Post by Katie Patterson Awaken is opening the first restorative home in Northern Nevada that will help women who have been exploited for commercial sex heal from, process, and overcome the industry’s negative and traumatic effects. At Awaken’s 2017 banquet, Melissa Holland, co-founder of Awaken, addressed the desperate need of a housing option for women…… Continue Reading →
Post by Katie Patterson For thousands of people, Hot August Nights is a stroll down memory lane, an opportunity to reminisce in the nostalgia of cherry red Corvettes, ’69 Mustangs, teal Chevys with cream interiors, and the golden era of design. Having not been to the event, I was excited when two of my coworkers…… Continue Reading →
Katie Patterson is a Golden Gopher from the University of Minnesota. She moved to Reno a couple years ago and claims that Reno is a “hidden gem and best kept secret on the West Coast.” Between skiing Rose, hiking Tahoe and enjoying the surrounding areas, Katie has no plans to leave. She graduated from…… Continue Reading →
To complete my final blog post as an Awaken intern, I wrote a poem dedicated to survivors of sexual exploitation. I chose the honey badger because of their internal strength and perseverance. This is the same strength that I see in survivors at Awaken. An Ode to a Survivor People question why the honey badger…… Continue Reading →
Celebration nights are one way the Awaken staff honors their community. On April 20th, 2018, I had the privilege of experiencing one of these events first-hand. As 5:30 approached, guests began to arrive one by one. I started to notice familiar faces, some mentors some clients, and some volunteers. I sat down and observed smiles…… Continue Reading →
Staff Spotlight by Vanessa Dunn, Awaken Intern Awaken is filled with warriors. One of those is Co-Founder, Jen Robinson, whose tremendous compassion for her clients shines as she discusses her work. Executive Director and fellow Co-Founder, Melissa Holland, states: One thing that stands out about Jen, is the way the women are so drawn to…… Continue Reading →