Human Trafficking - A Survivors Story - Christine McDonald

Christine McDonald is an internationally recognized author and speaker on the social injustices facing underserved populations today.  As a survivor of human trafficking, homelessness, and addiction, Christine- now blind as a result of a disease that forced her to choose between her unborn child and her eyesight- is on a mission to bring justice and awareness to the forefront of social change through education and unconditional love.

Christine began life in a small town in Oklahoma, in a very dark and painful household. She felt safest using her own survival skills to live on the streets and ran away for the last time when she was just 15.  This began her 17 year journey of homelessness, which comprised of being sex trafficked, drug addiction, prostitution, 103 arrests and 7 prison stints.  Finally ready for a better life and barely able to read or write, Christine began a new journey of exiting the life of the streets, only to be challenged again.

Completely blind and eternally vigilant, today Christine uses her life experience and education to work as an advocate for trafficking victims, the homeless, recovering addicts, ex-offenders and disabled populations.  Currently living in St Louis, Missouri, Christine is a proud mom of her 7 year old son and practices a loving open adoption with her daughter’s adoptive parents in nearby Kirkwood.  Christine is the author of Cry Purple: One Woman’s Journey through Homelessness, Crack Addiction and Prison to Blindness, Motherhood and Happiness and is the founder of www.ChristinesVision.org.  She has also been featured locally and nationally on various media outlets, including NBC, CBS, FOX and NPR and sits on multiple local, state-wide and international level boards and committees.