Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Ouimette-Wedell.

 

Hi Kate , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

From Exploitation to Empowerment: How One Survivor Turned Her Story into a Mission of Healing

 

Kate Wedell never imagined her dream of becoming a professional singer would lead her into the depths of exploitation. After leaving her position as a lead vocalist in a band, she moved to Los Angeles with hopes of breaking into the music industry. Instead, she was betrayed by someone she believed was a friend — a man who trafficked her shortly after her arrival in Hollywood.

 

Though she escaped, survival felt impossible. With no support system and few options, she turned to exotic dancing. Eventually, Kate was recruited by a well-known Hollywood madam who promised her access to elite industry circles and a shot at fame. For two years, Kate served high-profile clientele, brushing shoulders with celebrities, but the life quickly became a trap. It was like sinking in quicksand — the deeper she went, the harder it was to get out.

 

Despite landing jobs as a choreographer and dancer in two films and a spot on Paramount Studios’ Late Night Party Machine — thanks to the support of friend and actor Jesse Borrego — the emotional toll of her past made it difficult to thrive. The trauma she carried led her to substance use as a way to numb the pain. Multiple arrests followed, and Kate was eventually incarcerated for drug possession and car theft.

 

But it was behind bars — clean for the first time in a decade — that Kate experienced clarity. She realized she had been living a life she never truly chose. It was there she also discovered the love of Christ. That encounter became the turning point. With newfound hope, Kate conquered her addictions, left the sex industry for good, and began to rebuild. She married, became a mother, and returned to cosmetology, launching her own salon.

 

But Kate knew she couldn’t keep her story to herself. Her journey had equipped her with the insight and compassion needed to reach women still trapped in exploitation. From that place of healing, she founded CherishedLA, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles County that offers residential care, support groups, employment, and long-term services to survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

 

What began as a small social enterprise in 2011 — crafting bath and body products and handmade jewelry — has grown into a comprehensive, trauma-informed program deeply rooted in founder Kate Wedell’s lived experience and spiritual conviction.

Jewelry-making has long been part of Kate’s story. During her time in the clubs, she would design and sell jewelry to other dancers as a creative outlet and means of income. Today, that same practice has come full circle, serving as a meaningful part of the healing process for survivors at CherishedLA.

 

Residents craft jewelry using imported brass from Istanbul, where Kate trained under master designer Zeynep of Zworks. After her travels, she brought those techniques home and began teaching them to the women in the program. In addition to jewelry, survivors also make hand-poured candles and all-natural bath and body products — learning skills, building confidence, and contributing to their own restoration.

 

“I started Cherished to tell women they are loved, valued, and yes — Cherished,” Kate shares.

She has spent the past 15 years running homes for women overcoming complex trauma. In addition to founding and leading CherishedLA, Kate completed 3 cert levels in Narrative Focused Trauma Care (NFTC) through the Allender Center, over 4 years of intensive training. She now leads story workshops for survivors of all ages, helping them confront and heal from deep wounds of abuse and exploitation.

 

Today, Kate serves on the Survivor Advisory Board for 3Strands in Sacramento, leads support groups for TreasuresLA, and works as the Human Trafficking Subject Matter Expert for City Net, a leading homeless services agency serving Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange, and Sacramento Counties.

 

She is also the author of “Exposed: Surviving the Commercial Sex Industry”, a look behind the curtian of “the sex industry” also a dynamic speaker dedicated to advocating for the voices and needs of survivors across the country.

 

Kate Wedell’s story is one of redemption, courage, and purpose — a living testimony to the power of healing, and a fierce commitment to making sure no woman walks that journey alone.

Author of  EXPOSED: Surviving the Commercial Sex Industry

 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all — the road has been anything but smooth, but it’s also been deeply transformative.

Starting CherishedLA as a survivor meant confronting my own wounds while building something that could hold space for others to heal. That alone required an enormous amount of courage, self-awareness, and perseverance. In the early years, I operated the organization without a paycheck, volunteering my time just to make sure others could be paid. There were moments when I didn’t know if we could keep the doors open — financially, emotionally, or spiritually.

 

One of the biggest challenges has been navigating systems that often don’t understand the depth of trauma survivors carry. Housing, legal aid, health care — all of it can be re- traumatizing if not approached with compassion. I’ve had to advocate fiercely, often being the only one in the room with lived experience, which comes with its own set of challenges.

 

Personally, there were also internal battles — moments of doubt, burnout, and grief. Walking with survivors through their stories can stir up echoes of your own. I’ve had to do deep inner work to remain present, whole, and effective as a leader and a mentor. That included ongoing therapy, spiritual grounding, and staying in touch with my community of support.