Nicole’s calling—one that would take her across the country providing thousands of women with career management tools and support while serving as the go-to career expert for national media outlets including the Today Show, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. Participants will engage in a series of skills inventory, career exploration, and job preparation modules. Upon completion they will have the opportunity to apply for exclusive positions with major corporations and socially conscious companies.