Adira James, A Detroit-born indie writer, is the author of the award-winning memoir What They Couldn’t Take: A Memoir of Survival From Familial Sex Trafficking and Sunbeams Through Blankets: An Inspirational Guide To Surviving Familial Sex Trafficking. She has also written two children’s books focused on child safety. Ms. James is a lived-experience expert for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and a member of the STAND Program (Survivor Training, Advocacy, Networking, and Development) through World Without Exploitation. She works with community leaders to combat familial child sex trafficking and empower children to identify safe adults.

She enjoys yoga, gardening, and various art forms. Happily married and embracing a newfound peace in her life, she lives with her husband and cats in the Detroit area.