TYLA President's Opinion • January 2024
Keep on Survivin'
“I’m a survivor, I’m not gon’ give up
I’m not gon’ stop, I’m gon’ work harder
I’m a survivor, I’m gonna make it
I will survive, keep on survivin.’ ”
—Destiny’s Child
I would be completely remiss if i did not include a song written by beyoncé in this series. In the late ’90s, as the success of the group Destiny’s Child grew, so did the negativity surrounding them. Clearly inspired by the reality TV show, Beyoncé wrote the song “Survivor” as a play on what happened to them when they lost three members in one year. The song became a defining moment for Destiny’s Child. Calling out anyone who ever doubted the group, Beyoncé penned a powerful anthem against all the negativity.
She later explained on MTV’s Making the Video: “‘Survivor’ is basically about surviving different situations. Everyone in this world that I know, they’ve survived something, and I know the song is definitely inspirational. It really makes you feel strong and it really makes you feel like you can survive anything.”
I agree. We have all survived something, and when you survive, you feel stronger. You are stronger. While I do take a lot of inspiration from the song lyrics (I mean, who doesn’t?), I take even more inspiration from survivors of sexual assault, human trafficking, and other crime victims.
My involvement with TYLA originally stemmed from my passion to support survivors of human trafficking. In 2012, I assisted TYLA with the development of the Slavery Out of the Shadows: Spotlight on Human Trafficking project to increase awareness on this important issue. In 2021, in working with law enforcement, service providers, survivors, and advocates, TYLA reaffirmed its commitment to providing access to justice for every survivor of human trafficking with a new installment of the project.
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a presidentially designated observance designed to educate the public about human trafficking and the role we can play in preventing and responding to human trafficking. In general, there is always more lawyers can do to help survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. Survivors are typically unaware of the legal resources available to them, so the legal community is in a great position to educate victim service organizations and survivors on their legal rights and to provide legal advice or representation when necessary. Coincidentally, these connections can also help the legal community understand where the gaps are in resources on a more local level. Lawyers cannot all do the same thing to help survivors, but we can all do something.
Lastly, an important part of legal service, whether you’re a prosecutor, a pro bono attorney, or an advocate for victims, is not giving up. With the start of the new year, think back on your survivor moments from 2023, whether yours, a family member’s, or a client’s. Again, when you survive something, you get stronger. So do not give up. You’re going to make it. “Keep on survivin’.”
LAURA PRATT
2023-2024 President, Texas Young Lawyers Association
