Through Their Eyes: Exploitation In The Digital Age.
2026 Theme: Exploitation in the Digital Age
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Through Their Eyes is a community-centered art and education initiative that uses data, lived experience, and visual storytelling to challenge myths about human trafficking and illuminate how exploitation actually occurs in our communities.
Our exhibits are designed to:
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Increase public awareness
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Disrupt common misconceptions
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Support prevention through education
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Center survivor-informed perspectives
This work is educational, not sensational — and grounded in research, community collaboration, and ethical engagement.
What’s New for 2026
New 2026 Exhibits
Video Games as a Gateway
This exhibit examines how traffickers use online gaming spaces, voice chats, and private messaging to groom children and young people under the guise of friendship, mentorship, or shared interests.
Behind the Screen
This exhibit explores the intersections of human trafficking, webcam exploitation, and the online pornography industry — focusing on coercion, financial pressure, and the myth of digital consent.
These exhibits are designed to inform parents, educators, youth, and community members without relying on fear-based messaging.
Grant-Funded Expansion
The 2026 expansion of Through Their Eyes is supported by funding from the Governor’s Children at Risk Task Force (CARTF).
This funding supports:
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New exhibit development
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Research and data analysis
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Community education efforts
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Expanded gallery experiences
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Our premiere event was held at TVCC Ontario Campus - Weese Building. Panel discussion with Kimberly Rose DeButler (TriCounty Anti-Trafficking Task Force), David Goldthorpe (District Attorney, Malheur County), Aide Samantha Moore (Founder, Elevate Empire), and Joseph Martinez (Student Intern—moderator of panel). Educated 150 students and community members on local trafficking trends, red flags, and resources for support. Jan 22 - 25 2025.
Help coordinate logistics by helping to find venue locations, travel lodgings, and supporting set-up and take-down.
At Elevate Empire, we believe education is only the beginning. Every year, we launch awareness and advocacy campaigns designed to challenge the systems that allow exploitation to continue.
Through Their Eyes is where that journey began.
It’s not just an art gallery — it’s a call to conscience.
Through survivor-informed storytelling and local data, we expose the often-overlooked realities of human trafficking right here in Idaho and challenge communities to act.
This project asks each of us to:
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See what has been hidden,
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Hear voices long ignored,
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And Dare2See the darkest sides of humanity and greed.
We have an ambitious goal to create Idaho's First Human Trafficking Education Index, designed to measure what communities and individuals know and do not know about human trafficking.
What We Do
Turning Awareness Into Action
Through a unique combination of art, data, and community partnerships, Through Their Eyes transforms research into visual storytelling that empowers communities to prevent and respond to exploitation.
We collaborate with nonprofits, community colleges, law enforcement agencies, and state partners to present local realities—because no child, woman, man, or person should ever experience sexual abuse, trafficking, or exploitation.
Our work is anchored in three core components:
Art Exhibits:
Visual storytelling through forensic composites, survivor reflections, and local data-driven realities.
Panel Discussions:
Conversations with survivors, advocates, educators, and law enforcement committed to systemic change.
Resource Activation:
Practical tools for individuals, faith groups, and civic organizations to protect and empower.
Learn from real-world projects in social justice, prevention, and policy change through Elevate Empire’s internship programs.
Silence Protects Traffickers. Awareness Protects Children.
Traffickers thrive in secrecy, silence, and misplaced trust.Through Their Eyes equips communities to recognize red flags, disrupt patterns of harm, and build protective networks that watch over the most vulnerable — while preserving the compassion and openness that make Idaho communities strong.