Salt Lake City— The Elizabeth Smart Foundation (ESF) has released its third season of Smart Talks. Smart Talks is a weekly podcast where survivor and advocate Elizabeth Smart interviews therapists in different modalities, survivors of trafficking and abuse, and experts in the anti-violence field as they share resources and stories of empowerment, recovery, and hope. The first two episodes of season three are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and elizabethsmartfoundation.org.
“Smart Talks is all about feeling empowered and becoming more educated on sexual violence and how to better support survivors,” Smart says. “Every episode really does make a difference, and I’m so grateful for the individuals and organizations that come on and talk about what they’ve experienced and what they’re doing to make an impact. It’s an honor to be part of these conversations.”
In the introductory episode, “Expanding Our Impact,” Smart shares what her foundation has accomplished since the last season of Smart Talks. One of the main events happened earlier this year when ESF officially partnered with the Malouf Foundation™. Malouf Foundation™ co-founders Sam and Kacie Malouf appear on episode two of season three, “Using Business as a Force for Good”, and discuss why they chose to combat sexual exploitation and what initiatives they’re spearheading, including the OnWatch™ anti-trafficking training.
“The beginning of the Malouf Foundation™ was focused on donating bedding to people in need through our for-profit company, Malouf Companies™. There came a point where we became more aware of sexual exploitation and trafficking, and we recognized we had a platform to speak from,” Sam Malouf says in Smart Talks. “ It can be easy to get overwhelmed working in this space, but from a long-term perspective, there are a lot of ways you can continue making an impact, and that’s what we want to do.”
Featured guests on Smart Talks season three will include survivor leaders and advocates like Kara Robinson Chamberlain. At 15 years old, Chamberlain was kidnapped by who she would later find out to be a serial killer. After 18 hours in captivity, Kara escaped her captor and later helped the police identify him. Kara is now an advocate for other survivors and has worked in law enforcement as a school resource officer, investigator and victim’s advocate.
In her Smart Talks interview, which launches July 11, Chamberlain shares with survivors of sexual violence, “The most important thing is to really give yourself grace and space to be who and where you are. Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. Don’t compare your trauma to anyone else’s and really just take your healing one day at a time."
Other upcoming guests on Smart Talks include Tiffany Roe, founder and owner of Mindful Counseling in Utah; Dr. Rebecca Bailey, founder and director of Transitioning Families in California; Dawn Hawkins, CEO of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE); and Abby Cox, First Lady of Utah. To subscribe or listen to the Smart Talks Podcast, visit elizabethsmartfoundation.org. Episodes are also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
If you or a loved one has been affected by sexual violence, the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN, is available at 800.656.HOPE or via live chat at https://www.rainn.org/. Communication is available 24/7, confidential, and free of charge.
About Elizabeth Smart Foundation and Malouf Foundation™
In January 2022, the Elizabeth Smart Foundation officially became a part of the Malouf Foundation™ to confront sexual assault and exploitation. Each foundation fulfills their mission by providing education through OnWatch™ and Smart Defense; promoting healing through the Juniper Scholarship™, Rooms Restored™, and restorative care centers; and advocating for survivors through Heroes Landing™ and the “We Believe You" campaign. Supported by the network of Malouf Companies™, the Malouf Foundation™ and the Elizabeth Smart Foundation give 100 percent of their resources on behalf of the people they serve. For more information, visit elizabethsmartfoundation.org and malouffoundation.org.