Columbus, Ohio: The room was filled with anticipation, purpose, and emotion as international inspirational speaker and human trafficking survivor advocate Harold D’Souza set the rhythm of the day as the distinguished Keynote Speaker at the 3rd Annual Educators Human Trafficking Awareness Summit, hosted by Gracehaven and Franklinton Prep High School in Columbus, Ohio on February 13, 2026.
From being called ‘Illegal’ to being called ‘Inspirational,’ Harold D’Souza stands today as living proof that when courage meets faith, even the deepest wounds can become the brightest wings. A global voice for freedom, Harold’s journey from Survivor to Thriver is not just a story, it is a movement of hope for humanity.”
The powerful event brought together a packed audience of dignitaries, educators, law enforcement officials, military personnel, healthcare professionals, parents, community leaders, and concerned citizens, all united by one mission, to learn, prevent, and combat human trafficking through education and awareness.
Harold D’Souza, recipient of the prestigious United Nations Human Rights Hero Award 2023, delivered an unforgettable keynote titled “Red Flags, Problems, Solutions & Resources: The Prevention of Human Trafficking.” His speech was not just educational, it was transformational.
Harold was warmly introduced by Hannah Swift, Director of Community Outreach & Training for Gracehaven, who welcomed him to the stage and acknowledged his extraordinary courage and global leadership in empowering survivors and educating communities.
As Harold began his address, the room fell silent.With raw honesty and emotional depth, he shared his true-life story of labor trafficking and debt bondage in the United States of America, a story marked by deception, exploitation, threats, and unimaginable suffering.
He described how he was trafficked through fraudulent promises, forced into debt bondage, starved, abused, and stripped of his dignity. His trafficker would snap his fingers and call him “Illegal,” reducing a human being to a label of shame and control. Harold spoke of threats of kidnapping his children, hiring a hitman to kill him, and the emotional trauma that nearly destroyed his life.
The audience sat aghast, many moved to tears.“Trauma has no expiration date,” Harold said, emphasizing the lifelong impact of trafficking and the critical importance of counseling and mental health support for victims and survivors.
Despite the darkness, Harold’s message was one of hope.He shared how he once felt he had failed in the 4 P’s of life, Parent, Provider, Protector, and Person. But through faith and resilience, he flipped those failures into Passion, Purpose, Power, and Prayers, transforming his pain into purpose and his trauma into testimony.
“This is why I stand before you today,” Harold said. “Not as a victim, but as a survivor and a thriver.”
Harold emphasized that while America is a destination country for trafficking, many nations including India, Mexico, Bangladesh, and Nepal are source countries, where vulnerable individuals are deceived with false promises. Through his nonprofit organization, Eyes Open International, Harold is working tirelessly to cultivate awareness in these source countries, warning communities not to fall into the traps of traffickers.
A central highlight of Harold’s speech was his passionate call to teach children the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.He reminded the audience:Article 1: Everyone is born free and equal.Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude.Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture.Article 13: Everyone has the right to freedom of movement.
“We must teach our children these rights just like we teach them 1, 2, 3 and A, B, C,” Harold urged. “Because these are not privileges, they are their birthrights.”
Harold also focused on educating the audience about red flags, problems, solutions, and resources to identify and prevent trafficking. He provided practical guidance and urged immediate action if exploitation is suspected.
He shared critical hotline resources:United States National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-3737-888. Canada Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-833-900-1010 and India: +91-799-026-2632
“Please don’t fail victims, call and help them,” he urged.
In addition to trafficking awareness, Harold courageously spoke about a growing crisis impacting vulnerable populations, senior citizen scams and the recruitment of naïve students as couriers, many of whom unknowingly become involved in criminal activity and end up serving prison sentences.
He emphasized the urgent need for community education and the creation of dedicated hotline support systems to protect senior citizens and students from exploitation.
Adding a moment of warmth and humility, Harold shared with a smile, “My wife Dancy is the breadwinner, and I am the bread eater,” acknowledging the strength, sacrifice, and partnership that helped him rebuild his life.
As Harold concluded his keynote, he left the audience with four powerful life principles drawn from his journey: Be Happy, Think Positive, Never Quit, and Believe in Yourself
The audience rose in a standing ovation, recognizing not just a speaker, but a miracle man who flipped the script of his life.
Harold D’Souza’s keynote did more than educate, it awakened hearts, inspired minds, and ignited a collective commitment to protect the vulnerable and uphold human dignity.
“When the world called him Illegal, Harold D’Souza answered by becoming Inspirational. When slavery tried to silence him, he became the voice of freedom. Today, Harold lives to remind the world that your past is only a chapter, not your destiny. Flip your script. Rise with faith. Walk with purpose. And let your pain become the power that sets others free.”