Shattered Dreams, the play that takes us into the heart of today’s American slave trade, comes to a stage in Cambridge

Cambridge, June 11. This play is about Alice, who becomes a victim of the illegal sex trade. How does Alice, a 13-year-old- girl from an upper-middle class white family – who gets good grades, plays soccer and the flute and dances ballet -- end up a victim of the illegal sex trade that flourishes in the United States today? Her only mistake is to trust the wrong person.

Shattered Dreams is written and directed by Beatrice Fernando and Isabel Garcia. Beatrice, herself a survivor of slavery is the President and Founder of Nivasa Foundation. “It’s important for people to know that it isn’t only poor girls or girls of color who are targeted for slavery or the sex trade. Even girls from white suburban families are at risk. I want to educate people on how they can keep this from happening to their daughters. It’s the problem that no one wants to talk about,” stresses Fernando. In her memoir, In Contempt of Fate, Ms. Fernando talks about her own harrowing experience as a young woman living in Sri Lanka who answered an employment advertisement for a housemaid position in Lebanon. Upon arrival, she had her passport confiscated, was imprisoned, subjected to repeated physical abuse, and never paid. She finally escaped by jumping from a fourth floor balcony, only to be paralyzed by the fall. She now lives in Massachusetts and is able to walk again. Through Nivasa Foundation, Ms. Fernando has dedicated herself to helping former victims of enslavement and educating people about the reality of slavery in America and the world today.

The part of Alice will be played by Stephanie Simonoff, a 16- year-old sophomore at The Derryfield School in Manchester, New Hampshire. Miss Simonoff has extensive acting experience, including three short films as well as many stage performances. Her latest role as the lead in Shelley, a film about a murderous teenager, won selection for the prestigious 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Shattered Dreams can be seen on June 11, 2011 at the West Cambridge Youth Center, 680 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, MA. The event will begin at 6:00 PM with musical entertainment by Ted Hu, followed by the play, a question and answer session and refreshments.

Mark your calendar, reserve your seat by making a minimum donation of $10.00