Sex trafficking is a major issue in our society and knowing that WHAM gives these young women’s shelter and an outlet away from it all is truly remarkable.”

Jamie Aldama | Glendale councilman

WHAM Art Center in Surprise has been providing ‘Self-Care Through Art’ for the Sanctuary Program at West Valley StreetlightUSA, for the past three years, monthly, year-round, offering respite through hands-on art activities, crafts, art lessons, clay/ceramic classes and group art projects on site.

The girls come from throughout the West Valley, and their addresses are confidential. For trafficking survivors, art is an effective, engaging, non-verbal treatment to support adolescent girls ages 13 to 17 at risk of, and victimized by, commercial sex trafficking.

The classes are taught by professional WHAM art teachers vetted by StreetlightUSA. This program has been funded by individuals and small business donations.

StreetlightUSA transitions adolescent girls victimized by or at risk of being exploited by commercial sex trafficking, from trauma to triumph through crisis-intervention and stabilization 24/7. Sanctuary Residential Program provides counseling and therapy through trauma-informed-care in-patient services in an emotionally and physically safe environment to teen girls suffering significantly due to sexual abuse.

The funding was running out for WHAM to continue teaching at StreetlightUSA Shelter in Glendale and the classes were in jeopardy of ending.

Some funding for this program ‘Self-Care Through Art’ came from out of the blue when Glendale’s Councilman Jamie Aldama stepped up to give WHAM’s art program at StreetlightUSA a $1,500 donation to keep this worthwhile endeavor alive.

Glendale Councilman Jamie Aldama is serving his third term as a councilmember and will be campaigning for election to be the next Glendale mayor.

Aldama is former chair of the Government Services Committee and is a past vice chairman for the Glendale Planning and Zoning Commission, past vice chairman of the Glendale Parks and Recreation Commission, and a former member of the Mayor’s Water and Sewer Task Force.

Aldama currently chairs the Glendale Audit Committee.

“I am so pleased to be involved with WHAM Art Association,” said Aldama of the Ocotillo District. “Sex trafficking is a major issue in our society and knowing that WHAM gives these young women’s shelter and an outlet away from it all is truly remarkable.”

WHAM Art Center, which turned 17 this year, is the West Valley’s one stop art center, just as Glendale One is the one stop for service.

What started as a small art center with no staff and a few members, is, today, the West Valley community art center with more than 300 artist members, a team of 14 staff and serving more than 6,000 people annually through the door at the 8,500 square foot fully-equipped art center, with thousands more served through public events produced by WHAM Art Center.

WHAM Art Center provides art experiences to several underserved populations like veterans, special needs individuals, teens at-risk, seniors, human trafficked girls, and economically challenged parents with children who desperately need art education, as well as all the traditional art ages and groups.

Those who would like to contribute to WHAM’s program “Self-Care through Art” can go to wham-art.org to donate or send a donation into WHAM Art Center, 16560 N. Dysart Road., Surprise, AZ 85378, Attn: Self-Care through Art.