Our Mission
For children and young adults who have a need to be validated and accepted as who they are, Urban Trade is a narrative short film that touches on a nuance form of human trafficking.

Background
After listening to an NPR news story in 2015 on Human Trafficking in Houston, our writer/director, Cybil Saenz, was driven to create a cautionary tale surrounding a Houston teenage girl who becomes a victim to sex trafficking.

What we do
Our narrative short film brings awareness to human trafficking issues in Houston. The film will create discussions and open up dialogue within families to speak about the dangers and realities of Human Trafficking. We strive to shed light on the human trafficking crisis in Houston in a safe space as the subject matter is intense and scary. As a Houston based film led by a Filipinx woman, we aim to tell stories from the lens of marginalized voices.

Our Vision
We want shed light on the reality that Houston is a major hub of human trafficking. We also want to show that Houston is filled with professional creatives who work well together to make filmmaking dreams become reality. By creating this film, we hope that it will provide the catalyst and inspiration for other stories to be told.

Core Values
Empower female voices and marginalized populations to get their stories told.
Nurture a healthy and thriving Houston-based film community.
Create social change through collaborative art.
Open discussions on difficult topics in a safe space

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CAST:
Linda Mendoza: Michelle De Belen
Julia “JEWELS” Rodriguez: Kathryn Rose
David “LIL D” Huerta: Mateo Valentino
DJ Sharpie: Roland Ruiz
Angeli Mendoza: Christine Jugueta
Kris Mendoza: Karina Pal Montaño-Bowers
Jericho Mendoza: Apolonio Pallugna-Saenz
Teddy Mendoza: Benicio Pallugna-Saenz
Freddy Mendoza: Alejandro Saenz III