Lauren’s Kids, the Florida-based foundation dedicated to preventing child sexual abuse through education and awareness, won two Suncoast Regional EMMY Awards on Saturday for their awareness videos, “Walk in My Shoes: Prevention through Education” and “Child Sexual Abuse Prevention – Lauren’s Kids.”
“We are honored to be recognized by the Academy of Arts and Sciences with our fourth and fifth EMMY Awards, because each time we receive this recognition, we are also presented with an opportunity to amplify our message of prevention, hope and healing,” said Senator Lauren Book, founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids. “We know 95 percent of child sexual abuse is preventable through education and awareness, which is why we will continue to produce engaging, high-quality content to encourage survivors to come forward and arm children, parents and educators with the resources needed to end abuse.”
Filmed during the foundation’s eighth annual “Walk in My Shoes” journey across Florida, “Walk in My Shoes: Prevention through Education” features Senator Book teaching lessons from the nonprofit’s Safer, Smarter Schools curriculum – the country’s first evidence-based K-12 abuse prevention curriculum – in Florida classrooms as well as testimonials from educators. Demonstrating the program’s ability to help students learn about personal safety from a place of fun, not fear, the video also showcases the ways the curriculum empowers children to identify and avoid unsafe situations, and to seek help from a trusted adult whenever they feel scared or uncomfortable.
The other winning entry, “Child Sexual Abuse Prevention,” draws upon themes from Senator Book’s children’s book, “Lauren’s Kingdom.” With a narration from Senator Book, the animated video encourages child sexual abuse victims that, “If you’re choking back tears and your heart’s filled with fears, you know very well…it’s OK to tell.”
One of 10 nominees in the Public/Community Affairs category, “Walk in My Shoes” was produced by Chucha Barber, Lauren Book, Claire VanSusteren and Joshua McLawhorn. In the Public Service Announcement category, “Child Sexual Abuse Prevention” was declared the winner, and was produced by Chucha Barber, Lauren Book, Claire VanSusteren, Jason Maurer, Jose Kropp and Michele Watson.
Lauren’s Kids previously produced or co-produced two other EMMY Award-winning videos: “What if I Told You: How to Solve Child Sexual Abuse” and “Out of Darkness, Into Light,” which was produced by WLRN.
The Suncoast Regional EMMY Awards were hosted by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Suncoast Chapter at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on Saturday, December 1.
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About Lauren Book
Lauren Book, M.S. ED, founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids, is an internationally-recognized child protection advocate, best-selling author and Florida State Senator who works every day to protect childhood. She is also a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, suffered at the hands of a trusted caretaker from the time she was 10 until the age of 16. Armed with the knowledge that 95 percent of sexual abuse is preventable through education and awareness, Lauren has worked to turn her horrific personal experience into a vehicle to prevent childhood sexual abuse and help other survivors heal.
An official 501(c) (3) since 2007, Lauren’s Kids educates adults and children about sexual abuse prevention through in-school curricula, ADDY and EMMY Award-winning public awareness campaigns and speaking engagements around the country and the world. The organization also leads an annual statewide “Walk in My Shoes” awareness walk across the state of Florida – 1,500 miles from the Southernmost Point of the U.S. in Key West to the Capitol in Tallahassee – and provides more than 8 million direct mail education and awareness materials statewide. The foundation has helped advocate for the passage of nearly two dozen laws to support survivors and protect children from predators. For more information, please visit laurenskids.org.
