During this season of giving, I am honored to share with you the work of Annie Cannons - a nonprofit organization that connects survivors of human trafficking to sustainable careers in tech. After serving in the non-profit/philanthropy sector for over 15 years, I decided to join the board of Annie Cannons this year because of its strong leadership and innovative mission, which empowers survivors with the skills they need to create a new future for themselves and their families. There are many organizations combating human trafficking, but Annie Cannons is the only one that economically empowers survivors - 90% who are women of which 75% are women of color - and gives them tangible skills in tech through innovative training courses.

I am thrilled to invite you to join my Stellar Circle campaign, which seeks to raise $10,400 to provide direct support to fund our students. Any dollar amount you contribute is tax-deductible and no amount is too small to help us reach our goal. Annie Cannons operates as a very lean organization (I can attest to that as a board member!), so you can rest assured that every dollar you invest in the Stellar Circle goes directly to cover much needed stipends for students as they attend our training programs. I completely understand if you are not in a position to contribute financially at this time - we are always looking for introductions to new tech firms and organizations that can serve as potential pathways to new employment for our graduates. Your contacts and network are just as valuable as your financial contributions!

Thank you so much for your time and consideration of this request - and most importantly for being a part of this important journey with us. I am so grateful to have you a part of my “stellar circle” and appreciate your generosity of spirit this season and beyond.

With gratitude today and always,

Sarina

PS. Curious why the organization is called Annie Cannons? Fun fact: Our namesake, Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941), was a brilliant astronomer, but was underestimated during her lifetime. In spite of pervasive gender discrimination, she persevered and made revolutionary scientific discoveries that shaped our modern world.