We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sabella Neal a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sabella, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

Yes, Breaking Chains Foundation Inc. serves an underserved community—survivors of human trafficking and child exploitation. These individuals are often overlooked, marginalized, and silenced in society, which perpetuates their trauma and limits their access to healing and justice.

One particular story that highlights the underserved nature of this community involves a 32-year-old trafficking victim in the New York City area. She had been through unimaginable circumstances, separated from her 17-month-old child, who was placed in foster care. Her experiences reflect a larger systemic issue where survivors, even when they escape their traffickers, face numerous barriers to reintegration, including a lack of trauma-informed services, inadequate legal advocacy, and minimal access to safe housing and rehabilitation programs.

Breaking Chains Foundation stepped in to provide critical support, connecting her with programs outside of New York, where she could begin healing while working to reunite with her child. The collaboration with organizations like Pillars Of Hope highlights how our brand focuses on holistic and survivor-centered care, advocating for justice and empowering individuals to rebuild their lives.

Why does it matter? Survivors of trafficking often lack visibility in mainstream conversations, but they face profound barriers in accessing mental health care, legal advocacy, education, and employment opportunities. Their trauma is compounded by societal stigmas and inadequate support structures, leaving them underserved and vulnerable to re-victimization.

Breaking Chains Foundation serves this community by offering tailored programs like RISE Collective and Justice Warriors, which provide mentorship, advocacy, leadership training, and legal support. Our approach is unique because we prioritize survivor leadership, ensuring that those who have lived through these experiences shape the services and advocacy efforts. This survivor-led model empowers individuals to reclaim their voices and pave the way for a future where no one is left behind.

Sabella, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Sabella Neal, and I am the Founder, CEO, and President of Breaking Chains Foundation Inc. My journey into this work is deeply personal. I’ve overcome significant obstacles in my own life—experiences of trauma, exploitation, and personal struggle—that have fueled my desire to help others. My story of resilience, survival, and triumph inspired me to create a safe space for others who have endured similar hardships, particularly survivors of human trafficking and child exploitation. Breaking Chains Foundation Inc. was born out of this personal mission to empower, heal, and offer hope to those who need it most. We launched in October 2023, and our focus is on serving individuals who have been silenced, marginalized, and left behind by society. Through our survivor-centered programs, we aim to break the chains of trafficking, exploitation, and systemic injustice, helping survivors reclaim their power and rebuild their lives.
Our services include educational workshops, survivor advocacy, legal support, leadership training, mentorship, and cybersecurity awareness through initiatives like the Cyber Security & Human Trafficking Awareness Educational Trainings. Our RISE Collective program is a nationwide initiative designed to foster leadership and empowerment for survivors, and Justice Warriors is another initiative that focuses on legal advocacy and justice for those who have been wronged by the system.
What sets us apart is our trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach, prioritizing survivor leadership. Our programs are created by survivors, for survivors, ensuring that those who’ve lived through the horrors of trafficking and exploitation are shaping the services and advocacy efforts they receive. We don’t just serve survivors; we empower them to lead and advocate for themselves and others.
We address several critical issues for our clients. First and foremost, we provide a safe, compassionate space where survivors can heal. We also tackle systemic problems by offering legal advocacy, helping individuals clear their records, and providing the skills and resources necessary for survivors to thrive—whether it’s through leadership training, financial literacy, or cybersecurity education.
I am most proud of our survivor-led model and the lives we’ve already touched through our foundation’s work. Every day, we are breaking down the barriers that keep survivors from moving forward, whether that’s a lack of access to education, employment opportunities, or justice. The work we do isn’t just about survival; it’s about helping individuals thrive in every aspect of their lives.
For those who are learning about us for the first time, I want them to know that Breaking Chains Foundation Inc. is more than an organization—we are a community. We are committed to standing beside survivors, offering hope, and walking with them on their journey to healing. We aim to create systemic change, dismantling the structures that perpetuate exploitation and trafficking, while also providing immediate, real-world solutions that allow survivors to reclaim their power and rebuild their lives.
Breaking Chains Foundation isn’t just about ending trafficking—it’s about rewriting the future for survivors. We stand for hope, justice, and empowerment, and we believe that every individual deserves the chance to thrive, no matter what they’ve been through.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Absolutely. One story that stands out is from when I was 20 years old, spiraling in self-destructive behavior and deep into addiction. I had reached what many would call rock bottom, feeling hopeless and completely lost. I was on the verge of giving up, but deep down, I knew that I was meant for more.
It was during this dark time that I made a pivotal decision—to change my life. I sought help and joined the Los Angeles Dream Center Discipleship program, a program that focused on recovery, healing, and finding purpose. The process was grueling, both mentally and physically. There were many moments when I wanted to give up, but I kept pushing forward because I knew that my life depended on it.
During this journey, I met my soulmate, someone who saw me for who I truly was, beyond my past and my struggles. I also completed the program, found faith in myself, and began rebuilding my life. I went back to school, pursued a career, and had my criminal record expunged. That was the moment I realized the power of resilience—that no matter how far I had fallen, I had the strength to rise again.
That experience of surviving and then thriving has stayed with me ever since. It drives my work with Breaking Chains Foundation Inc., as I know firsthand what it means to come from a place of darkness and rebuild a life full of hope and purpose. This is what I aim to give others—a chance to rise, heal, and reclaim their power.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One significant pivot in my life happened when I was 24 years old. At the time, I had just relapsed after years of working hard to rebuild my life from addiction and trauma. The relapse felt like a failure, and I was devastated. I had moved forward in so many ways—completed a recovery program, pursued education, and was on the path to success—but suddenly, I found myself back at square one, facing the same demons I thought I had left behind.

That moment forced me to reassess everything. I realized that the journey to healing wasn’t a straight line, but a continuous process that required deeper work. I decided to pivot—rather than focusing on what I lost, I chose to focus on what I could still build. I moved to a new environment, away from the people and places that triggered my relapse, and began a deeper journey of self-discovery. It was during this time that I found my true calling.

This pivotal moment reshaped not only my personal life but also my career. It led me to focus on understanding trauma, addiction, and recovery in a more meaningful way. I went back to school to earn my master’s degree and eventually opened Breaking Chains Foundation Inc. The foundation itself is a product of that pivot, born out of my realization that healing is not linear, and that people need ongoing support, compassion, and empowerment.

That experience taught me the importance of embracing change, even when it feels like you’re starting over. It gave me a renewed sense of purpose and allowed me to create a platform that now helps others rebuild their lives, no matter how many times they have to start again.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://breakingchainsfl.org
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/BreakingChainsFoundationinc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breakingchainsfoundationinc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/breakingchainsfoundationinc
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakingchainsf
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBAOBm3PDn5weFGzoCRKc1A
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/breaking-chains-foundation-parrish-3
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/breakingchainsfl
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakingchainsfoundation https://www,sabellaneal.square.site https://www.canva.com/design/DAGQrJDW4bk/dsAdPcJapqLB3HQZfrSnEw/edit https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fuel-podcast/id1555308797

Image Credits
Sabella Neal, M.A. Doctoral Candidate Founder | Author