Rhonda Kuykendall - Human Trafficking

From Awareness to Action: Rotary’s Role in Fort Bend County

Human trafficking is not a distant issue: it impacts communities across Fort Bend County and the greater Houston region. This update will give Rotarians a clear, practical look at what’s happening locally: how law enforcement identifies and investigates trafficking, what victim service providers need most when someone is ready for help, and why collaboration is the difference between a missed opportunity and a successful recovery.

Rotarians will hear how District 5890 is helping strengthen the response through community partnerships, survivor-informed support, and resource-building that helps both sides of the work, public safety and care. Most importantly, this talk moves beyond awareness into action. Attendees will leave with specific ways Rotary clubs can help right now: supporting survivor-centered services, building pathways to employment and housing, equipping providers with basic needs resources, and using Rotary’s influence to expand training and prevention across schools, faith spaces, and community organizations.

This is a hopeful update rooted in real work where Fort Bend is building stronger systems, and District 5890 is uniquely positioned to be a force multiplier for both law enforcement and victim service partners.

Rhonda Kuykendall, MSW, is a survivor leader, speaker, consultant, and legislative advocate. She works with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office and United Against Human Trafficking as the Task Force Director for the Fort Bend Anti-Trafficking Collective. Previously, she served as the Anti-Child Trafficking Consultant for Texas CASA, where she authored anti-trafficking protocols across CASA programs statewide. Rhonda serves on the Survivor Advisory Board for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault and is a member of the Governor's Texas Human Trafficking Survivor Leader Council. She chairs the Legislative Advocacy Team on the Board of Directors for Child Advocates of Fort Bend. Rhonda received the 2023 Paul H. Chapman National Award from the Foundation for the Improvement of Justice. In 2024, she was honored with the University of Houston-Downtown’s College of Public Service Social Work Person of the Year award. She also received the 2015 U.S. Congressional Medal for her efforts in Austin to enact legislation protecting children from sexual assault.