Concert to Fight Human Trafficking and Child Sexual Abuse

Taylor Chicks, The Duval Speck Trio, and The Yadao Trio Play Benefit Concert for Yolo County’s Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center 

From Press Release

All are invited to attend a fun-filled, energetic benefit concert with The Taylor Chicks, The Duval Speck Trio, and The Yadao Trio at The Oddfellows Hall, 415 2nd Street in Davis on Sunday, June 23 from 4:30-8:00 pm.

This special event supports Yolo County’s Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center ( MDIC ) in its efforts to eliminate human trafficking and child sexual abuse. Beer, wine, Fabulous Tacos by T’s Tacos and Tunes will be available for purchase. There will be a silent auction featuring artwork by Cathy Speck, which has been very popular in the Davis 2nd Friday Art About circuit.

Cameron Handley, Director of the MDIC (Yolo County’s Children’s Advocacy Center) reports, “Sex trafficking of our local youth is far more prevalent in Yolo County than most people realize. Because of our proximity to two major interstates, I-80 and I-5, our specific region in California is one of the most targeted regions by traffickers in the United States”

The musical performers are all seasoned professionals who have been long appreciated in the region. Duval Speck (Linda Duval and Cathy Speck) began writing and performing together in 1993 and have been well-known for their original songs, varied musical styles, soaring harmonies, and Linda’s acoustic guitar and bouzouki playing, covering styles from “blues to Broadway”. Duval Speck have released 3 CDs of original music, and were the recipients of the Davis “Harmony In Our Lives” Award in 2013. Their shows include The Palms Playhouse, the Winters Opera House, Oprah Winfrey’s “Oxygen Tank Tour”, the Whole Earth Festival, the UC Davis Chancellor’s Awards Committee, Picnic In the Park, along with many house concerts. For this special performance they will be playing many of their original songs and will be joined by drummer Tami Talle to form the Duval Speck Trio.

Also playing will be The Taylor Chicks (Cheri LaDue and Sue Corrigan), whose philosophy is: “Laugh, Play, Sing, and Smile!” They have been playing music for the past 8 years all over Northern California, and in LA, Reno, Houston and Dallas. They were named “Elk Grove’s Best Local band of 2018”. They enjoy playing songs by their favorite artists and putting their own Taylor Chick spin on them. Artist influences include the Indigo Girls, Dan Fogelberg, The Eagles, Amy Grant and Classic Rock of the 70’s and 80’s.

Rounding out this special evening of music will be The Yadao Trio, comprised of Roni Yadao (lead vocals/guitar) , Rochelle Yadao (keyboardist/vocals) and Tami Talle (drummer). The Yadao Trio have been entertaining audiences well over a decade. They have toured together in the band Evasive Action and played overseas at such places as the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Johnston Island and Guam. This dynamo all-female trio can also be seen locally in Sacramento based dance band Roni and the Flight, as they play an integral part of the band’s powerhouse sound! The beautiful blend of the Yadao Sisters’ harmonies, the energetic and thriving back beat of Talle’s drum playing along with Rochelle’s stunning left hand Keyboard bass stylings makes this mixture of musicianship Captivating Fun and Exciting.

The Yolo County Multi-Disciplinary Interview Center (MDIC) is a one-stop center for all child sexual assault cases in Yolo County including trafficked youth. The MDIC provides forensic and child welfare interviews; on-going therapy and assessment; advocacy; evidentiary exams; case management; outreach and education; and a service dog program providing comfort and support to children and their families. The involved agencies come to the child and participate in the interview process together, thereby reducing the added trauma caused for children when they have to endure repetitive interviews and systems.

Funds raised will also be used to provide child abuse prevention, education, and awareness, as well as ongoing and consistent education and outreach about the realities of human sex trafficking including, how to identify and respond to kids at risk, how to know when you might be involved in an unsafe and exploitive relationship, how to stay safe online, and “red flags” for parents. “The best way to combat this growing issue in our community is by increasing community awareness,” explains Handley. “The number of kids from Yolo County found on escort sites increases daily. The average age for a minor to enter “the life,” is 12-14 years old.” More information will be available at the venue, and Yolo County staff will also be present to answer questions.

This is an all-ages event and the doors open at 4:30, with music starting at 5:00. Tacos are available from 5:30 to 6:30 only. No one will be turned away at the door, but donations of $20 or more are greatly appreciated. 100% of the proceeds from the evening will go to support Yolo County’s MDIC. The event is co-hosted by Davis Odd Fellows Lodge #169, with

Odd Fellows Lodge # 169 with a generous sponsorship from First 5 Yolo, whose mission is to assist our community to raise children who are healthy, safe, and ready to learn. The MDIC is grateful for this generous show of support and looking forward to this special event. Please join us for an evening of fun, music and good times for a great cause!

For more information contact Cathy Speck at: speckduval@gmail.com.

Photo: The Duval Speck Trio L to R: Linda Duval, Tami Talle, Cathy Speck